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Walking Home
Elia Woods
Many years
ago, I worked at a natural foods store. One spring day, a
customer wanted to buy some of the herb seedlings we had for
sale outside. Most of them were unlabeled, and I had to admit
that I didn’t know which was which; they all just looked like a
bunch of little green things to me. A regular customer, Jeff,
happened to be in the store at the time. He walked outside with
me and began to point out characteristics of each plant. “Look
at the shape of the leaves on this one; see how the edges are
serrated. And look at these leaves, how fuzzy they are. Now this
plant here has a square stem, and this one has leaves that
alternate at the stem. See how this plant grows straight up, and
this one branches out from the base.” And so I began to learn
how to see what was in front of my eyes.
Growing a
plant out from seed to harvest each year gives me a chance to
really get to know it. Photographing plants, especially in close
detail, is another way of deepening my knowledge and
appreciation.
In my art, I am not trying to
recreate the outside world. Best to just go outside for that. I
am inviting viewers to take a closer look at the vegetables,
fruits and herbs that sustain us, and to which we often don’t
pay much attention. Gaining a new friend, or getting to know an
old one better, is a pleasure and a gift. This growing intimacy
can give us a sense of gratitude and of belonging in this world,
of coming home.
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