Devotion

I stated  that this blog would not discuss Religion or Politics. So, with this entry, I skirt the issue.

While leaving an estate sale this morning I passed this yard (photo above). I didn't have my camera with me, but I went to my truck, and got my trusty Canon G9 to make the photo.

Simply said, I love personal, artistic, statements. Cutouts of people bending over do not count.

When I moved North from Alabama ten years ago, I re-discovered the world of lawn ornamentation.

In the South, it is called "Folk Art." In the North it is "Lawn Ornaments." But the difference I am skirting, is that in the North, the more personal statements are often based on the Catholic religion. Passion is good.

Most commonly, it is a tribute to the Mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary. And the ones I see most commonly include a half-sunken bathtub surrounding the statue of Mary.

But this person went the extra yard. They constructed a box, with a real roof, and a front of plexiglass. This took some thought, and labor. It took love and devotion.

These tributes exist throughout our society, no matter what your beliefs are.

A couple of years ago I photographed the Virgin Mary statue in the back yard of my mother-in-law in Michigan. I made the photo with my 4x5 pinhole camera and later on decided to add color to it, via Photoshop.

My point is, if there is one, is that personal expression of your beliefs, on your property, is ART. Nothing more?