Monday, March 21, 2011

SAKURA WATCH...




I know that to the untrained eye, it might look as if I post the same pictures of cherry blossom every year. I swear they're different photos. I have a compulsion to keep 24 hour watch, to measure the trajectory of it, to take pictures of it at different times of the day and night, to walk along gazing upwards at a particular frond. The darker pink blossom isn't out yet, then the lighter one will start to fall on the pavements, looking like a snowdrift. I know, I'm repeating myself - I said something like that before. But it's so magical, I can't believe I'm lucky enough to live in a street where this happens every year. But this year, the cherry blossom also serves to keep Japan uppermost in my thoughts.

I won this cherry blossom print by Abby Powell from Elizabeth yesterday who bought 10 of them to give away. $8 from the sale of each print goes to the Japan relief effort. And all the proceeds from the sale of this print of Shinjuku at 20x200 benefit the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund. Here you can buy Hello Sandwich's gift wrapping zine and all the proceeds are again, donated. Jean Snow has a round up of goods being sold to raise funds for the relief effort here. And these are just a few...

To see so many independent artists, who aren't exactly making millions themselves, giving up to 100% of the profits from the sale of their work to Japan's earthquake and tsunami relief effort has given me hope.

2 comments:

kitchu said...

i just love how these artists are coming together for such a common good. and i have always been a great lover of cherry blossoms, second only to the dogwood :)

Bombay Beauty said...

lovely pictures -- you are fortunate indeed! in boston we have magnolias, which are also a lovely sign of spring. there is something so delicate about cherry blossoms... lovely... xo bb