I was in Annapolis the other day on business and to visit local art spaces.  I took along my camera because it slows me down and makes me really look at things instead of registering them visually, identifying/classifying as our brains are wont to do, and blithely going my merry way.

I found this graffiti stencil just outside the Visitors Center there and thought it a fitting segue for  Leah at Creative Every Day's  changeover from January (play) to February (words in art).  I am happy to submit that by creating a space to play, without even knowing it, Leah supported my "play" with beads – a totally new medium for me.  "Play" means you don't have to worry about the outcome and when I'm working with a new medium, one that is challenging at that, permission to enjoy whatever happens is wonderful.  Isn't it funny how sometimes we need that outside permission?  Does that ever happen to you?   You know in your head and heart that playing is ok, but someone else, someone you admire, says:  "hey!  that's great!  go play!" and suddenly it's all okay!  Thanks Leah!

I collected many pictures but I'm going to show you the "word" ones – and some are a stretch but that's the whole point.

This first is easily recognizable as graffiti.  I often collect graffiti when I am taking pictures because it is graphically appealing to me.  Visually I see it as a line drawing and find it appealing.

This next speaks to me as a "natural" graffiti:  it is ivy roots on the side of a building.  But when you remove the ivy leaves as reference, it takes on a life independent from the ivy.  I find that intriguing as it makes me think of how context defines so many things, and how removing something from its natural context can expand its possibilities.  The whole point of looking, after all, it to create an open space for imagination to play, and creativity to bloom, right?!

Here are some other pictures of the "ivy grafitti" in context – I love the verdant green against the layers and layers of paint on the stone work.  Annapolis is old, but shows her age gracefully!

Here's a cool alley name.  Who can resist a cool alley name?!

and a buildilng that has been named (I didn't even notice that until I worked on the picture – I was more after the architectural visual).

Last but not least, I offer a shot of the Annapolis capital spire – it came out kinda nice, so I'm including it despite the fact it has no words … so it allows you to make up your own! 

It was a fun play date.  Encouraged, again, by the space Leah created for words this month.  Thanks Leah!

thought for the day:  If we sing the song of consciousness till we feel the burn of truth, we throw a burst of ire into the darkness of psyche so we can see what we're doing…what we're truly doing, not what we wish to think we're doing.   Clarissa Pinkola-Estes, Women Who Run With The Wolves