Monday, March 29, 2010

botanical harmonies • orange



This is the third series of the botanical harmonies series taken in various beautiful arboretums and gardens throughout Ohio in the past few years. The warm and vibrant color of orange holds a variety of meanings depending upon its shade or tonality. Orange can represent: enthusiam, encouragement, stimulation, creativity, determination, success, attraction, vigor, strength, endurance, illumination, desire, pleasure, aggression, vitality, wisdom, wealth, desire, deceit, and even distrust.


botanical harmonies • orange



Wednesday, March 24, 2010

botanical harmonies • yellow



This is the second series of botanical harmonies I have taken at various arboretums and gardens throughout Ohio in the past few years. The warm and stimulating color of yellow can represent various meanings depending it’s shade or tonality. Yellow can represent such things as: optimism, happiness, joy, peace, hope, courage, energy, intellect, support, loyalty, relaxation, prestige and even cowardice.


botanical harmonies • yellow



Saturday, March 20, 2010

botanical harmonies



For the past few years, I have been focusing my personal macro photography directions in a slightly new direction–the colorful and bold world of Botanicals. I have to admit this is almost an entirely new subject matter for me as I had limited knowledge of so many species of plants and how similair they are to each other and the environment in which they thrive. But after two years of visiting just about every public Botanical Garden and Arboretum in Ohio, I have gained a much better understanding and appreciation vast variety of species that surround us and make this planet just bit more beautiful throughout the seasons and keep ecosystem in balance.


In the next few weeks, I will be presenting six colors groups that represent some of best varieties of what I have experienced throughout the seasons in Ohio. Plus a little insight to some of the universal meanings and symbolism each color. The first series begins with variations green and ends with variations white.


So let’s begin the with the color most associated with the Spring Equinox. The cool color of green can very well represent vast array of meanings depending on the shade or tonality. Some of the most common denoted are: nature, harmony, stability, balance, growth, health, healing, calmness, renewel, vigor, fertility, generosity, posterity, eternity, inexperience, misfortune, jealousy, greed, and envy.



botanical harmonies • green



This entire series is dedicated to my mother–Donna McClelland for her unconditional support of my work over the years.



Saturday, March 13, 2010

inspiration & the appreciation of animals




Ever since I was a child, I have had a profound fasincination with nature and the beautiful creatures that live within it. My late grandfather and older brother were my biggest inspirations towards appreciating these creatures. They spent much time teaching me about various species of animals from amphibians to mammals by raising them around me, lending me animal books to study, taking me on nature walks, and simply drawing pictures of them. Which inspired me to constantly draw these creatures ever since I could pick up a pencil. Throughout the years this eventually started to evolve into much of my illustration work later in college and got me my first job as a full-time illustrator for an international t-shirt company. Which later evolved my transition into freelance Graphic Design & Photography for years to come.


My grandfather–Paul Markel who was a Lithographer most of his life in Ashland, Ohio who had a small farm and breed a variety of animals from ponies to various breeds of rabbits. For the last thirty years of his life, his dedication to raising award winning breeds like New Zealand Reds and Black & White Dutch breeds payed-off with an endless stream of trophies for decades. This made an impression on me even as a small child, as it made me gain a tremendous amount of respect for these creatures and many other animals alike.


Numerous summers I spent time at my grandparents in the mid-late 70’s, exploring the creek that ran along the outside of their property looking for crayfish, small creek fish and salamanders. Much of which I always seemed to catch, but usually returned to the creek as I knew they would not survive well in captivity. These were definitely exciting times for me as a child and keep me close to nature despite the age of video games, home computers, and sci-fi movies & tv that were slowly evolving into place that occupied the other half of my life growing up.


My brother Paul continued on this journey of appreciation with introducing me to the world of amphibians, reptiles and various freshwater aquatic species of fish. Ever since he was a young teenager, he had always had a deep understanding of animals and raised a variety of these creatures with me up to my first years in college. In the mid-late 70’s pet stores were exploding everywhere and several species of amphibians, reptiles and fish were completely accessible in purchasing, raising and breeding without endangerment. In addition, we lived nearby to a wildlife area that during those times flourished with various species of snakes, turtles, frogs, fish and other creatures in the nearby ponds and lakes within it. So finding and noticing these splendid little creatures was always a charm whether it was at the newest pet store or in our backyard.


Both my grandfather & brother had several books always laying around of which I always engaged myself into immensely. From various books on how to draw animals from my grandfather to guides on reptiles and amphibians and how to raise/care for them from my brother. This fascination with various species led me into drawing them alongside their drawings as well with me as early as I could pick up a pencil. Some examples of my brother’s very inspirational sketch work can be found below.


I have grown and explored new directions with my personal work throughout the years, but I have always kept animals and nature itself close to me, never forgeting all those times my grandfather sat down with me while drew pictures of animals such as wolves and rabbits after dinner or when my brother helped me raise my first newts, toads and freshwater fish in our aquariums. Their inspiration will always be with me and close to my heart.


In memory of Paul Markel(1908-1980) & Paul McClelland(1962-2007)



Paul McClelland’s mid-late 70s sketches



selected early work 1988-98(animal related)


selected personal animal photography series

amphibia


reptilia


mammalia


aves


insecta