Open Window

Rainbow Spectrum from a Wave

 

The wind was howling yesterday out of the northwest but the sun was shining and the sky was clear. Checking out Surfline, an app that provides us with camera views of beaches near us, revealed an interesting break of the waves on our southern shore with a dramatic spray provided by the offshore wind. Needless to say, we packed our gear and went down to check it all out first hand. 

 

 

It was wild, or at least it felt that way due to the strong winds. We really had to dig in our heels not to be blown off-balance by the gusts. You might think we would be bored by shooting so often at the beach but in fact, it is NEVER the same, so you can't be bored. Today, the ocean was breaking diagonally to the shore, moving west to east - something I have rarely, if ever, seen. Combined with the northwest winds, this created wonderful spray being blown back out to sea. We were shooting around 3:15 p.m., which in the Northeast at this time of year is roughly two and a half hours before sunset - so the sun was low-ish in the sky.

 

The result of all of this was a rainbow spray flying off of tops of the waves. The rainbow effect is not new to me, but I can honestly say I have never seen one that appeared to have the perfect spectrum of primary and secondary colors as I learned them in grade school (right to left): Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple (the last being the hardest to see but it is there). (Remember Red + Yellow = Orange; Yellow + Blue = Green; and, Blue + Red = Purple?)

 

 

What a treat!

 

Honorable Mention at The Four Corners Arts Center in Tiverton, RI

"Shore Break" © Claudia Ward

A very good friend of mine, who lives in RI, visited us on Long Island in July. She'd noticed that the Four Corners Art Center, near her in Tiverton, was going to have a juried exhibition featuring a showcase of photographic works presented on alternative surfaces - "No mats or frames allowed!" She encouraged me to submit a piece and I did. A wave image some of you may have seen called "Shore Break" was my submission. It's a 24" x 16" print on pearl paper, with an acrylic non-glare face-mount. The image literally floats on the wall without the restrictive boundaries of a mat or frame.

Honorable Mention for "Shore Break" © Claudia Ward
The Four Corners Arts Center, Tiverton, RI

The opening was August 24th, in Rhode Island, and neither of us were able to attend but being a good friend she promised to visit the exhibit before it ends on September 4th. She did and guess what we learned? I didn't get first place but was awarded one of two Honorable Mentions.

Thank you Four Corners Arts Center and thank you my dear, dear friend.

 

SOLD: Lit From Within

"Lit From Within" © Claudia Ward

There's a lovely little frame shop in my hometown of Chatham, Massachusetts called Framer's Framer owned and run by the equally lovely LeeLee Maclay. A close friend took one of my wave pictures into the shop a couple of years ago to get it framed and LeeLee beseeched her to get us in contact with one another. She did and the rest is now history. The gallery in Framer's Framer has been exhibiting 13 of my framed prints and 3 other images presented in different styles. "Endless Wave" (36" x 12") is printed on glossy textile material, "Horizon Storm" is a giclée wrapped-canvas tryptic (48" x 30"), and "Lit From Within" is a 36" x 18" direct print on aluminum. "Lit from Within" has sold. Yeah!

If you are on the Cape and can swing by Post Office Square in Chatham. Check out their charming gallery. You'll be greeted warmly, with a big smile, and can check out more of my wave images.

 

"At Sea" at The White Room Gallery

Wave Squares by Claudia Ward at The White Room Gallery

Most of you probably recall that I became a contributing member in The White Room Gallery in Bridgehampton this year and had my first featured show in June (June 7- 26). I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to share any of that experience with you. Titled "At Sea" the opening reception was Saturday June 11 and showed the works of three photographers (E.J. Camp, Michele Dragonetti, and me) and one painter (Jill Krutick). The reception was well attended and it was a real thrill to hear such enthusiasm for all our work. I thought I would share with you a brief slide show of what the exhibition looked like in The White Room. 

 

Photos & Slide Show © 2016 Claudia Ward
Music: The Doge's Decree from the original score of "Casanova" by Alexandre Desalt

 

A Featured Gallery Exhibition

 

"At Sea", a Designer Showcase at The White Room Gallery, from June 7 to June 26 will feature EJ Camp, Michele Dragonetti, Jill Krutick, and me! I cannot tell you how excited I am to be a part of this and can't wait to see all our work hung in the gallery on Main Street in Bridgehampton.

Please come to the Artists' Reception Saturday June 11th between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. We would love to have you join us and are pretty sure you'll love what you see.

See you then!

 

Open Window's Sixth Year - 2015

Open Window was ajar most of 2015 as energies needed to be directed toward our photography business. In fact, there were only 47 posts to Open Window in 2015 compared to 231 in its inaugural year. Sadly I found it much easier to post a photo or comment to Facebook from "the field", and I know many of you don't participate in Facebook.

"Second Thought" © Claudia Ward

At the beginning of 2015, we'd planned on exhibiting in two shows in Florida, the plans for which had to change as Peter hurt his back just before we left and needed surgery once we got there. Brave soul that he is however (and with doctor's approval), we did meet up with our friends in Rincon, Puerto Rico where Peter rested and recuperated, and I got some of the best wave images I've ever taken. 

Chatham Arts Festival 2015

Spring, Summer, and Fall were filled with art festivals in New York State and Massachusetts (Memorial Day to Thanksgiving). In all, we participated in 12 art festivals (10 outdoors and 2 indoors). In addition to those, we participated in our own private show at Ashawagh Hall along with two other incredibly talented artists, 4 gallery shows, and one Christmas Fair. There's a lot of work involved in planning and executing the participation in these shows, which I hope explains my absence from Open Window. It simply could not be helped. Not only did we meet incredibly wonderful artists and sponsors, but we also found individuals who truly love our work. Connections have also been made with a Surf Clothing Company, a couple of galleries, and a framer/gallery in the Design Center in Boston. As we all know, "it's not over 'till the fat lady sings" - please pray she sings.

Good fortune had us shooting in the Southern Caribbean for a week just before Christmas. Water may have been the draw but it was the sunrises, sunsets, and fall skies that truly took our breath away, every single day. 

The Freedom Tower © 2015 Claudia Ward

As I watched the attached slide show before sitting down to write this, what struck me was how very fortunate we have been in addition to having worked harder this year than either of us have for several. Given all that, the highlight of my year was spending two nights in downtown Manhattan in the beginning of December. Having been on Wall Street on 9/11 and living down there from that day until I left in 2009, I'd seen the cleanup, read about the plans, and watched the beginnings of rebuilding, but it wasn't until December 7th (truly) that I saw for the first time, in person, what has replaced all of that destruction/construction and I must say, it is nothing short of breathtaking.

Past & Present Downtown New York ©2015 Claudia Ward

We came upon the reflecting pools our first night walking back to our hotel after dinner and I can honestly say I wept to see what we have created in memory of so many and despite so few.

The Reflecting Pools in Lower Manhattan After Dark 2015 ©Claudia Ward

The next day we explored it all and Peter was even able to coax me to the top of the Freedom Tower - something I will remember for all of my days to come.

New York After Dark from the Top of the Freedom Tower ©2015 Claudia Ward

Despite all of the despair we all felt that day, there is nothing but hope in the air as you traverse the park, or linger to contemplate  - watching the waters cascading into the reflecting pools.

As 2016 begins - there's an Open Window for all of us.

I hope you enjoy the slide show of 2015.

 

Photos and Slide Show ©2015 Claudia Ward
Music: "Up with End Credits" from the soundtrack, Michael Giacchino

 

2016 Calendars

The 2016 Calendars are available for sale. There are two sizes, a desktop calendar with a sturdy 3" deep standing easel that measures 11" by 6" that features a calendar and one of my wave images for each month, and a wall calendar that measures 21" inches when open and 13" wide with a strong metal spiral connecting a calendar page to a page featuring a single wave image.

Both are printed on high-quality heavy card stock, and either will look great in your house or make a unique holiday gift. The desktop calendar is available for $25 each, including shipping, and the wall calendar's price is $30 including shipping. 

If you are interested in ordering one or some of these calendars, please email me at [email protected] and I will expedite your order as soon as possible. Please be sure to include your snail-mail mailing address. An invoice will accompany your order and you can send me a check for the invoiced amount.

I hope you all enjoy the holidays and thanks for all of your support throughout the year.

Westhampton Beach

"Curtain Call" © 2015 Claudia Ward

In the wonderful village of Westhampton Beach this weekend, where Mill Road and Main Street meet, there will a small art show on the green in the center of town. I will be participating once more - this the second outdoor festival of our "season". The show will run for Saturday (10-6) and Sunday (10-5) and I sincerely hope you'll stop by to say hello if you're in "the hood".

Many of you have been so supportive and interested in our endeavors, especially asking to hear more after our first show in Montauk two weeks ago. There was a LOT for us to digest and rethink, and there have been preparations to make for this show and others coming up this month, so I have had little time to write. But, I should be able to share some of these adventures with you after this weekend - some funny and some alarming (at least to me). I promise I will try.

In the meantime, come if you can, and if nothing else, please stay tuned.

 

Open Window's Fifth Year

First Sunset of the New Year on Baker Beach San Francisco CA ©2015 Claudia Ward

It's hard for me to believe that it was five years ago this week that I began Open Window as a blog to feature posts on travel, food, photography and life in the "not-so-fast lane". Not unlike last year, posts to Open Window were less frequent this year as attention had to be paid to building the business part of our photography venture and to participating in art shows whenever possible. We did travel some, starting the year in San Francisco, taking a slow road trip south to visit friends and sisters in Florida in the Spring, and swinging by Newport RI, on the way back from the Cape, for the start of the Newport Bermuda Race in June.

Newport Bermuda Race Start 2014 © Claudia Ward

Summer found us attending any and all art festivals that we could find on either fork of the East End, researching tents, displays, and transport. We were pleasantly surprised by how helpful and forthcoming so many of the artists are, making us feel more confident about our decision to embark on the Art Festival Circuit this year. We've bought a tent, a trailer, and lots of prints, and have been accepted into two juried shows and have seven other applications pending. This is going to be a year filled with lots of learning and adventure, and we're looking forward to it with excited trepidation. Please do stay tuned.

Art Show Booth

Our photography was focused much closer to home this year which resulted in a series of still life projects centered on all manner of fruits and vegetables. Those shoots were some of my happiest days this year and I'm glad to be able to share some of the images with you now.

Basil & Tomatoes © 2014 Claudia Ward

As always thank you all for your continued interest and support. I hope you enjoy this summary slide show of 2014 - Open Window's fifth year!

 

Happy New Year everyone!

2015 Calendars

 

Well it's that time of year again - time to start thinking of wrapping up one year and starting another ... and I'd like to help. Once again (and by popular demand), I have created two calendars for 2015 of my favorite subject matter: Waves. The desktop calendar (11" x 6") comes with a built in sturdy easel, the base of which is 3" deep; and, the wall calendar measures almost 21" tall when open by 13" wide.

 

Both calendars are printed on high-quality heavy card stock, and either will look great in your house or make a unique holiday gift. The desktop calendar is $30.00 which includes shipping, and the wall calendar is $35.00 and also includes shipping. If you are interested in ordering one or some of these calendars, please email me at [email protected] and I will expedite your order as soon as possible. Please be sure to include your snail-mail mailing address. An invoice will accompany your order and you can send me a check for the invoiced amount.

I hope you all enjoy the holidays and thanks for all of your support throughout the year.

SOLD: "Blue Curl" at HPA Overexposed

 

"Blue Curl" ©2013 Claudia Ward

Two art shows and one anniversary - now that was a busy weekend.

We dropped off the large framed "En Pointe" for the month-long Women of the World Art Exhibition at the Hutchins Gallery in the library of C.W. Post College in Brookville NY on Saturday morning and raced back to the East End for the Opening Reception of the HPA (Hampton Photo Arts) Overexposed Show at Ashawagh Hall that evening. Due to the season and some forecasted weather, there were fewer participants in the Ashawagh Show, but that worked to the artists' advantage in my opinion - each piece stood out more clearly on its own and could be appreciated from across the room even when it was filled with milling admirerers.

"Blue Cascade" ©2013 Claudia Ward

We each submitted two images and Peter's choices were very different from one another, "Lone Surfer" which stood out brilliantly from across the room.

"Lone Surfer" ©2009 Peter Tooker

And, his second was "White Out".

"White Out" ©2014 Peter Tooker

We stayed until we couldn't stand anymore, which was about quarter of eight, and I knew I'd be returning the next day for the final day of this event which also just happened to be our 25th anniversary of being together.

What a wonderful present I got when I returned to the Hall Sunday afternoon ... "Blue Curl" had sold just after we left the previous evening. Apparently the woman who bought it was visiting from out of town and she kept returning to the photograph until she finally said she had to buy it. I wish I'd been there to meet her but hope she derives as much pleasure from it as I did in creating it.

 

2014 Calendars

As many of you know, I've been making photo calendars for a number of years and this year I'd like to share them with you, if you are so inclined. By popular demand, I've made two sizes this year, one for a desktop and one to hang on a wall. The desktop is 11" x 6" and comes with a built in sturdy easel, the base of which is 3" deep.

The wall calendar measures almost 21" tall when open by 13" wide and the photograph and the calendar are separated by a strong metal spiral. Both are printed on high-quality heavy card stock, and either will look great in your house or make a unique holiday gift. The desktop calendar is $25.00 which includes shipping, and the wall calendar is $30.00 and also includes shipping. If you are interested in ordering one or some of these calendars, please email me at [email protected] and I will expedite your order as soon as possible. Please be sure to include your snail-mail mailing address. An invoice will accompany your order and you can send me a check for the invoiced amount.

I hope you all enjoy the holidays and thanks for all of your support throughout the year.

 

JUST IN: Article re: Framer's Framer Gallery Chatham, MA

I know we're not supposed to boast but these are the days of self-promotion and ... well, if I don't do i,t who will? Most of you know that thirteen of my wave images are on exhibit and are for sale at The Framer's Framer Gallery in Chatham, MA. There was an opening a few weeks ago which was very exciting. Now, there's an article in the recent Cape Cod Chronicle and I wanted to share it "far and wide". So here it is.

 

SOLD: Wave Photo

"Touchdown" ©2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

This image, called "Touchdown", happens to be one of my favorite wave images. I love the grace of the wave and the pastels that I found in its colors. This image, along with twelve others, is on exhibit at The Framer's Framer Gallery in Chatham, MA - and they are all for sale too. This one sold this week. Needless to say I thrilled and hope the new owner gets as much enjoyment from the image as I do.

A Beautiful Fall Day

Has anyone else been able to enjoy this incredible fall. The colors, the light, the warm/cool breezes, the fresh air, it can't get better than the weather we've been having here in the Northeast .... albeit our thoughts may be elsewhere.

 

Photo Sold in Chatham, MA

All That Glitters © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward SOLD

Last November, Peter and I entertained my father's wife for Thanksgiving. She still lives in Chatham on the Cape, so it's an easy five hour trip including three ferries - door-to-door. Leslie was not only my father's wife but is a good friend of mine. She also happens to be two weeks younger than I am, but I'm hijacking my story already.

During Leslie's stay with us, a fortuitous question arose ... "What would you like for Christmas", she asked. To which I responded, "Buy some of my photographs." And she did.

                    

Redesigning her bedroom, she ordered three 16" x 16" flower photos which were sent to her directly from my SmugMug Galleries. She had those framed at a local framing store in Chatham, called Framer's Framer. Then, when she saw the Narcissistic Serpent wave photograph this spring she ordered a print and again took it to Leelee at Framer's Framer for framing.

Narcissistic Serpent © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Leelee liked the image so much she wanted one or maybe more, so we decided I should meet her. Leslie introduced us during our visit to the Cape in June and we hit it off right away. Our collective enthusiasm when we met could hardly be contained.

Framer's Framer is located in the small post office shopping center in Chatham and is made up of three sizable rooms - one for showing and selling frames, one for framing, and the other is a gallery - one that had a 6' x 10' empty wall that Leelee said she wanted to fill with prints of my wave photographs. I'd like to say I was speechless but I wasn't - neither of us was. We chattered on about the images I was showing her on my laptop, and how we could structure this fledgling partnership. At the end of our hour-long meeting, we both were elated about our prospects.

In the weeks that followed, Leelee selected thirteen images that she wanted at the start and I worked with my good friends at Hamptons Photo Arts in Bridgehampton on having them printed - the largest of which would be 18" x 36"! When they were ready, Peter and I hand delivered them to Leelee in her shop in Chatham. Leelee would now frame and hang them, which she did in only ten days time. As she was getting ready to hang the images, one of her customers inquired about what was happening in the gallery and Leelee showed her the pieces that were framed. That customer liked the 18" x 36" All That Glitters so much that she bought it before it was even hung. Needless to say, Leelee and I are over-the-moon happy and feel nothing short of optimistic about our partnership.

So I must thank Leslie for coming for Thanksgiving and asking that fortuitous question - for none of this would have happened if it weren't for her!

Please, if you're in Chatham, check out the gallery at Framer's Framer at 25 Post Office Square. I hope you enjoy the wave photographs but Leelee has lots more to see. 

 

Pareidolia

Anyone see the surfing fish?

Pareidolia (par-i-DOH-lee-a) ... what, you might ask is that? Well, according to the internet it's a "psychological phenomenon that causes some people to see or hear a vague or random image or sound as something significant". You know, people sometimes say they see animals in the clouds, or a man in the moon.

You might also ask how I came to know this word, well for that I can thank my older sister. How she "ran across" it is anyone's guess but when she did she thought of me because I'd just done that post where I saw all sorts of characters in the waves I'd photographed. Remember, "Characters in the Waves"? I saw Pixies, a Serpent, Clowns, and even Lord Voldemort in those cresting waves. Little did I know I was afflicted with a "psychological phenomena". Here I thought I simply had an over-active imagination. Well it's happened again. Please tell me you see the surfing fish!

Art Show at the Water Mill Museum

Blue Curl © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

For those of you who could not join us at the reception last Saturday afternoon for the Creative Vision Art Show in Water Mill, I thought I would share copies of the images I am exhibiting there until June 16th.

Blue Cascade © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward 

Undulation © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Narcissistic Serpent © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

If you're interested in purchasing one of these or seeing more of these types of images, please visit my SmugMug Galleries by clicking here.

Purple Flowers © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

This last one is only 5"x5" and is hanging on a common wall with a single piece from each of the 18 artists who are participating in the show.

 

Abstract Waves

As I've indicated several times recently, I'm hooked on waves - I truly can't get enough of them and I can't process them in Lightroom fast enough. The wonderful thing about digital images is that you can severely crop an image to a size that would be unprintable and yet it still looks good online or in a digital frame. These are two such images. 

What do you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down? I'd really like your feed back ... please.

El Toro?

OK, everyone. What do you see in this wave? 

Olé :)

Hippo Wave

As I was processing more of my wave images, I stumbled across this when I was zooming in to check the focus of one of the images. I started laughing immediately as it called to mind a hippo, a very specific hippo that we came across at dusk in a river in Kenya years ago. He and his pals were lined up facing the shore we were standing on making a sound like laughter (for a hippo). Their laughing at us, staring at them, made me laugh uncontrollably - a memory I cherish with a smile to this day. 

Now Peter has looked at this picture four ways to Sunday and says he cannot see a hippo for the life of him. Please tell me .. do you see the hippo or do I simply have an over active imagination? Come on ... be honest ... I can take it!

 

Photo Exhibition at Ashawagh Hall

 

Peter Tooker & Claudia Ward Showing at Ashawagh Hall

Nearly everyone knows by now that there was a photo exhibition last evening, sponsored by Hampton Photo Arts (HPA) and curated by Laurie Barone-Schaefer, at Ashawagh Hall in East Hampton. It was a lot of fun and the turn out was fantastic - guess it helped that we had rain this year rather than snow like last year. Over 50 photographic artists were featured and hundreds of people milled throughout the hall admiring the art and enjoying the the food from the Nutritian Dragon. 

Peter and I each had two submissions that seemed to be very well received. Three of the images were frameless -  printed on metallic paper and mounted on acrylic board. This is a new service at HPA and they looked incredible. Many images sold last night including one of mine - The Narcissistic Serpent!

These are the images we featured at the show.

"Barbed Wire" ©2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Sagg Main July 24, 2009 ©2009 Peter H. Tooker

Sagg Main July 2009 ©2009 Peter H. Tooker

If anyone is interested in buying one of these photos, feel free to leave a comment here and we'll work with HPA to get you the image you like.

Wave Photography

Wave Stampede ©2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Photographing waves is intoxicating to me. I've lived my entire life near the seashore and I also happen to be an Aquarian, so there should be no surprise that I love water - especially tidal waters. Over the years, I have photographed beaches, shorelines, surf, sand, and waves - but waves at a distance. It wasn't until our recent trip to Puerto Rico that I got up close and personal with the waves rising and crashing on the shore. I spent hours in the water capturing waves in their creation and demise, and I now think this "is what I want to do when I grow up". This is my first time out - so to speak - so some of these are a little rough around the edges, but I wanted to share them and my excitement with you ASAP. I sincerely hope you find these images as mesmorizing as I did.

 

Photos and slide show © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward
Music: A Nom de Plume by Alexandre Desplat; soundtrack of "Casanova"

Characters in the Waves

I couldn't resist sharing one more set of the photos I took in which I saw characters in the waves.

Wave Riding Pixie and a Friendly Ghost

Lord Voldemort

A Cresting Clown

The Narcissistic Surfing Serpent

Anyone see something else?

Funny Waves

On our recent trip to northwest Puerto Rico, I spent a fun day photographing waves and finding humor and characters in many of them. The titles should give you a clue about what I saw, can you see them too?

Cinderella's Step-Mother

Laughing Jester

Grinning Porpoise

Surfing Cow

Do you see something more?