Plastic Bag at Stanford, 2005
The Quad at Stanford University is bordered by nearly endless rows of arches. It is an orderly and formal place.

The visual focus of this setting is the Stanford Memorial Church whose facade is decorated with a striking mosaic mural of Christ and his diciples. The modern university is a secular place and when people stop to consider the mural they understand it to reflect the religious impulses of the Stanford family, and yet, for modern sensibilities, it seems misplaced. But it is an artifact too well done to undo.

Into this a ghostly translucent plastic bag blows through and stops at the entrance to the church. A breeze holds open the bag and suggests contents no longer there. A photographer stoops to photograph this fragile intrustion. It will be gathered up and discarded.

Elena, 2005

I noticed this sign passing by one day. It belongs to an apartment complex with that name. Other apartment complexes dot the same area and are identified by such names as Crown and Willow. At the time these were constructed--probably in the 70s--it was understood that these names represented something that would cause potential renters to consider moving in. Nowdays, the naming protocol has shifted to represent different sensibilities, such as Heritage Park or Avalon at Creekside. The signs that advertise these new apartments are more elaborate and reflect a a refined appearance. When chosing the sign for the Elena Apartments they went with cutout wooden letters that paid special attention to the letter E--almost as if taking it's cue from the poodle bush below. Fonts were very expressive back then. For me the name has a more personal association; my daughter's name is Ellen.