Reviews
Review from the Calgary Herald Jan 27, 2007 MAGICAL MOMENTS - In Search of Fairies - Jane Harisson for the Calgary Herald
Calgarian Sandi Greene believes in fairies, and finds them everywhere in her world.
A visual artist and photographer, Greene has gathered her evidence on fairies' existence into the charming photo-essay book Seeing Evangeline (Bayeux Arts, $39.95).
Most of her images are found in the foliage of winter gardens , but she also sees spirits in water fountains and coffee cups. Just in case you don't share her vision, she provides line drawings of the images she perceives at the back of the book.
Is this idea a tough sell? I don't think so. Every gardener knows a world that is teeming with life. In the winter, it seems to quiet down and rest, but with the the first warm days , it begins once again to fly and crawl.
To my way of thinking, science does little to dispel the notion of magic. For every dark corner on which it sheds light, there is another one still in shadows. As we navigate through life, it seems to me we are bombarded with evidence of parallel universes. Every day we meet creatures that live beside us, but in separate worlds and with rules of their own. Think of snowshoe hares, squirrels and coyotes. They make a living even in the centre of a city, a decidedly human universe.
Some of our favourite literature --- from Tolkien to Rowling ---- is based on magical worlds. From lighting a scented candle to climbing a mountain for spiritual renewal, language and pop culture are littered with with references of magical moments.
Those who aren't into magic, and who resist the wonder of the world, can still still enjoy Greene's lovely images of gardens in repose. She invites readers to share their encounters with the fairy realm on her website (seeingevangeline.com) There she poses the question: Is seeing really believing or is it the other way around?
Review from Christmas supplement of Bloom Magazine
Mid winter is indeed a wonderland when seen through the eyes and camera of Calgary artist Sandi Greene. Her extravagant black and white and colour photographs, filled with wonderful, whimsical images of Calgary's frozen gardens offer a surprising perspective on what goes on in your garden in those months when you may not be looking.
As Sandi Greene was walking home one day in 1996, she happened upon a garden of cauliflower that had been left in the ground over winter. Seeing in it the shapes of faeries, she went home to fetch her camera and returned to the garden to photograph them. That was the beginning of a journey that would lead her in 2004 to begin production of her beautiful photography book , Seeing Evangeline , filled with magical images of the sprites and faeries that Greene has found in the most unexpected places. Each image has been named in the book by Greene, and each has a story. This delightful coffee table book is currently available through amazon.com.
