Why Erthsister? Why Erth at all (rather than earth)? I was inspired by William Least Heat-Moon's book, PrairyErth.

About PrairyErth, Kevin S. Forsyth writes:

" The basic premise of PrairyErth: A Deep Map is to focus acutely on the details of a single place, to get to know its people and its topology and its history.

... To find the old bones, the history, the geology, the major threads of a place like Cook County, one must dig quite deep, and look far beyond (and beneath) the landscape of tall buildings that even today spring forth from the ground more quickly than tallgrasses. But in Chase County, where the soil is hard, and the courthouse is the tallest building for miles, and the wind rubs off paint and patina and false personae with the ferocity of a prairie fire, the history is right there on the surface, right in front of your eyes, if you know how to look at it. Heat-Moon's "deep map" is certainly that, but its depth comes not merely from digging in the ground but also from having the time and the patience to hear the tales as they're blown on the Kansas wind."

kevinforsyth.net/books/prairy.htm

"PrairyErth" is also an old geologic term for prairie soils. I can't claim connection to the prairie, but it's ingrained in my psyche to attend to the amazing details of the world. My taking photographs with my artist's eye or the camera's lens is my way to appreciate and celebrate ... everything. Sometimes it's even ... art.

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As artist Virginia Gibbons writes: "There is so much of life that lies beyond the thinking mind, beyond the everyday busyness that consumes our lives. These are things for which there are no, or inadequate, words -- the things that good poetry captures. For me this is what art is about. It is a link to the part of being that we sense, but rarely access. When art works, it opens a door to this place, and provides and experience that can enlarge and enrich the spirit. Art is not just about reproducing our experiences, or reminding us of places or things we admire, although there are acceptable goals. It can be more than that. My goal in making art is to have it serve as a door to each viewer's experience of those wordless places. The experience may be as simple as the delight that one experiences in line, or a combination of textures and colors. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Each person's experience will be uniquely his or her own."

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As bean*mama reminded me, GK Chesterton wrote that: "Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame."

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My philosophy is that one takes the art within the limitations of the instrument. The camera translates what it sees, and sometimes the results are not closely related to the original (ha!), but can be interesting and lovely in their own way. It may not be reality, but hey, an image is not reality, yet it can be art!

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When gifts are given to me through my camera, I accept them graciously - Minor White

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Blah-blah-blah. :) Let's go take some more photos.

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