Vicki was looking through my work, as I was showing her the latest picks of work from my week in Vincentia. Most of them were abstracts. I then started showing her through the rest of the weeks images. She immediately was drawn to the one above. She has a good eye, yet she doesn’t really understand it yet, or believe me when I tell her she has. Mind you she has such good taste for so many thing, including for yours truly. It should come as no surprise to either of us.

It is such an interesting thing to do. Letting someone else look through your art. I find myself drawn to works that were consuming me at the time of taking. This particular one above wasn’t on my radar, because I had been focusing so strongly on abstract art all week. So as I was editing my work, searching for art to process and share, I missed it. Having fresh eyes lead me to sharing it with you today.

As we searched through, rather quickly, she reminded me of my strengths in monochrome and my unfaltering love for photographing trees. Immersed in colourful abstracts all week, I had missed my own strengths and loves.

Do you ever do that? Get so engrossed in your own work you skip your own brilliance? It is a very common thing for me to do. It is a very good argument for leaving your work a long time to mature. To forget your obsessions with the work you are currently concentrating on.

It so often takes someone else to remind you, particularly when it is all so fresh. I notice this during the workshops. What people are printing and seeking critiques on is so often centered around their current attention. I am sure this is an incredibly natural thing to do.

Why not share your thoughts and photographs with others, before you give up on them. Allow them to scan through and see what else you may have lurking in your collection? They rarely say, I don’t like that, instead they are so keen to show you what they love.

It is wonderful to think that during my obsession with work that is rather different from my usual work, suddenly, as seemingly out of nowhere some very very Len work emerges. I am reminded of why I love it here. Trees right to the edge of Jervis Bay. Something I don’t seem to encounter every day. I am so grateful that I took the time to revert back to my monochromes to capture all of these while I was here.

I am so thankful for Victoria showing me something I hadn’t noticed in my own work. For reminding me of my strengths, and for showing me what she loves. Thank you.

So why not let someone else have a look through all those you have discarded. Perhaps you will find out a little bit more about yourself.

It is so lovely to feel loved.

Vincentia Trees. Photographs and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2021