Monday Muse: Elizabeth Sanjuan
A visual meditation on the stillness of snow
Years ago, I published a photoblog. Remember those? The premise was simple: a photo a day with some links to see more of that artist’s work. Instagram changed everything, so I’m trying something new: the Monday Muse, a visual inspiration for your email inbox. No algorithms, no ads. Just a picture to start your week. Would you like to show something of yours here? Please email anytime! —AA
We have been expecting a big snow in Wisconsin for the past few days. Today, we woke up to enormous piles of the stuff outside our bedroom window. It’s always thrilling when a blizzard comes through — a reminder of how inconsequential we are in the face of the wildness of the world’s natural elements. And of course, snow is endlessly beautiful, at least to me. What I love most about all that white is how it seems to quiet the noisy world around us. Do you know what I mean?
I had another picture in mind for today’s Muse, but given the circumstances, I thought it would be nice to reflect on the season by looking at an image from Elizabeth Sanjuan’s Silent Snow series. She published a book of these photographs last fall. They are beautiful, meditative images that embody the vibe of my world today.
If you like this work, you should buy Elizabeth’s book. Here’s some background:
Over the last 7 years, Elizabeth Sanjuan has spent many weeks in Hokkaido in the depths of winter, and “Silent Snow” reveals the symbolism and symmetry of this quiet landscape. As a seeker of mystery and lover of solitude, Sanjuan immediately felt an intimate connection to the quietude of this land, with its watery blues and gentle, enveloping grays. “Silent Snow” urges one to pause, to explore, as Elizabeth does, the lessons of the single tree: strength in solitude and the will to withstand any storm.
Silent Snow is available from Daylight Books. You can learn more about Elizabeth’s photography by exploring her website. And if you’re on Instagram, you can find her @elizabethsanjuanphotography — She’ll appreciate it.
Thanks, as always, for looking, friends. Stay warm and have a great week!
Great work! I recently published her work in Shadow & Light Magazine, Andy.
Thank you for sharing.