Page 26 - BSAM 2015 Q1

Top; Figure 2 – Distant Mountain Stone; Italy; 15 x 5 x 6 cm
Bottom left; Figure 3 – Waterfall Stone; Japan; 7 x 5 x 5 cm
Bottom right; Figure 4 – Waterfall Stone; Japan; 6 x 7 x 5 cm
Figure 2 is a majestic scene of a faraway mountain range. One can easily explore this stone while hold- ing it in one’s hands. As we contemplate this stone, it quickly takes us away to a prior summer vacation as we went camping and backpacking in its foothills and valleys, while fishing in the streams it so adequately provides with fresh, crystal clear water each spring and summer. The peaks, to us, seem perfectly ar- ranged and sequenced. What amazing depth for such a small stone.
This diminutive stone from Japan, Figure 3, is roughly textured with a waterfall descending from the mountaintop as it cascades down and partially obscures the cave entry on the right side of this moun- tain. The visual experience is amazing for a stone of this size.
Figure 4, is an excellent example of a waterfall stone as the waterfall starts near the top of the mountain, but not the very top, and it widens as it navigates its way toward the bottom of the mountain floor. A very small but yet a powerfully expressive stone!
The next four stones are classical suiseki stones with light to dark grayish tones. Figure 5 represents another mountain but beautifully drenched in vibrant fall col- ors representing thousands of maple trees glowing in the cool of the evening just as the sun is starting to drop below the horizon—what we photographers call the golden hour.
We love how a stone depicts a vast mountain while at the same time conveying a specific time of year. How often have we experienced the beauty of autumn with
24 | BCI | April/May/June 2015