In honor of the Big Storm that whaled through Portland last week.
Susan says, “We have a lot of precipitation in the pacific northwest. It makes our trees grow big and keeps our mountain top snowy. Our rainy winters depress some of us and boost the sale of SAD lamps. Our rain can inspire our artists as well. A real down pour can be pretty chaotic, especially if accompanied by high winds. You can count on flooded streets and inside out umbrellas. This artist however, has tamed the storm depicting orderly rain with drops of the same size and shape lined up in groups of six falling with military precision. For a presenting storyteller this is an interesting photo to prompt a story about our relationship with nature and the unique ability of art to give us a voice to speak about those things we cannot control or understand fully. While this is a photograph of a flat, simple, black and white grid, basing your story on it can take your audience into the wilds.”
Lucia says, “This fun depiction of the ubiquitous rain in Portland is really a crosswalk. It’s a bit of public art put to a utilitarian use. The story here is in the design. If you dropped into town without knowing anything about Portland, and you came across this crosswalk, you’d have a pretty good idea that rain is a big part of life here. Keep this in mind when designing your presentation. You could enhance your stories clever with design elements.”
