Navel Gazing

Boz at Devil's Gate Dam, October 2009

City Daily Photo didn't have a theme day on January 1st, so today we're celebrating The Festival of the Belly Button by contemplating our navels. The question I'm to ask myself is, over the time I've been blogging, how has my photography changed?

 

Boz has eyelashes, November 2012

Mostly, two things:
1) I'm more aware of little details than I used to be.

and

2) I am now more interested in telling a story or conveying an emotion than showing you a thing.

You'll find the links to other worldwide navel gazers here.

Graffiti and the Toruń Skyline

Here is an interesting view of the Toruń skyline from the top of an old Prussian war bunker. There are many bunkers circling the city and many more smaller ones within the old town. Some of them were even used by the Nazis during WWII as POW camps.

The Last Page

House Plants, Charleston, S.C.

I forgot to boast that Charleston Magazine used one of my pictures on their last page in February. Pretty cool since I was actually featured myself in January. They always feature one single picture on their last page each month and after spotting this one they emailed asking permission to use it. Then they asked me to bill them. Hello! How fun is that? Pretty darn fun I say.

This bit of graffiti wall is in an alley on upper King St. It is normally gated off but they left it open one day and that was enough for me.

Graffiti Mural

Artwork or graffiti? This is an interesting mural on the wall near the local morgue!

Zen Monday: #183

Zen Monday 

Zen Tuesday 

Zen Wednesday 

Zen Thursday 

Zen Friday

Or, in your words....

Through the Wall

Looking through an opening in the Old City Walls towards the Market Square. Behind me is the Vistula and to the left the leaning tower (both out of picture)

Smile!

Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

Doesn't everyone walk around with a Smiley sticker in their pocket? I have friends who are clowns and always trying to stick Smiley stickers on me. I finally asked for a couple to dot the "i"s in the pavement. Smile!

Bedtime already. I got caught up working on a slideshow for work and the time slipped by. Now I am wide awake.

Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

Theme Day: Photo of the Year

Happy New Year to you all from TORUŃ DAILY PHOTO. It's that time of the month when we delve back into the archives to show you all the photo of the year. Admitedly, there aren't many to choose from as we haven't been so active over the last 12 months as before. Glad to say this will change for 2012!

So what was the best photo of 2011?

It has to be this stark hand-drawn message from the past. A British POW told the Nazis exactly how he felt all those years ago (70 to be precise!). The graffiti is one of many which can still be seen in the former Stalag-XXA camp here in Toruń.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Guess Where, Charleston?

Mural Section

Okay kids, here is a lowcountry location quiz question. Can anyone place this lovely piece of a larger wall mural?

Hints - it is not part of the graffiti walls behind Buffalo South on Folly Rd. although I featured them a couple of days ago. It is part of a large wall mural and easily visible outside.

Sheepman's Graffiti Panels, Folly Road

Sheepmans Graffiti Panels, Folly Rd., Charleston, S.C.

It's been a while since I checked in on Sheepman's graffiti panels in the back of the Buffalo South plaza on Folly Rd. I was worried that they might have been defaced. Someone might have sprayed graffiti on the graffiti. This artist was given permission to paint so we can wallow in the enjoyment of his art.

The shopping center that used to be abandonded is now active and the parking lot is full of boats for sale but I was pleased to find the gaffiti panels still looked fresh and good and some pieces had been updated since my last visit. This is a shrine for worshippers of graffiti art and there are lots of images online.  Holler if you need directions. I think most photographers have found it by now.

Before I Die

Before I Die, St. Philips St., Charleston, S.C.

What is on your bucket list? The Before I Die project at Redux Studio invites you to add your goals to their list in chalk.

Redux Contemporary Art Center is proud to present, Before I Die…, the 6th mural to go on the facade of the building. This project was organized by Nicole Diefenbach and inspired by Candy Chang’s Before I Die… project in New Orleans. We will transform the side of the Redux building into a giant chalkboard wall. The community is encouraged to visit Redux any time of the day and write their dreams and aspirations in chalk. Before I Die… is an interactive public art project where we can discover the ambitions of the people around us.

The mural will be unveiled at the end of Redux’s 2nd Annual Professional Development Day, lead by visiting artist Susan kae Grant. This informational and inspiring workshop focuses on seven strategies that Grant believes are crucial for preparing yourself for a successful and satisfying career as an artist. At the completion of the workshop, participants will have the first opportunity to write their goals on the blank chalkboard.
OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2011

I'm no spring chicken so I can check quite a few I saw this morning off my list. The last one,  "See the World"? I hope I never check it off - it is such a lovely project. What should be added? 

The Graffiti Face

Looking down from above is this artistically impressive blue graffiti face. The artwork can be found inside Toruń's Miasto train station...and I have no idea how long it's been up there. Nor do I know whether it's legal or not...but my guess is the latter. Graffiti is still a problem here in Poland...though for sure it has improved over the past 8 years.

Scenes from the Railway

Toruń's Miasto station is the closest train station to the old town...but it's not the main one (that one is situated on the other side of the river!). It's also pretty dingy and as you can see full of grafiti. It also has the odd tanker train rolling through it. The joys!

LOVE

LOVE, Cannon St., Charleston, S.C.

There are some benefits to living amongst the college student chaos - creativity! I don't think you'd spot this driving by but I can peek in driveways when I am on foot.

Lot's of action around town. The Farmer's Market is packed so tight I walk the outskirts and just dash in for my tomatoes and there is an October Fest tent set up on upper King St. Y'all have a good weekend!

The Colourful Angels

Toruń is famous for its angels. After all it is the angel that is the symbol of the city. These colourful angels can be seen on a mural in the playground of School Number 1 in the old town. At first glance you may think the angels are flying over the panorama of Toruń...but in fact it's a skyline made up of many famous landmarks from around the world. There's the Statue of Liberty, The Pyramids and even Stonehenge. How many others can you spot?

Home Sweet Home

King St., Charleston, S.C.



Nothing makes a house a home like a plant in the window. Cute, eh?! It was a piece of a large graffiti wall in an alley on King St. just below Spring. Here is the larger view in case anyone wants it.



In other news, Charleston Magazine is asking for votes for their annual Giving Back Non Profit Award but you don't have much time before votes are tallied on Wednesday at midnight. Vote for your favorite lowcountry charity here: Giving Back Awards. There are so many good charities listed I was torn and am happy that five of them will be featured. I love Windwood Farms, the Hemangioma Treatment Foundation, the Lowcountry Food Bank and many others. I ended up voting for the Ryan White Foundation because I process their volunteers and see what good work they do on a regular basis. Go support all these good folks!

Graffiti Walls

Spring St., Charleston, S.C.



There is some wild color on the walls behind Read Brother's store on King St. I didn't get any closer because the yellow door told me not to. That and I was afraid it might be an unauthorized homeless shelter and I didn't want to step on anyone.

Image Sign

Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

What do you think? Does the art work symbolize something significant about each business owner in the building? I hope so.

What would yours be?

Ocean View

James Island, S.C.

I gave my brother a break from painting and took him to the ocean.

We went to see Super 8 at the Terrace Theater. I didn't realize I was going to an alien monster movie. I read the first part of the review and assumed it was all about Super 8 film. It was actually a fun movie although unexpected.

The Terrace Theater is breeding baby theaters. Behind every door another movie is playing. They now have four separate little theaters. This afternoon we were in theater two where you exit facing the menu from Zias. It isn't a bad evening so we sat outside and enjoyed the cooler break.

This bit of graffiti is in the back parking lot at the Terrace Theater.

Following the Footsteps of Toruń's POWs: Messages from the Past

This message is clear and direct!

A poignant reminder of war and death

The prisoners clearly had faith in their Prime Minister

This sums up life in Stalag XX-A!

The patriotic Scots...complete with kilt!

Each message tells a story...and leaves many unanswered

questions. Who was Bernard Smith? What happened to the German

he knocked out? And did he actually get out on May 15th?

Video footage of the WWII messages

Messages from the Past:

In other rooms of Fort XI there are literally hundreds of messages written by POWs from Stalag XX-A. Most of them are in English and some even include references to notable figures like Winston Churchill and King George VI. Each message tells a story...a personal story from WWII.