Xanthoria

We typically find ourselves looking at the sky, the buildings, and the people around us. Yet amazing beauty can often be found lurking subtly at our feet. Walking one morning, I came across orange and yellow lichen growing on a concrete stairway. Stunning! I immediately started to take photographs of several clusters I found growing and thriving on that stairway.

Xanthoria, or common lichen, contains a fascinating complexity not usually noticed by passersby—splendor hidden in the midst of the commonplace. It certainly was an interesting surprise on that particular morning and in that particular spot. Finding it in many unexpected places, it has become a favorite subject for my artistic endeavors.