Under our header of Air you will find a new page which invites you to think about Clouds. This post will invite you to explore cloud imagery as suggested by David Macauley and by myself. Can you identify the images that connect to the text? The reference images are followed by some images from me. What feeling tone does each picture give you?
Each picture, in my perspective, gives the nature of the cloud. For example the second column of pictures, the second and third picture has a destructive nature to them forming harmful storms and hurricanes. Meanwhile the sunset and sunrise determines a more light and calm nature and feeling. Most of these clouds are cirrus-cumulous clouds. Cumulous which are connected white cottonballs, more piled up and cirrus forming 3 miles above the troposphere. The sunrise and sunset photos are alto-stratus clouds. Alto (middle clouds) which compose memorable makerel sky, Stratus, layerd clouds that resemble blankets (flat). The hurricanes and storm pictures are, in my opinion, vertical cumulous clouds. Since hurricanes form at high altitudes that is what makes them vertical, cumulous because of the thick white cottonball-like appearance.
Image 1 is a picture of the Blur Building in Switzerland, where an artificial cloud has been formed around the structure by the sending water from surrounding Lake Neuchâtel into the sky to become mist and fog. Images 2 and 3 depict “cloud forests,” which are forests characterized by fog and low visibility. Images 4 through 7 are various forms of artwork with clouds. Image 4 is the painting, “Seascape Study with Rain Cloud” by John Constable, which expresses a rainstorm in the ocean with the use of dark slashing brushstrokes to symbolize the breaking of a cloud. Image 5 is a picture of a type of land art in New Mexico called “The Lightning Field” by Walter De Maria that depicts the beauty of storm clouds and lightning. Images 6 and 7 are paintings by René Magritte that use clouds to create dream-like images and express a sense of surrealism. Image 6 is called “The False Mirror” and gives off an hypnotic feel that seems to put you in a trance if you keeping staring at it. Image 8 is obviously a picture of the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The pictures with the darker clouds give off a more gloomier, ominous tone. Dark clouds usually signal the coming of a more destructive storm. The dark smoke caused by the attack on the towers associates with the ominous tone of dark clouds. Lighter clouds, such as image 7 (Magritte’s painting) evoke a more happier, peaceful tone.
These images are showing off some of the many sides of clouds. For humans, clouds can give the impression of many different things. When clouds are high up in the sky and appear to be fluffy they give off the emotion of happiness. When the clouds are dark and are rushing towards you, it can be a frightening experience. It almost seems as if the clouds are swallowing up the sky. An even scarier experience can be seeing a hurricane or tornadoe. These are extremely destructive forces, and they don’t have mercy. If something is in the way the hurricane won’t swerve to avoid it, but will rather continue on its path. This can result in severe destruction and injury. Even though clouds can appear menacing and destructive, we have a pecular saying about them; Every cloud has a silver lining. To me this phrase means to remain hopeful in all situations and always look for the best in everything. We must always stay positive.
I love the eye picture, with the reflection of the cloudy sky within the sclera. That image was mentioned in the text by the artist’s name, Rene Majoriette (can’t spell sorry). I feel that clouds in general are majestic and euphoric in a way. Growing up, I would sit outside on my front lawn all the time just watching the clouds go by and trying depict what they looked like from their shapes. It was very relaxing and so clouds in general connote to me happiness and a sort of lightness when going about life. Think about it, if we were to obtain the mindset and attitude of a storm cloud, we wouldn’t have the beauty and peace that could be offered to others and ourselves for a healthy mind frame. We would be weighing ourselves down immensely, and such a pessimistic attitude can really ruin a person. We should try to more like a beautiful cloud in the perspective that we go about floating around in our lives peacefully, with nothing weighing us down or holding us back.