I've been very excited about the ARTyssey, because I knew I'd be able to find some inspiration from the incredibly talented folks at TEN31 Productions and, with any luck, take some halfway decent photos. Despite a mild case of the blahs, my enthusiasm was rekindled as soon as I walked through the entrance gates: when a man in a pith helmet asks if one is ready to go on an adventure, one's answer needs to be a resounding YES. I took the map he offered, and set about on my journey.
After passing a rather fanciful butterfly (who was surrounded by little girls clamoring for a photo with her) and checking out the zebras and wildebeests (real ones), I made my way toward the giraffes. Before I could reach them, I encountered a pair of palm trees welcoming guests to the area.
The level of detail was amazing, but my point-and-shoot unfortunately couldn't do it justice.
Right across from the giraffe exhibit, a lovely statue of a dancer came to life:
I couldn't help but think of the "Grecian Urns" number from "The Music Man" when I saw her.
Since I hadn't been to the RWPZ in about a year, I did my fair share of visiting the animals while looking for the art installations. Many of the animals were in for the evening, but I did spend some time with the giraffes, flamingos, and a giant anteater. (Contrary to what your kids might think, anteaters do not look like this popular PBS character.)
I also found an enchanting creature in an alcove near the penguins:
At this point, I started to panic a little; I was only a third of the way through the zoo, and had already taken 60% of the pictures needed for a Five. Would I reach my quota too soon, and miss an opportunity? The little voice of reason in my head whispered, Don't worry. You'll know when the opportunity comes.
Of course, I didn't expect opportunity to knock less than five minutes later:
When I saw this statue from a distance, I was struck by the way the performer rose from among the surrounding flowers, extended her arms gracefully skyward, and saluted the sun as powerfully as any yogini. In that moment, I wanted to be what she embodied in my eyes: the ability to feel empowered to rise from my surroundings, express my individuality, and radiance confidence, joy and light.
Buoyed by this unexpected motivational moment, I pressed on through the zoo and found several entertaining vignettes, including birch trees, gargoyles, Cleopatra, and the Statue of Liberty. They were all lovely, but I just couldn't pull the trigger and snap that last picture. Since the blahs were returning with a vengeance, I decided to take the long way back to the zoo's entrance via the Wetlands Trail with the hope that I'd have the trail to myself and have a chance to be alone with my thoughts.
With the exception of a young couple passing through, I got my wish. As I walked the trail, I felt the tension of being in a noisy crowd disappear and reveled in the noises of the marshland in the twilight. I could see the traffic from nearby Route 95, but could only hear the crickets and, faintly, some ambient music from across the marsh in the more populated part of the zoo. I may not have reached nirvana, but I certainly found peace and tranquility. At the end of the trail, I decided not to look for any other inspiration than nature for my final picture of this Five:
Warning: this one looks better if one doesn't click on it.
I didn't realize until I got home and was able to look at the pictures on something larger than my camera's viewfinder that this shot was far from my best work. However, I took more from this Five than pictures: as I left the Wetlands Trail and rejoined civilization, I had what is probably the closest thing I've had to an epiphany since I started this project. Each of my ventures out into the world - whether to my own yard, Salter Grove, College Hill, Wickford, or the zoo - has been not only a means of expressing myself artistically, but also an opportunity to clear my head of doubts, anxieties and stresses. I always return from a Five-finding mission with new energy and a greater sense of self-worth. I know that even if my work doesn't find an audience, I created something worth seeing.
Sometimes, knowing that is all I need.
Until next time,
- Laurie :)
