Contrast– The art of bringing unlike things together
with an intent to heighten the appreciation of each element.
Contrast is an essential principle of good design, whether we are cooking a meal, decorating a room, building a life, or constructing a garden.
We enjoy sweet with salty; creamy with bitter…
We bring disparate elements together in fresh ways so the element of surprise wakes us up, invites us to see what might otherwise be overlooked.
Contrast jars us into thinking, sometimes. It invites us to make choices; to see the relative values of things.
Our garden is one of sharp contrast: We move from cool shade to bright sun in a single step.
We have areas of dense growth and areas of lawn. Areas carefully curated, and areas sown by nature.
Skillful contrast helps us frame the view to tell our story.
“Happiness ain’t a thing in itself;
it’s only a contrast with something that ain’t pleasant.
And so, as soon as the novelty is over
and the force of the contrast dulled,
it ain’t happiness any longer,
and you have to get something fresh.”
Mark Twain
Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast
Photos by Woodland Gnome 2014
Forest Garden 