Mr. Forager and I have been camping our way down the West Coast this week. While camping isn’t always the most comfortable way to bed down, there is something about sleeping under the stars, hearing the wind, the crickets and such that can put us more in touch with the world above and around. In her photogram based work, Oakland artist Vanessa Marsh crafts images that remind us of the wonder starlight provides.
In shades of grey, Marsh creates scenes filled with shadows and silhouettes, the simple way we see at night, breaking objects down to their most fundamental forms. Though the shapes may feel a bit dark and haunting, skies filled with stars beckon a welcoming hello. In focusing on the skies above, we’re able to shift away from the darkness surrounding us and turn our faces toward the lights twinkling down. How is it possible to look up into a star-filled night sky and not feel a twinge of hope and possibility? It never fails to fill me with both.
To see more of the work of Vanessa Marsh, please visit her website and Facebook page.
All images via the artist’s website. Artist found via Little Paper Planes.
