PATTERNS AND TONES

"Home as Hat: Andrea Minton" 2019 I originally started stitching this series of images with regular thread and came to the conclusion that I needed to use the thicker embroidery floss so that the colors would pop out from the background. Since I am working on an exhibition of this body of work, I decided to redo some of the earlier works that only used regular thread. This portrait of the lovely Andrea Minton was originally shot in 2016. As you can see in the original  Home as Hat: Andrea Minton , the regular thread I used was too small to have any impact on the "hat" I was trying to create. Looking at the structure of the roof in the photograph, I realized weaving the floss would mirror the asphalt shingles. I have not woven the thread before and feel that this treatment worked perfectly for this particular image. Julie Green April 27, 2019

"Destination: Downtown Lemon Cove No. 1" 2018 Not all of the destinations I photographed last year were in nature. Downtown Lemon Cove provided my eye with cement candy in the form of this abandoned 1930's  Richfield gas station and what looked like a 1960's Standard Oil auto shop. Located directly across the street from each other, they were still vying for attention long after their shops had been deserted. Found along the only road into and out of Lemon Cover in the middle of the citrus orchards, this little one horse town apparently didn't have the heart or the money to tear these relics down. I was grateful to come across these buildings that still held onto a piece of Americana in the backroads of the California Central Valley. Julie Green April 13, 2019 "Destination: Downtown Lemon Cove No. 2" 2018 "Destination: Downtown Lemon Cove No. 3" 2018 "Destination: Downtown Lemon Cove No. 4" 2018 ...

"Destination: Lemon Cove Orchards No. 1" 2018 Citrus groves in central California should replace the bear on our state flag. They have played a larger role in our economy and are a quintessential symbol of our abundance and a direct product of the sun our state is known for. After visiting the Sequoia's we drove through the lovely little town of Lemon Cove in the San Joaquin Valley. With a population of 308 people and over a billion oranges and lemons, the citrus definitely outnumber the humans. This picturesque stretch of California reminded me once again what our state must have looked like 100 years ago. Dirt roads lead to old Victorian ranches and barns surrounded by century old King Palm trees shading them from the hot central valley sun. The unending cycle of seasons, planting, growth and harvesting had carved a well worn path that dominated this farming culture. You could feel the balance of both knowing what to expect and hard work rewarded with the sounds...

"Destination: Grants Grove No. 1" 2018 WIKIPEDIA: General Grant Gove,  a section of the greater  Kings Canyon National Park , was established by the US Congress in 1890 and is located in Fresno County, California. The primary attraction of General Grant Grove is the giant sequoia trees that populate the grove. General Grant Grove's most well-known tree is the  General Grant Tree , which is 267 feet tall and  the third largest known tree in the world .  The General Grant Tree is over 1,500 years old and is known as the United States's national Christmas Tree.  General Grant Grove consists of 154 acres and is geographically isolated from the rest of Kings Canyon National Park. One cannot go into the trees without coming out humbled... Julie Green March 30, 2018 "Destination: Grants Grove No. 2" 2018 "Destination: Grants Grove No. 3" 2018 "Destination: Grants Grove No. 4" 2018 "Destination: Grants Grov...

“Destination: Badger No. 1” 2018 On a trip to Sequoia National Park last year, we drove through a small town called Badger where time felt as though it had stopped. Old barns, small wooden huts and hay shelters dotted the hillside and captured my imagination. Oak trees crowded out the sky and their twisted branches added to the timelessness of the place. In the middle of the day it felt like dusk. With a population of 140 people in this Tulare County community, I felt as though I had been whisked through a wormhole and dropped into the middle of the United States back in the 30's. The old wooden planks had a slight sheen of moss growing on the shaded side of each structure and their rooves were made from sheets of corrugated tin. I can only imagine what it would sound like during a storm. I grew up with old barns like this out in the undisturbed fields behind our track homes. I was always intrigued by their man made walls sagging from the weight of time and seasons. They s...

"Destination: Pine Mountain Club No. 1" 2018 Last November we took a trip up the Grapevine during a storm and ended up seeing the most dazzling display of nature in the San Emigdio Mountain community of Pine Mountain Club.  I have driven past the small towns dotting the sides of the road through the Tejon Pass a million times but have rarely stopped except for gas. It was time to take a closer look, so we chose a town deep in the woods to explore. On our way to our local destination, I imagined that the local population was like other mountain communities, close knit and hard working with the punctuation of vistiors occasionally being seen in town. I quickly felt as though we had driven to another state. Nature ruled and the effects of humanity were less apparent. The curling smoke from a chimney could be seen in the depths of the pine valley and the road was the only guide that lead us deeper into Bear country. This series of photographs were taken directly from my...

"Destination: Bridgeport No. 1" 2018 It was a few days after the 4th of July when we rolled into the town old mining town of Bridgeport. I sometimes forget that these dusty foothill towns exist and it was delightful to spend a few nights in this historic corner of California. Walking around after dinner, I couldn't help but capture the recent trappings of Independence Day. American flags waived from every building, pole and car. With the Victorian backdrop, time really did stand still. The prominent 1880 Mono County courthouse on Main Street is the 2nd oldest courthouse still operating in California. It would have looked right at home in San Francisco with its Italianate facade and large 23,000 square footprint sitting up on Nob Hill. I also visited the local community church and jail to round out my tour of this Eastern Sierra town. Julie Green March 9, 2019 "Destination: Bridgeport No. 2" 2018 "Destination: Bridgeport No. 3" 201...

“Destination: Bodie State Historic Park No. 1” 2018 Traveling down the Eastern Sierra's last summer, I was finally able to visit and photograph the legendary ghost town of Bodie. This deserted gold-mining town looks just like a Hollywood set but has actually been preserved and was designated a State Historic Park in 1961. Once a booming town of 10,000 people, Bodie nows sits quietly in the Bodie Hills east of the Sierra Nevada mountain rang in Mono County. I've been hesitant to capture this decaying landmark because it is so overly photographed. There are multiple  photography workshops  you can attend during the day and numerous excursions to photograph it at night. It has been shot from every angle and documented to death. I usually stay far away from locations like this. But since I was on vacation and it IS a very photogenic subject, I decided to capture it for posterity. This series of photographs only shows  the outside structures. I shot quite a few int...

"Destination: Point Reyes No. 1" 2018 Making not taking photographs is important to me. I want to add to the lexicon of imagery, not take something away from it. While traveling last year, I focused on crafting a narrative that would encapsulate the feeling of each place I visited in five images. Like portraiture, landscapes evoke emotions we immediately interpret from our own personal experiences. Those interpretations lead us to read images differently whether they are faces or places. For example in  Destination: Palm Springs , for me the images I made of the desert, with its sandy floor decorated in brittle vegetation and bathed in hard light, conjures feelings of anticipation and vigilance. I want you to experience the powerful wind whipping sand across your face and the dry heat beating down on you. In todays body of work shot at  Point Reyes National Seashore , when I look at these images I feel a sense of trust and contentment. They are quite images that al...

"Destination: Palm Springs No. 1, Part 2" 2018 Continuing my presentation of location shots in the desert of Palm Springs, this set of images was taken just north of San Jacinto Cove. On my second visit to this striking desert town last year, I decided to pull off the first road leading straight into the hillside. I pulled over into the sand and got out. The wind immediately swung my door open with such a forceful blast, I thought the door would tear right off. I didn't realize how windy it was outside. I mistakenly opened my automatic hatch in the back of my car to get my cameras out. Trying desperately to close it again, the intense gusts of wind ended up breaking my automatic lock. I was finally able to shut the hatch manually and quickly jumped back inside my car to load my film. It was a bit harrowing but thrilling at the same time. The desert was alive, the wind was howling and my sudden awareness that snakes could be afoot added to my trepidation. The cre...