Inspired by my visit to Brigitte Willers' exhibition, I've been looking at quiet corners and scenes of gentle neglect rather more attentively, in particular the interplay of light and shadow. This is what good art does, after all: it invites to you look closer at the world around, and perhaps to see things differently. What she captures so well is the sheer brightness of the light here and the dappled effect as it filters through the plants and trees planted everywhere for natural shade. Grape canopies hang over dining tables, though here one of ours has run rampant over an old garden chair.
Here are some more photos I've taken with the idea of strong light and shade in mind. Another brocante chair is placed underneath an upstairs terrace just out of the sun's glare.
You can see the strength of the midday sun out in the courtyard:
Steps in the shade of an acacia tree have been covered with fallen blossom. The tree is humming with bees.
A plain plastic watering can and chair are blotched with light:
The wide leaves of the catalpa tree dapple the courtyard as well as the raised kitchen terrace:
With the sun almost directly overhead, this table and chairs make shadow spirograph patterns!
