Judy checking out the new window sill and view…

I found a documentary on Paul Strand via Netflix. His work is very inspiring to me – much so that I started digging about my apartment to photograph still life photos rather than actually watching the movie. ADD at its finest.

Mark Manders and his Still Life With Books, Table and Fake Newspaper.

This was taken after setting up the exhibition prior to opening at the DMA. Mark is a lovely fellow who, despite not feeling well at all, took me on a private tour of his exhibition. Then he was nice enough to let me photograph him. Mark is pretty deep and it shows in these objects. He’s extremely thoughtful and loves to talk about his work. I hope we cross paths again some day.

Every year the Crowe Museum of Asian Art brings in a group of Monks from Tibet to create a prayer mandala. The mandala is made entirely of colored sand – it takes about a week to make. At the end of the week a special prayer ceremony is held. During this ceremony, the mandala is blessed, destroyed and divided up into small plastic bags which are given to participants of the ceremony.

Most of the sand is deposited in a local river, but the bags are distributed as well – the idea is to allow the prayer mandala to travel in its sand form and released back into the world. Its quite a moving ritual involving the cycle of life, creation, influence and healing.

My cat Finley was diagnosed almost a year ago with feline diabetes. Its not necessarily terminal, but it is a long process involving 2 shots a day and a major diet change. He’s doing well, but it worries me just the same.

One night I decided to do a photogram piece with some of his syringes before I threw them out.

A photogram is done by placing objects directly on to photo paper and hitting them with light. No camera was used. I scanned the print directly.

Taken outside the Saachi Gallery Cafe – London, 2011

Taken at TATE Britain.

Camera: iPhone 4