Illuminate

Published on Monday, September 2, 2013 by Katherine

Day two of the September photo challenge brings us the word “Illuminate.”

If you know anybody that participates in Urban Exploring, become his or her friend. Because you just may receive an occasional gift or two collected from an old abandoned building. Just like this china doll head that sits at my desk, perched atop a decorative pitcher.

Every afternoon at just the right time, the sun comes through my window and illuminates a portion of her head, causing her eye to glow.

Cheryl P.

Your pictures are always so interesting!!! Dare I ask why the doll doesn’t have a body and is forced to sit in a pitcher?
- Katherine Murray
  
  The china doll head was from an abandoned eastern state hospital. It looked like they had patients paint the doll heads and make dolls… there were many. I am amazed my friend was able to get the head in his backpack and hike out of there without breaking it! There is no body, thus the perch on the pitcher. 🙂
Paula Larew Wooters

Okay, that’s just creepy, Katherine! Love it!
- Paula Larew Wooters
  
  As for Urban Exploring, my ex once did a series of photos in an abandoned mental institution. Talk about creepy!
  - Cheryl
    
    He was an odd duck, wasn’t he?
    - Paula Larew Wooters
      
      I really should have guessed that a little sooner, Cheryl!
      - Katherine Murray
        
        You and Cheryl just cracked me up!
      - Paula Larew Wooters
        
        Happy to oblige, Katherine!
  - Katherine Murray
    
    I have seen so many amazing and scary and creepy photos from places like abandoned hospitals and institutions… I am so drawn to them… such art! I think because the photographers are taking on big risks even getting in there, much less taking such amazing pictures of urban decay.
Cheryl

That’s just lovely. My mom used to collect, repair, and sell old and antique dolls. The painted details on the faces are exquisite.
- Katherine Murray
  
  Cheryl, I think a patient painted this, or one of the employees. We think they had the patients paint the doll heads for therapy and make the dolls. It has a German stamp on it – I don’t have it here but I think it started with a “G.”
  - Cheryl
    
    Now I’m really intrigued. It doesn’t look like the work of a schizophrenic (don’t ask). I’ll bet my mom could tell you who made it if you could send me a picture of the stamp. Hint, hint.
nonamedufus

Oh, that’s scary. I know I’ll be dreaming about this tonight.
- Katherine Murray
  
  In a good way, right? 🙂
Lauren

That is both creepy and lovely.
- Katherine Murray
  
  Then my work is done. ha ha!
mike

Great shot, but those creepy ass dolls need to be outlawed!
- Katherine Murray
  
  ha ha ha “creepy ass doll!!!”
meleahrebeccah

Girl, that photo is going to give me nightmares! Totally-super-haunting!
- Katherine Murray
  
  She came from an abandoned building too…. haunting for real!
  - meleahrebeccah
    
    Totally!!
Agent 54

First glance I didn’t like it but, then I caught some of the detail. The glowing ear and eye makes it interesting. Why is a baby doll wearing lipstick?
- Katherine Murray
  
  The history is patients from the now abandoned hospital would paint the plain doll heads and make dolls for therapy. After really looking at this, I believe she was already painted by a patient. A creepy but cool piece of history!
Nicky

It sits on your desk? You don’t get much done, do you? That is an amazing picture, Katherine.
- Katherine Murray
  
  All I do at work is stare at my doll head actually…. and write poems about MikeWJ.
  - mikewjattoomanymornings
    
    Why haven’t I seen any of these poems? I like poetry. Well, dirty limericks, anyway.
Ron

“Every afternoon at just the right time, the sun comes through my window and illuminates a portion of her head, causing her eye to glow.”

How STUNNING, Katherine! The illumination you captured in this photo, ROCKS!

*two thumbs up*

X
- Katherine Murray
  
  Ron… shhhhh… gonna tell you a secret… it was with my cell phone ha ha!
babs (beetle)

I’m not sure whether I like this or not. The doll head, I mean, not the photo. The photo is great! Not only the eye is lit, but the ear too.
- Katherine Murray
  
  It is so cool you mentioned the ear as well… because that is one of my favorite parts! 🙂
Ziva

Okay, I absolutely love the photo, it’s perfect for the theme and definitely unique! That said.. that is a sick thing to have sitting on your desk. 😀
- Katherine Murray
  
  Honestly Ziva, it is VERY weird. But surprisingly, people really don’t mention it!
  - mikewjattoomanymornings
    
    They don’t mention it because they know you and they’re FRIGHTENED.
MalisaHargrove

BEST photo ever from Katherine! It is stunning! You caught the perfect light. Amazing example of illumination!

Now, I have to know more about Urban Explorers. My friends and I search through old buildings in the country and we call it junking. Maybe we should have a better title? Many of my friends collect doll heads and make really unusual sculptures from them.
- Katherine Murray
  
  You are officially urban exploring! Finding old abandoned places and sneaking in to explore. Many use it as an opportunity for cool photography, and I think “urban explorers” never take things out. BUT… on THAT note… my friend has been in places where there are TREASURES left to rot… bits of history like this head… and my favorite gift, a braille book of Peter Pan from an abandoned children’s school for the deaf and blind. If it is there and will be torn down or left to rot and it is history, he will save it!
  - MalisaHargrove
    
    The Peter Pan book must be photographed! What a treasure. And it’s braille? Wow! Tell your friend that when he takes things out, he is part of our club, Junkers.:) Love abandoned treasure left to find.
ReformingGeek

Yee-ikes! A glowing doll. I may have nightmares. Clever photo, though. I like it.
- Katherine Murray
  
  A HEADLESS glowing doll!
Jackal

This is freaky!!
- Katherine Murray
  
  I know! One day I was typing up something and happened to glance over to see her eye glowing… and the ear too… creepy!
Nora Blithe

That might creep me out mildly. Of course, I’m used to the cat staring at me while I work but his eye has never glowed. Not yet anyway.
- Katherine Murray
  
  Nora…. not yet, indeed!
Traci Shannon

Wow! I’m afraid I would avoid that time of the afternoon. It looks like it is just about to wake up and speak to you.. Great shot!
🙂
Traci
mikewjattoomanymornings

You know, for a woman who’s on her deathbed, this is a really, really creepy photograph. Sort of like a picture of your future.

*shudders*