Clouds – how would you define them?  A mere atmospheric phenomenon or a canvas in the sky?

Sure, scientifically, they are a climatic event discussed and studied by meteorologists, but artistically speaking, they have also inspired creative minds around the globe.  Cloudscapes have always fascinated me.  I remember, as a child, the thrill of looking up and letting my imagination take over.  I would describe clouds as paintings and stories in the sky, such beautiful, natural renderings and artistic formations that often resemble or mirror life on earth.  To this day, my gaze still automatically wanders upwards to see what images will unfold and what stories my mind will create.  From a photographer’s perspective I find joy in trying to capture the image while it is still recognizable.  Your eyes may see something totally different, but that is the magic of cloud gazing.

Clouds are fleeting moments in time.  A certain unique shape or pattern emerges one moment only to be transformed or altered the next, never to be exactly duplicated.  I’ve often wondered if clouds provide hidden messages intended for the person who catches a glimpse of the moving canvas; that is, of course, if the mind and imagination are open to receive.

No matter what you perceive or feel when looking at clouds, it can be an entertaining pastime trying to recognize or envision shapes in the sky (real and/or imaginary).  However, if you don’t look up, you could potentially be missing a whole other way of viewing or connecting to the world around us.

Put the art of observation to the test – What do you see in the image above?