The sun will come out tomorrow

_{“Into every life a little rain must fall.” Image: Su Leslie 2018}

It’s probably not surprising that sunshine is so often used as a metaphor for joy and positivity. Most life on Earth, including humanity, is dependent on the energy of our Sun.

So we describe people as “a ray of sunshine” or as having “a sunny disposition.” Stevie Wonder sang “you are the sunshine of my life“, while Morecambe and Wise often signed off at the end of their show with “Bring me Sunshine (in your smile)“

_{“You are my sunshine.” Image: Leslie family archive.}

The flip-side of course is our use of rain and cloud metaphors. My mother’s fond of the phrase “a face like a wet weekend” and I’ve always liked Billy Bragg’s “a little black cloud in a dress.” (Must I Paint you a Picture).

_{A face clouded. Image: Su Leslie 2018}

And when we want to offer hope in bad times, we promise sunshine after the storm.

_{… if you hang on for a while longer, there is always something bright around the corner, or the dark clouds will go away and there will be sunshine again. – Charles M. Schulz}

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray. — Lord Byron

Lens Artists Photo Challenge | The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

Like father, like son … not really

A younger, and much muckier, boy-child. Image: Su Leslie 2006

I really had to go searching for a shot of the boy-child in any sort of state that could be described as grubby. He’s always been an outdoorsy sort, but as a skateboarder, prefers paved urban street to muddy fields.

His father on the other hand ….

Never afraid to get grubby in the pursuit of a good bike ride. The “I’m so tough, I kick sand in my own face” shot. Image: Su Leslie 2016

Posted to the RagTag Daily Prompt | grubby

Portraits of the spirit

Detail: ‘Jockey’ by Francis Upritchard. From the exhibition, Jealous Saboteurs. Seen at Wellington City Gallery. Image: Su Leslie, 2016. Edited with Snapseed and Stackables.

A gallery of clay figures; posed, painted, dressed. All different, but at the same time strikingly similar. One face in many disguises?

This gallery of characters forms part of the exhibition Jealous Saboteurs — a survey of work by Francis Upritchard, a New Zealand-born, London-based artist. They are clever and whimiscal — drawing on motifs and imagery from many sources.

Detail: ‘Mandrake’, by Francis Upritchard, Jealous Saboteurs exhibition at the City Gallery, Wellington, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016. Edited with Snapseed and Stackables.

In sculptures of the human form, the eyes are almost always blank — there is no discernible pupil or iris to give us the visual cues we draw from living people. So if eyes are “the window to the soul” — how do we read statues?

Detail: ‘Potato Seller’ by Francis Upritchard. From the exhibition, Jealous Saboteurs. Seen at The City Gallery, Wellington, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016. Edited with Snapseed and Stackables.

Without the clues provided by body and clothing, what can we say about these figures, who all seem to share the same facial features. Can we discern, or perhaps imagine, emotions? Is it possible to create meaningful portraits of a statue? I’m interested in your views.

Detail: (name unknown) by Francis Upritchard. From the exhibition, Jealous Saboteurs. Seen at The City Gallery, Wellington, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016. Edited with Snapseed and Stackables.

Detail: ‘Yellow and Black Gown’ by Francis Upritchard. From the exhibition, Jealous Saboteurs. Seen at The City Gallery, Wellington, NZ. Image: Su Leslie, 2016. Edited with Snapseed and Stackables.

This post was written for Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge at Lens and Pens by Sally.

The title is from Robert Louis Stevenson, who said:

It is not likely that posterity will fall in love with us, but not impossible that it may respect or sympathize; so a man would rather leave behind him the portrait of his spirit than a portrait of his face. — Robert Louis Stevenson

 

 

 

Sensitive to a smile

“Beautiful children have come into my life; Beautiful people, oh young and bright.” Dilworth Karaka, Charlie Tumahai, Todd Casella, ‘Sensitive to a Smile.’ Image: Su Leslie, 2002

Herbs is a NZ reggae band that formed in 1979 and is still performing — albeit with a much changed line-up.

Sensitive to a Smile was released in 1987, and I remember it mainly, in a fairly abstract way, as a political song. It wasn’t until the boy-child was born in 1998 that the political became personal.

There comes a time in everyone’s life
No room for mistrust, no room for hate
Open up your heart, don’t look away

When I found myself responsible for that tiny bundle, grown from the love between his father and myself, I realised how invested I had become in wanting a better world, not only for my child, but for all mothers’ children.

“Quality in life that’s hard to find, Like a child with an open mind” Dilworth Karaka, Charlie Tumahai, Todd Casella, ‘Sensitive to a Smile.’ Image: Su Leslie, 2016

“… Love for them is love for all …” Dilworth Karaka, Charlie Tumahai, Todd Casella, ‘Sensitive to a Smile.’ Image: Su Leslie, 2005

Portraits #2

Outdoor pursuits. The Big T after a mountain-bike ride in the rain. Image: Su Leslie, 2016

I began this year thinking that I’d like to learn how to take better photos of people, and even posted a few images I’d captured of the boy-child (Portrait #1).

Well, the intention hasn’t gone away, but I remain a bit nervous about asking friends to pose for me. So, last weekend when the Big T came back from mountain-biking in the rain, I knew I had a perfect subject for portrait #2.

“I’m so tough, I kick sand in my own face.” The Big T after a mountain-bike ride. Image: Su Leslie, 2016