Maple Tree before 1928

Karl Blossfeldt took this photograph of maple tree stems sometime in the early 20th century. Look at how the light plays on the surfaces, accentuating the textures of the bark and buds. I imagine Blossfeldt, carefully positioning his camera, maybe even holding his breath to capture this level of detail. He must have felt like he was entering another world, finding hidden forms in nature's architecture. It reminds me of how I sometimes feel in my studio when I'm looking at the canvas, searching for the right gesture. There’s something so tactile about these stems, like sculptures in the making. Each ridge and node tells a story of growth, resilience, adaptation. In the close up, the stems seem to take on human-like qualities with their own personalities. And in some ways, all artists are trying to reveal the hidden life of things. I know I am, and it makes me feel like I'm part of a conversation with artists across time, all trying to make sense of this crazy, beautiful world.