"Skies Painted with Unnumbered Sparks" - Janet Echelman

Of late, life has been more of a challenge than it frankly needs to be. Whenever the universe gets it into it's head to test my resilience and patience like this, I soothe my soul with Cadbury's chocolate....then I put my big girl britches on and I break out my camera to help me get a new perspecive. I look out at the world around me...and eventually I see something that shakes up my reality and reminds me how awesome life is. Lucky for me, this week happens to be the week Janet Echelman is sharing her fantastic creation in downtown Vancouver.

What creation you ask...well it is an aerial sculpture called "Skies Painted with Unnumbered Sparks"...it is a 745 feet long netted sculpture that hangs between buildings on Vancouver's Waterfront. Only here for one week, it is on display to coincide with TED 30th Anniversary Conference held in Vancouver. But the awesome thing just isn't its sheer size...which is amazing in its own way (I would have loved to photograph it being hoisted up). No the awesome thing about the sculpture is that it is an interactive sculpture.

Designed in collaboration with Aaron Koblin (Creative Director at Google's Creative Lab), the piece is intended to allow the audience to be part of the art. I don't get how the technology works....or what kinda magical powers Janet and Aaron have....all I know is that they figured out a way to allow an audience to use their mobile devices to "draw and paint with light" on this giant floating canvas in the sky....want more details? Go here to get the whole story.

Suffice it to say that I stood under it jaws agape, in awe of its sheer....awesomeness. It was so beautiful...just light and airy...and uplifting. To imagine that this concept was in some artist's head...and here it is in fruition.....wow...just plain wow. I struggle with creativity...it isn't something that comes easily to my structured mind...so when I see something this outside of the box...then I am reminded how rich and diverse life is.

So I set up Zee, my tripod (aka Luther) and the sweeeet sweeeeeet Zeiss Touit 12 mm f/2.8 I rented from Leo's Camera. It was so easy to be inspired with this wonder floating above me. If you want to have a gander at some of my images from last night, have a look at the album on my Facebook Page. Feel free to share your thoughts...and if you are in Vancity head down to Canada Place before this wonder leaves us on March 22nd 2014.