Paying Attention -- and the Surprise of Discovery

Over my years of walking, both in urban and wild areas, I've learned about paying attention. Many of the photos that I post in these blogs are taken when I slow down, and really take notice. It's when I look at the landscape closely, that I might discover subtle features that may not be overt and obvious.

I recently heard someone say that when we pay attention, we feel connected. They may have been talking about paying attention to another person, but it also applies to the landscape we walk through. I like this observation; we all crave connection. Perhaps slowing down has many side benefits!

Here are a few examples of hidden art, or artistic perspectives, that I've discovered when I slow down and pay attention:

The orca on the roof is one of a number of painted orcas that can be found around Victoria, from an arts project a few years ago. This one on roof, however, is not easy to notice -- especially if a person is engrossed in conversation! The location is the 5th Street Bar and Grill.

A window display is easier to notice than an orca on a roof -- unless it's on a hidden side street! This one is in the window of March Restaurant, downtown on Langley Street.

Uptown Mall has many hidden details tucked on walls, or high up, out of the general view of the passer-by (such as this frieze!).

Uptown has used repetition of geometric elements throughout its development. I appreciate that the mall developers went to some effort to go "above and beyond" what might otherwise have been a utilitarian commercial mall. This geometric pattern is only seen up close by people on the escalator between levels.

Another geometric element hidden high on a wall at Uptown.

Sometimes we may discover something that is in plain sight, but we don't notice it, in our haste to get to our destination. Here are a couple of examples.

One final image from Uptown. Though this sculpted face is at eye level, it's easy to whiz by and not notice it.

While the eye might be drawn to the words advertising the noodles on offer, I enjoyed the decorative floral motif surrounding the writing.

This bold window display, with its primary colours of red, yellow and blue, is hard to miss. But, a passerby might not take the time to stop and absorb the imaginative geometric design, and the intricate details reminiscent of careful embroidery art.

Here is one more window display on a busy Fort Street print shop. It's a high impact storefront, also one that is hard to miss. It's fun and vibrant, with strong colours and a bold design. But it requires a pause to stop and take in the curvilinear design. Hopefully others besides me appreciate the cheerful contribution to the streetscape.

Moving from colour to more muted discoveries, here are a few that I've noted.

A hidden detail in the Lebanese Emigration Plaza, honouring the role played by Lebanese immigrants in Canada. The plaza was a gift to the citizens of Victoria by the Lebanese community, "in appreciation of their (ie the citizens') hospitality, friendship, and inclusivity". A person has to stop and really slow down to notice details like this.

A cemetery invites us to slow down. This detail is from a weathered gravestone at Ross Bay Cemetery.

This frieze looks like it could also be from a cemetery. In this case, though, it's detail from a sculpture near the Rose Garden at Beacon Hill Park.

A simple but elegant design on a hidden window on Wharf Street.

One of several unique stepping stones at the Beacon Hill Park "Watering Can". I loved the subtle artwork. Somebody went to a lot of work to make this out-of-the-way design, along with the unique designs of each of the other stepping stones.

While walking past the Parkside Hotel a few weeks ago, I noticed the curvilinear glass front, and how it reflected.

Artistic shadows, and reflections, at the Parkside Hotel.

Details from another walk-by, this time, the Glenshiel Seniors Residence.

Detail from the brick wall of the Glenshiel, Victoria. Built in the early years of the last century as a luxury hotel, the building is now a seniors' residence. I was intrigued at these deformed bricks sticking out in random places on the wall. After googling, I believe they are "clinker" bricks. These are over-fired, misshapen bricks, and were used in the early 20th century to provide decorative features. 

Wider view of the brick wall at the Glenshiel. The extruding bricks are probably clinker bricks, so named because they produced a metallic "clink" when banged together, due to their density, produced at firing at intense heat.

The photo below is of sidewalk directly adjacent to a building. Not too many people would walk over these designs...or perhaps, even notice them!

Sidewalk inlay outside the BC Liquor store in James Bay.

And here's another example of something that was directly beneath my feet:

I was deep in thought when I encountered this little scene, in the grounds of St. Ann's Academy. I walked right by, and then, my sub-conscious processed what I had just seen. So I turned around to investigate. The debris was beneath a Giant Sequoia; was I looking at debris from a raptor? I welcome reader comments.

 This is a great out of the way mural:

This mural is outside the Fawcett Mattress store. (These mattresses are made locally!) I loved the play with the word "dreaming", and the way a mattress might appear in a dream! The artist had to have been a surfer.

Intricate window art, Good Earth cafe, downtown. This isn't obvious unless the passer-by walks through this space to enter the Bay Centre.

And this art is really hidden! It's at the coffee shop at Whole Foods, under the counter.

I will finish this tour of hidden art waiting to be discovered with three images from nature, and the amazing art that a flower shows.

Evening light on the head of a cow parsnip plant illuminates the detail of each individual flower.

Detail from a rhododendron

The foxglove design hides from human view... a person has to bend down low, and look up, to see the attractive markings on the inside. Note: Foxgloves are highly toxic!

There is much wonder waiting for us to be surprised! May you enjoy your own walk-abouts.