Portraiture + Photography Exhibit at National Gallery of Art

 I need to dust off my Nikon camera.  A while ago I was practicing taking pictures of people.  Below is a picture of Edward who I see on my daily walks.  Edward always makes it a point to say "hello" and is impeccably dress while sitting on the park bench.

Many photography websites provide similar tips.

- When using natural lighting, consider the golden hour (hour after sunrise or before sunset).

- Position your subject in a way where the light is indirectly illuminating them to avoid shadows or squinting.

- Camera setting: use a low ISO; select a wide aperture for shallow depth of field and a blurred background; adjust the shutter speed to control motion and light.

- The subject: capture candid moments as well as posed shots.

- Composition: practice the rule of thirds and focus on the subject's eyes (so shoot at eye level).

Picture of Edward near the park.  Lessons learned - I am glad I took a picture with the neighborhood as the background and captured him in a candid pose as he was talking. But wished I repositioned Edward so that the sun was not so harsh and directly in his face, causing a shadow.

Relatedly, there is a fantastic photography exhibit at the National Gallery of Art that is closing January 11, 2026.  It is called, "Photography and the Black Arts Movement 1955-1985".

Grace Jones. 1970s. Anthony Barboza photographed Jones in this close-up portrait.  The description reads, "Jones's face is even more powerful for being tightly cropped and unadorned other than the glints of light reflecting off her nose and her lower lip."

I forgot to take note of the title and the photographer of this picture.  But this photograph instantly caught my attention.  

~JM

Block Printing - A Redo

 The last time I tried block printing I used a plastic knife on air-try clay, and it led to disastrous
results.  Now that I have the right tools, the prints came out a little clearer.  The recommended tools to use are Lino blocks and a Lino cutter.  You can find block printing kits at arts and craft stores. I drew Christmas patterns on top of the block print for Christmas cards.   ~ JM

Lino block and cutter.

Block print practicing.

Painted a tree on top of the block print design for a Christmas card.

Architecture: A Study (Part 2)

 I read the book "Between Silence and Light: Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn" by Louis Kahn and John Lobell. 

 For Kahn, the study of architecture was the study of human beings, their highest aspirations and most profound truths.  To me, this book reads like poetry - it captures the spiritual ideas of architecture.  This includes themes of order, knowledge, joy, touch, sight, wonder, the unmeasurable and the measurable.

I explored the city and photographed buildings that I thought captured some of the themes of the book. ~JM

Joy | Wonder
National Academy of Science.  This building has rich Hellenic, Byzantine, and Egyptian architectural influences and touches of Art Deco. 

Order
Amazon's HQ2 states it used sustainable architecture and design. The two buildings are designed to integrate into the surrounding neighborhood while providing a sustainable environment for employees and the community.  

Touch
"Queen City" confronts the 1941 seizure of Black-own land by the federal government for the construction of the Pentagon.  There were 903 displaced residents of the Queen City neighborhood.  17 Black ceramists made 903 ceramic teardrop vessels that signify the displaced individuals. Queen City: The lost Black community swallowed up by The Pentagon

Knowledge
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization. This Midcentury Modern architecture was designed by Uruguayan architect Roman Fresnedo Siri. The building features a triangular site, a curved glass curtain-walled office tower, and a circular glass building housing the council chambers.  The building's design reflects the humanitarianism that dominates PAHO's endeavors.

Architecture: A Study (Part 1)

It feels like I want to change my career every several months.  So, for one hot second I was thinking about going back to school to study architecture.  But after researching the different programs in the area and job prospects, I have changed my mind.  I think my next career goal is getting a masters degree in Economics or Urban Planning???? 😅

Nevertheless, I like learning about architecture and when I saw a video from Architectural Digest on Zaha Hadid, I wanted to explore more.    In the video it explained Hadid's fourth-year thesis project, "Malevich's Tektonik".  Her instructors told the students to use artwork by the artist Kazimir Malevich.  This assignment was the springboard for Hadid to rethink what was possible in architecture.

Hadid's "Malevich Tektonik"
Malevich’s Tektonik – Zaha Hadid Architects

I was curious what an architecture degree involved when it intersects with art. I found an article of projects that architecture students completed in school.  One submission stated in the archinect.com article that they were assigned to read Louis Kahn's "Between Silence and Light" and then photographically represent concepts within the book such as Order, Joy, Touch, Site and Wonder.

I think I want to try the above example as a project. Stay tuned....~JM

Vase of Flowers

 Below is a painting I did of flowers in a vase.  I recommend buying many different affordable bouquets of flowers from Trader Joe's, etc. and draw what you see with pencil.  Then use paint and/or a pastel chalk to add color.  I also had fun looking at the National Gallery of Art's website and using the search term "Flowers in Vase" to see the many variations of flowers in vases by well-known artists. ~ JM

My interpretation of "Vase of Flowers"

A sample of "Vase of Flowers" in the National Gallery of Art website (nga.gov)

Summer Photography

 Summer photography can mean so many things.   In the beauty of summertime, I captured words, feelings, and themes that are associated for summer.  Such as casualness, holidays, vacation, water, flowers, nature, boats, festivals, street vendors, outdoor dining, strolling, families, road trips, day trips, the beach and relaxation.  Click here for tips on summer photography. ~ JM

Yarn Wreaths

I made wreaths out of yarn since I had so much left over from an earlier project. 

The first wreath I used a wire wreath frame to weave yarn through.  

The start of the weaving process.

The finished wreath.

In the second wreath, I used two different size cardboard circles and wrapped colorful embroidery string around various parts of the circle creating a unique design.  ~ JM

Wrapped colorful string around two cardboard circles.