Forgotten Still Life

In Deep Jungle I Can See Your Light

In the very shape of things there is more than green growth;
There is the finality of the flower.
It is a world of crowns.
G K Chesterton

About Waterlilies

Waterlilies have always been a great challenge for me. They are for many artists. They are difficult to photograph and to paint. That is why Monet is so famous and why he is really one of the greatest painters on this planet. As an artist I want my art to show something, that allows the spectator to enter into another world. 

With waterlilies the right light is more important than ever. I find, that when taking pictures of them, the lilies have to be in the shade, but I have to be in the brightest of sunlight at a distance from them. I have to lower myself to their level to catch a glimpse of their essence. The essence of something is also the beauty of that something. The essence is what comes from the universe. To extract it without damaging it is an art.

I want to show their timidity and their translucence 

I want to show their fragility and evasiveness

but also their incredible strength and resilience

I want to show their symbiosis with the water, that I call their "soul giver" 

And if i am lucky I can show you the very close relationship that they have with the ones that live amongst and from them

The ones that live below them at their feet

 they love them in return

 

And like her, we all start out not knowing how to do it right! Like her, we learn to look at something closer. Like her, I learned to paint flowers in the Orangery in Karlsruhe where great masters have walked and painted before me!    

And like her, I have along way to go ! But today I am happy with the lilies and that is why you see some waterlilies for the first time on my blog.

The Orangery in Karlsruhe - A Princely Pleasure Garden

I wanted to write this post a while ago about a very unique and beautiful place, the Orangery in Karlsruhe, Germany - a city where I lived for a while. The Orangery with its many greenhouses hosts the famous Botanical Gardens of Karlsruhe. The Botanical Gardens were established in their current location in 1808, during the reign of Karl Friedrich of Baden (1728-1811). The origins of this extraordinary collection of plants date back to Margrave Karl Wilhem of Baden(1679-1738).

Between the two wings of the palace he ordered a " princely pleasure garden" to be laid out with magnificient orangeries, greenhouses and aviaries. At the end of the 18th century, the Margrave had his residence, gardens and palace grounds remodelled in the English style and established the Botanical Gardens on their present site.

The Margraves and Grand Dukes of Baden were plant afiocionados, amassing an impressive collection of exotic greenery. The greenhouses built to display these treasures are today home to a unique and rich plant life.  A number of rare trees from a collection dating back to the 19th century have survived until today in the park grounds.

The combination of rich growth, amazing colours and the rarity of plants is blinding the eyes of the visitor. 

This building with its amazing dome is a part of the State Art Gallery. Here you find the more modern art works from the end of the 19th century up to today. You can see a wide spectrum of works including Cezanne, Gaugin, Kandinsky, Miro and also some contemporary artists.

 

Visitors from all over the world come to see the flowers and exotic plants. When I visited the garden last year with my aunt the were great numbes of Japanese tourists discovering the beauty of the green houses and the State Gallery.

Today I am showing you only the outside are and the buildings of the gardens. The inside deserves a guided photographic tour on its own!

In 1863 the wooden glasshouses were replaced by grand ornamental cast iron structures putting Karlsruhe at the fore front of garden architecture. And more building were added, designed by the architect Heinrich Huebsch, to accomodate more plants.

Princely it is !

Update On Auguste The Flamboyant

I started writing this blog in December 2008. My first post ever was about " Auguste The Flamboyant ", a massive old flamboyant tree in my garden. 

I wrote a story entitled My Fathers Flowers Are Always With Me. At the time my blog was just an experiment but now it is a book with many short stories.

Three years later. It is shocking how the time passes and amazing to see how some things have continuity. There are people, plants or animals that will never let you down in life.

Here is an update on Auguste The Flamboyant.
He is beautiful and mighty as ever.

It's December. African Summer. The last days of December.

Something new to come. Better.

More powerful, I hope.

He is a dense and large shelter for The Spirit in the Sky.

And he still has only one true color competitor !

My thoughts not worth a penny in this mighty universe.

Or are they ?

the only competitor

the sky over Africa ...

which is a sigh of God on a warm summer evening
eternalised.

I am telling you, you will be fine !

The Virgin Flowers

available at Chocolat Negro Photography

I Walk The Street With My Ethiopian Lilies

I walk the streets with my Ethiopian lilies,

My father's father was a poor man

as was my father

and so am I

Today, I still have all my Ethiopian lilies

I walked the streets all day long,

but have sold not one

I am no man of great culture, taste

or wisdom

I believe in god

And I once did work the land,

but through all the time,

I walked the streets with my Ethiopian lilies

I came to love theses flowers

I learned, they come from the banks of a great river,

called the Nile,

that flows through many lands

that is why their name is Ethopian lily,

some like to call them Calla

I walk the streets with my Ethiopian lilies,

do not laugh at me

that's what I do in life

and I have just waited for you

to buy a single one, or may be too

so my son would eat tonight.

In memory of an unknown man from I bought once 10 Ethiopian lilies instead of one.

The Bridesmaiden

photographic installation with four delicate white flowers

The Three Graces

My First Friend

That was the first time ever when I asked someone to become my friend and I remember it clearly. At the age of two and a half the perception and understandiung of the difference between diverse and unique life-forms is amazingly not very profound - which is a beautiful thing in itself because it allows for simple communication. But since that time I like very tall people with a wide open face and a broad grin.

My Companion

You might have noticed a slight change in scenery lately. After 5 years in Africa, without having been to the Old World, I spent a holiday of six weeks in Europe. 

One week and one day for every year spent in the South. 

This was my beloved companion. The 30 year old orange Peugeot bicycle of my mother. It was released from it's uncomfortable and dusty position under the garage roof, where it has been tied up for decades. My brother's friend Olli gave him tender love and care. Bless you Olli !

My companion was allowed to roam free again.

You could almost hear him sigh.

And believe me: to what places of wild and un-tamed beauty I was driven !

Into the woods and over the land.!

Where the trees are known to someone by their very own personal name

Flight Into Paradise

nearly there........ 

YOUNG LOVERS

Specimen fine art print available at Chocolat Negro Photography

The First Ray Of Light

And this is one of my latest photos called the first ray of Light.

Available here: Chocolat Negro Fine Art Photography

NIGHT JASMINE

FLOWER BALLS

Very beautiful but considered alien and invasive in SOUTH AFRICA.