I’m up to my ears in meetings today and haven’t much time to write, but I thought you might like to meet a gull that we spotted, nesting on the rocks below the Blue Moon Pottery Studio in The Battery, St. John’s, Newfoundland.
On guard
More tomorrow, I promise!
The second floor view
It’s the weekend of the Craft Council AGM and that means a Friday of Studio Tours as well as a sneak peek inside the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation. I’ve written about it before (before its name was changed from The Tucker Premises to the QVV Plantation) but it’s nearing the opening date now, the tenants have been selected and it’s all getting very exciting.
I took a few photos and am posting them here for those who are curious as to what the building looks like on the inside.
Jessica Butler, jeweller extraordinaire and one of the tenants.
The space was designed by architect Philip Pratt and is a marvelous blend of old and new. The beams vaulting the ceiling were left outside to weather naturally.
The bottom floor has a kitchenette, office space, and other public spaces.Outside there are picnic tables and benches along the wharf.
Lower floor, looking out into the Quidi Vidi Gut (and Village)
It has an elevator and a staircase both, to take you upstairs to the actual studio spaces.
The grand staircase
The units are small, but efficient and each contains a sink, cupboard, ethernet connection, 220amp service and an openable window. They’re all individually lockable as well.
While they look a little boxy now, once folks get craft equipment and product into them, I expect that they will perk right up and be truly fascinating microcosms of creativity.
Some have partitions between units, allowing two users to open space between them and share working accommodations.
It’s a joint venture between the City of St. John’s, the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador, the Anna Templeton Centre and the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is one of the most exciting things to happen on a grand scale for craft in this province and we’re thrilled beyond measure that it has come to fruition.
I can’t wait to drop back again and see it replete in all its creative splendour.
Two of the things that I most love about driving down through the southern-most tip of the Avalon Peninsula, are the vast and seemingly endless stretches of untrammelled openness and the abundance of wildlife that inhabits these tundras.
A lot of what you see between Cape Race and Cape Pine looks like this:
Vast expanse of what appears to be nothing.
I never cease to be astounded by just how big treeless land can be. It makes you suddenly feel vulnerable and naked. Added to this sudden feeling of conspicuousness is the realization that everything that lives there is much better adapted to travelling the terrain, blending in and surviving than the humanoid visitor. Looking at that photo, you see land and more land and sky and a small pond. In reality, the land is teaming with birds, the pond is probably full of fish (surprising how many fish-laden ponds there are in these spots) and there are more plant varieties that a quick glance would indicate.
There are also these:
Sneaking up on a caribou
I spotted this one munching on the side of the road. As we pulled over, he moved inland a bit and I was able to crawl up behind some rocks and get a better view. He noticed me after the first shutter click. I say “he”, but since females also grow antlers and I’m no caribou expert, it could just as easily be a she. My guess is male mainly because of the relative size of this beast; others I’ve noticed in the past have been considerably smaller. Then again, it could just as easily be a gravid female. Anyone out there care to posit a guess?
Spotted!
He watched me for a while, but didn’t seem too worried.
Caribou watching you
Then after I shifted too close for comfort, he headed for the high ground.
Leaving now
I really like the picture below, as you can clearly see how well they can blend in at will. If he lay down behind a rock, he’d be pretty hard to spot.
Camouflage
I wanted to take a photo of this statue, of Terry Fox, but struggled for a bit on finding a unique angle. Lots of folks have been to see it in recent weeks, since it was unveiled and getting an original take is a little tricky. In the end, I selected a fairly tame, yet comprehensive angle that lets you clearly read the quotation and see the detail of the statue, but also reveals the symbolic shadows cast.
Opted for a night exposure at a small aperture, to make star-bursts of the lights and to really capture the detail of the sculpture. The statue is larger than life-sized and the enormous shadows give life to the giant dream that the real man envisioned. Oddly enough, although the photo still looks tilted to my eye, the text is straight and the man is upright. I think the lights and shadows must be playing tricks with perspective, here.
The Terry Fox Memorial at Mile O, where Terry dipped his artificial leg in St. John’s Harbour before starting his almost unbelievable run across Canada. He ended his physical run in Thunder Bay, when his cancer returned in force, but his family has continued the philosophical and fundraising aspect of his journey in his memory.
Millions upon millions of dollars have been raised for cancer research, started by one runner in the rain.
I have hauled myself out of bed to run long distances, but I can’t fathom running marathon after marathon, day in, day out. It’s almost unimaginable even to someone with both legs and a cancer-free body; I cannot comprehend the magnitude of the vision that kept him going.
The statue was created by Luben Boykov and is located on Water Street, at the base of Temperance Street.
Waiting. The statuary at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Flatrock, Newfoundland.
Those of you who are Christian, lovers of statuary or simply fans of night photography may appreciate these shots. There’s nothing like a dramatic setting for a religious subject matter.
Flatrock
They were taken in Flatrock, this evening (Good Friday), during an almost-full moon.
Moon rising on Good Friday
The subject matter seemed topical, given the day. Flatrock is eminently photogenic at the best of times. Throw in a nice moon and it’s an irresistible community.
Night
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