{"id":509,"date":"2021-06-11T17:57:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T08:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alphabendi.com\/?p=509"},"modified":"2021-06-12T18:46:49","modified_gmt":"2021-06-12T09:46:49","slug":"stephens-blog-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.alphabendi.com\/?p=509","title":{"rendered":"Stephen’s blog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Dear Regular (and those not so) Readers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to another edition of the Sagan Speak newsletter and I hope it finds you all well.   <\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you know what Pareidolia means?  I didn\u2019t until yesterday.  Apparently, Pareidolia is a kind of psychological phenomenon that comes in to play when we look at things around us; for example, I often look at pavements\/sidewalks drying out after it\u2019s been raining to try to pick out shapes of animals and birds or just interesting shapes.  I sometimes look at clouds up in the sky to see what animals and other things I can find in their moveable changing shapes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s interesting because of course we don\u2019t all see things in the same way; for example, I will point at a tea or coffee stain on the kitchen countertop in my home and get all excited and say to my wife: \u201cWhat do you think that stain looks like?\u201d and she\u2019ll say: \u201cIt looks like a\/an \u2026\u2026\u2026, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d and then I\u2019ll say: \u201cDo you think so?  Don\u2019t you think it looks like a\/an \u2026?\u201d  To which she\u2019ll sometimes reply: \u201cAh! I see, yes, it does look like a\/an \u2026 \u201c and other times she\u2019ll reply: \u201cYou have a very funny idea of what a\/an (whatever it is I think can see in the stain) looks like, do we have the same image of what a cat is supposed to look like or are we just looking at a different stain?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve always had an interest in trying to find the shapes of things in other things around me whether it\u2019s a dog in a coffee stain, an item of clothing like a dress in a paint stain or a crumpled up tissue that I pull out of my pocket that resembles a person posing in a certain way, but I\u2019m not sure exactly why.  I have often thought of taking this interest a stage further by drawing or painting the art I come across in the shapes that nature creates around me, but as of now it continues to remain a thought.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until next week, I will leave you with a few lines of poetry that I would like to think somewhat makes a connection with my interest in Pareidolia.  Keep safe until next week!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Pareidolia<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for it, art is all around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It appears on the ground when it rains and if you\u2019re not careful it shows up on clothes inside eating stains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can easily pick it up on the bottom of your shoe and let your carpets at home do the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this idea is not a practical one to pursue as if you did you would suffer for your art as most artists do.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My particular interest in art in stains created by nature will I am sure remain indelibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m quite good at picking out images in stains on cracked pavements made from rain mixed with mud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong images on an oil stained concrete drive made bolder by the regular movement of car tyres over the relentless drips of oil.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes holes in an old string vest will do their level best to merge together to create an image that catches the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Images seen in clouds drifting by and in the earth\u2019s atmosphere imposing on us the colours we see in the day and night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds of industry escaping through open office windows and factory doors and firmly into the ears of passers-by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few will attempt to put these sounds to music in the hope it is part of the legacy they leave behind before they say goodbye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With most the sounds they hear will quickly disappear and unaware the moment is lost forever they miss their chance to try.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The temporariness of art can be seen very clearly as long as the weather doesn\u2019t change.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snow and ice frozen to the ground chiseled into shapes and images by feet of all sizes frightened to lose their grip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild ripened rosehips fallen to the ground and trodden into colourful shapes by the same feet frightened to slip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This art will gradually fade until it\u2019s all washed away which will inevitably be on the next rainy day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shapes of different sizes and textures created by the movement of feet on floor mats that change colour according to the direction of the nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A chalkboard\u2019s worth of text written in different hues cleaned with a damp cloth and left to dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shapes on the now dried but thankfully carelessly cleaned chalkboard waiting to be picked out by a finger in the air and a well trained eye.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am addicted to picking out images from accidental or purposeful spills on floors and other surfaces, but I am unable to explain why.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A poem by Stephen Austwick<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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