FROM OUR WORKSHOP: Another Self-Portrait

An updated Chibi self-portrait by Elizabeth.

Before color.

That which is unnoticed has the most power ...

The transparent butterfly comes from Central America and is found from Mexico to Panama. It is quite common in its zone, but it not easy to find because of its transparent wings, which is a natural camouflage mechanism.

A butterfly with transparent wings is rare and beautiful. As delicate as finely blown glass, the presence of this rare tropical gem is used by rain forest ecologists as an indication of high habitat quality and its demise alerts them of ecological change. Rivaling the refined beauty of a stained glass window, the translucent wings of the Glass wing butterfly shimmer in the sunlight like polished panes of turquoise, orange, green, and red.

All things beautiful do not have to be full of color to be noticed: in life, that which is unnoticed has the most power.

The author of this piece is unknown.

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A special thanks to my friend, Anita, for sending me email chain ... I bet symbolically this butterfly is chock full of special meaning! Photographs are by Jose Reynaldo da Fonseca. They've been traveling about the internet for some time now, so I don't feel too bad about publishing them here.

10 BLOCK RADIUS

Good day, bloggers!

I doubt I have to go into how much I love San Francisco ... if you know me, you know I really do! For the last few weeks I've managed to take a walk almost each day around 2 or 3 p.m. I have to share some of the photographs I've taken along the way. All of these little discoveries were found within a 10 block radius of where I work, and they truly tell a story ... Some sad, some interesting, some beautiful, some strange. I thought you might like it.

An interesting water feature between Market and Mission Streets.

An abandoned violin or fiddle case on Market Street.

Homeless pets on Market Street ... this is Willy and Sassy.

Wiggly buildling sculptures near Front Street by the Embarcaderos.

Driftwood horse sculpture on Market Street where I get my iced latte most days. Isn't that something? You should see it up close. And there's one more, too ...

I didn't stop to see who the artist was, although there are a number of American artists who make horses out of driftwood. I can only imagine what kind of time and effort this takes. You'd have to see into the shape of every piece ... just spectacular!

Until we blog again ... Love,

D~