Like An Orchid L.I.F.E. Is Delicate…

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Delicate Orchids

Photography

Sharon Cummings

2016

Find ORCHID Art and Photography Here!

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Not So M.E.L.L.O.W. Yellow…

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botanical art, botanical prints, floral, floral prints, flowers, orchids, yellow, yellow art, yellow flowers, yellow lotus flower, yellow photography, yellow photos, yellow prints

Yellow is the lightest hue of the spectrum, but don’t let it fool you.  It definitely has a “punch”!  The color psychology (yes, people study this) of yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, happiness and cheerfulness.

Yellow lends well to creativity and makes a great companion on the studio walls.  It inspires original thought and inquisitiveness.  It is the color of new ideas…

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Find More YELLOW Here!

Just S.M.I.L.E.

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It’s so simple.  Just smile.  Even if you have to look at cute videos on YouTub of babies laughing or puppies sleeping, it’s a great way to improve your health and it makes you feel good about yourself.  Below are some of the rewards of lifting those cheeks:

1.  It Lower Heart Rate – Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. People who smile and laugh often are less likely to develop heart disease. Smiling reduces blood pressure temporarily too.

2.  It Reduce Stress – Stress relief may be as simple as smiling a little more throughout the day. Smiling releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones.

3.  It Increase Productivity – Smiling has been shown to increase productivity while performing tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated and working harder after a few moments of smiling or laughter.

4.  It is a natural Pain Killer – Smiling and laughter both have been shown to lessen pain. They release endorphins that lift our moods, but many of these act as natural painkillers too.

5.  It Increase Attention – Stress limits our perceptions and narrows our attention. Our body kicks into fight or flight mode where we can focus only on one of those things. Smiling counteracts this and widens our attention again, opening us back up to multitasking and insights that come from the fringes of our perception and our subconscious.

6.  It is Contagious – Around 50% of people smile back. This spreads the health benefits throughout those around you and it comes back to you several times as well.

7.  It makes you more Attractive!  – Smiling makes people look more appealing. This seems to be especially true for women. Men are more likely to approach a woman who smiles than one who simply makes eye contact while women aren’t necessarily drawn in by a smile alone.

8.  It makes You Look Younger – Smiles naturally lift the face and in studies have shown to make people look younger, around 3 years younger on average.

9.  It increases Longevity – The effects of a good smile extend past just the exterior good looks. People who smile more often live longer too, around 7 years longer than most according to one study. It releases stress, helps the heart, and much more to keep you healthy longer.

10.  It Boosts the Immune System – Smiles help the body relax and this lets the immune system react more quickly and effectively against invaders.

So C’mon…………………………………………………..S.M.I.L.E. 🙂

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My Petals Are All W.E.T…..

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It’s that time of year when all of the flowers are blooming and these quick little showers show up out of nowhere. My orchids look fabulous this Spring!  I can mostly get phalaenopsis to re-bloom year after year. When I buy some from a store or garden shop, I let them live out their flowering lives in my home.  When they are all done, I just stick them under the oak trees and they love it!  I do not do anything else to them.  I just let nature water and care for them.  The white and hot pink especially like to show their pretty little petals for me.  We just had one of those morning showers that leaves everything all sparkly with water droplets….I couldn’t resist!

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Out Of This World!

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arrangement, art, bathroom, beautiful, bedroom, botanical, botanical art, botanical painting, bud, buds, cottage, cottage art, country, country cottage, elegance, elegant, feminine, floral, floral arrangement, flower, flower buds, flowers, garden, gardening, kitchen, orchid, orchids, phalaenopsis, photo, photograph, photography, rich, sharon cummings, soft, table, traditional, vase, vases, white orchids

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/ethereal-orchid-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

I found this beauty at Selby Gardens in Sarasota Florida.  It’s just a phalaenopsis of the more common variety.  But once I got the photo home and did a little magic, I was able to create a ghostly almost ethereal effect.  

A busy day here…..I am going to do another show in March!  But I will keep new work coming when I can. 🙂

Getting WET…

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As a painter, I am no stranger to getting wet.  For years I’ve had acrylic splattered, dripped, sprayed and poured onto me.  And sometimes I just stick my hands right into it.  I am finding that photography is also keeping me damp.  I live in Florida where it is humid and hot most of the year.  Right now it is quite chilly at 35 degrees, but last week at Selby Gardens there was one place that was warm and quite drippy.  They have a huge greenhouse there with the most beautiful and exotic plants you can image.  My group of friends were awestruck as we walked around the lush interior.  While we separated ourselves I found this small glassed off area that was all green inside except for one lone orchid.  The condensation formed on the glass in front of it and it reminded me of a rainy day in the tropics….