Recently I happened
to meet my friend Therese at a place where the sunset views are
spectacular. If a good sunset is unfolding, we both know that we may
find each other at this place. I was there before her and took
pictures as the fiery drama climaxed and slowly receded. As I was
about to leave, Therese arrived. We hung out together for awhile and
then bid farewell. I went home, but she stayed and the next day sent
me some of her photos by email.
I find
being with Therese often leads me to see in new ways. She experiences
a psychological phenomenon called pareidolia.
It is
where the mind takes familiar patterns and perceives something beyond
what is apparent. For instance, a common activity among children is
seeing dragons, rabbits or other phenomenon in the shapes of fleeting clouds.
Therese has pointed out angels or faces in my paintings. If I look close enough and with active imagination, I might see what she does.
My father could not see the man in the moon.
When
she sent me the photos she remarked about seeing geese in one picture
of a road with dark, moving clouds in the sky.
I asked her if I
could make a painting from her photograph, and she agreed. The result
is a combination of our creativity. The geese are clouds.
See more paintings from Steven Boone