[13] goodbye winter

After a few days of +20 degree weather, I'm of the solid opinion that winter is OVER. And spring has sprung.

So here's an old photo from Montreal that I dug up. One last goodbye to winter...

Old Town Doors [8], [9], [10], [11] and [12]

A bit of a MEGA-UPDATE

I've been a bit slack lately. I've been working as much as possible and trying to get some new paintings happening. Unfortunately, my photography has fallen behind.

So here are [belated] no.s 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

[8] My Front Door

a bit of a sentimental one. I love living in the building with a blue door.

[9] Old Town Door

I walked past this door on one of my frequent strolls through the Old Town of Lyon. I find it rather pretty and love the colours and architectural elements.

[10] Older than Columbus

Ok, so, perhaps this door and/or building is NOT older than Columbus, but it's been around longer than some countries, definately longer than the French Republic (of 1789.) If doors could talk....

[11] Musée Gadagne

This is one of the doors to the Musée Gadagne, the Museum of the History of Lyon. I havent been in yet, but once I find a spare 4 euro in my shoe (or somewhere else), I'll go. The building is pretty amazing from the exterior, it was built in the early 1500s by Pierrevive brothers and named Gadagne after it's subsequent owners, the Gadagni. It was aquired by the city in 1902, and became a museum in 1921. In case you wanted to know.

[12] What used to be...

I found this on the way to one of my (numerous) (unsuccessful) job interviews, back before I started working (you know, 2 weeks ago). It's amazing. I love the stains and can't help but think what was it used for and why is it not used anymore?

Thats it for now.

xx a.

[7] A Place to Live

I just moved into my new apartment (as in an hour ago).

This is the view from my room.

Isn't it amazing?!!

It's not the best photo. I need to start improving my technique instead of focusing so much on subject matter.

xx -a

[6] Another Beginning

Just over a week ago I decided to move to Lyon. I arrived last Saturday and I'm in the process of getting set up here, even though I'm only going to stay for 3 months. However, the stresses of apartment- and job-hunting have not prevented me from exploring a little.

This is from the basilica at the fourviere - the highest natural point in Lyon. I was lazy and took the funiculaire because it really is a steep climb. My knees were so sore after the downward walk into Vieux Lyon.

xx a

Spanish Apartments [5]

[5] apartments in barcelona, spain.

unfortunately, this is one of the few photos of barcelona that i copied onto my computer before i lost my camera in paris.

i took so many photos is both barcelona and paris, of the sights, the people and the architecture, but i lost my camera on my last day before i went to the alps.

goodbye photos of modernist materpieces of architechture with undulating windows and doors.

goodbye eiffel tower

goodbye parisian shutters in montmarte

should be thankful that at least some photos of spain were salvaged.

Poland no's [2] [3] and [4]

[2] southern poland. (piaski, sosnowiec)
if it wasn't for the language... would have sworn it was south america. not that i've been to south america. it's just what i imagine it's like. (but with more sunshine, perhaps).

the bars on the windows may be a bit much, since the shop only sells pepsi, coke, drinks, wine and beer. (or so the sign says).

[3] crooked house in warsaw

love this house in the warsaw 'old' town. 'old' in parentheses because this house cannot be more that 65 years old. the entire old town was completely destroyed in world war two (during the warsaw uprising) and rebuilt entirely on donations from the people of poland. it was completed in 1997, although rebuilding started just after the war.

i love the 'dutch' style (well, i call it dutch style) accents on the roof, and the pretty wrought iron bars on the bottom two windows. i never thought window bars could be pretty...

[4] red windows in nikiszowiec

you can't see it on this photo that well (must work on my digital retouching skills), but the windows on the historic 'familoki' buildings in the silesia region are painted bright red. red is a very auspicious colour in slavic cultures. in imperial russia, the word for 'red' and 'beautiful' was one and the same. in silesia, red windows are meant to bring good fortune. although these buildings usually housed/still house low-income tennants and are usually outside of the city limits (nikiszowiec is just outside katowice), they are being beautifully restored (read: gentrified) to preserve their historical importance.

Looking Back/Starting Fresh

number [1]



the view out of my aunt's window, poland

I love this photo. It always feels like home in this apartment.

I was born in southern Poland, almost 21 years ago.

I spent many christmas's here, many birthday and many sleepless jet-lagged mornings.

Although I don't live there anymore, and find most of the region depressing, this photo fills me with nostalgia, and a pensive kind of happiness.

It may not be worth much, photographically, but it was where I started the year, and where I want to start this project.

-a