“True solitude is found in wild places, where one is without human obligation.” - Wendell Berry
“Solitude is not chosen, any more than destiny is chosen. Solitude comes to us if we have within us the magic stone that attracts destiny.”- Herman Hesse
Kunanyi Sunrise. Pentax MX, Kodak Image Pro 100. Available as an A4 print.
Solitude is not the same as loneliness or isolation. Solitude takes place when there are no other people around us. Loneliness can occur in the middle of a city, where we are surrounded by people. Isolation is often enforced, where our actions and choices are limited.
Cushion Plants, Eldon Bluff. Pentax MX, Kodak Ektar 100, Jan 2019. Available as an A4 print.
Solitude implies quiet acceptance and freedom to be our self. Solitude can take place at home, in nature, anywhere we may chose to be alone. Solitude implies a quiet place where our thoughts can come to us unbidden.
Being alone isn’t always easy but there is always something to learn from it. To figure out who we truly are, we need to be alone. Creative thought arises only in solitude.
The interesting thing about solitude is that it always circles back to the people we love and who want us back.
-A.S., 24/7/2024
Clouds and the Sea. Pentax MX, Kodak Portra 400, 2019. To be exhibited as part of the ‘Atmospheric’ exhibition at the Lady Franklin Gallery, Lenah Valley in August 2024.