A Deeper Appreciation For Superficial Things
There’s something enchanting about the interplay of surfaces. This narrative was supposed to be about the mysterious painted rocks I occasionally encounter while walking the dog around Lafayette Square ( 7 to 8:30 a.m. on a sidewalk near you). It evolved into a general appreciation of the surface interactions we see around the Square. it’s also an outlet for the photos piling up from these morning rounds. It gets around to the rocks, so please read on.
There’s an enjoyment in the way things that aren’t planted pop up on their own
And a sense of wonder from the simple merging of surfaces
Or the layers you might notice under a surface, on the surface, and above the surface of something
The unintentional interplay of surfaces is often the most interesting
The visual math might be little more than the sum of light and two objects
Then there’s the way something pops up that IS planted. With gratitude to the anonymous idealistic someone here who brightens the day with unpredictable and whimsical painted rocks. What rocks, you ask? These,for starters
Who makes these lovely tokens, and why? Did reading a lively stone save someone here in some small way? It’s only paint on rock. The interface blends both. It demonstrates that matter is different while being all the same. Sometimes little things matter a little more in Lafayette Square
so hope you continue this
Jannie
Mike,
I’m dazed and delighted by the textures presented in your post. Many pictures satisfy my child-like mind. Another entertaining read.
Dan
Many thanks for reading, Dan. Yeah, it would be a better world if we all could move from the childish to the child-like.
A good eye, brother. Things large and small and in-between.
Thanks for reading, Duke. I take these metaphysical cues from my mystical uncle in LS.
Love, LOVE, this column. So informative! And this one made me stop and think about being more observant when walking my dog. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Thanks for reading, Valerie. I read and enjoyed your book “Lost St.Louis.” Please consider me a fan.
LOVED this!
I’d print off the surface photos and put them together as a collage for a LS poster, note cards or individual pieces framed and displayed together!
Plus the rock project is near and dear to me. I didn’t ‘plant’ any of the ones you documented; but I love finding them. https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/
Glad you enjoyed it, Susan. Yeah, it pains me to compress the originals just to satisfy WordPress – maybe if a gallery opens in the Square? Thanks for your ideas!