Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Opposite Leaf Motifs





































On a recent field trip with my son's first grade class I got to review some botanical terms, in particular alternate and opposite arrangement of leaves. Terms which I never should have forgotten since I used to do botanical illustration. I didn't do it for long though, it paid poorly, and I couldn't keep up with the likes of Bobby Angel. She has such a lovely hand, I often see her work in the New York Times. My hand was fairly stiff compared to hers at that point.

Anyway, I've found these examples of opposite leaf pattern around Windsor Terrace, one is in the HN laurel wreath. Please tell me, what other logos bear that wreath? I think maybe the Regina Bakery uses something like that, I'll have to investigate, for what reason, I'm not sure.... The HN laurel wreath holds the rest of the logo like a bowl or a womb or a hug. But of course, I know it is a symbol of prestige associated with winning competitions in Ancient Greece.

HN has other logos, I believe. Sometimes organizations are very free and flexible with their logo. It doesn't make good business sense, but sometimes freedom of expression trumps sense. I've been there. In the case of this neighborhood school, why not have multiples? Instant world-wide recognition isn't necessary.

The other motif appears on my neighbor's awning. Her house, which she cared for meticulously, was damaged in a fire in October. Since then I've seen her nephew, who looks to be in his sixties or seventies repairing her house. I haven't seen her though, I hope she's OK. I asked her nephew and he gave me the feeling that things could be better with her.

She is old school Windsor Terrace. I have the impression that she is related to people in every other house around here. I wish I were. When I say things like that, people say, "Oh no. No you don't." But really I do.


Here's a laurel logo suggested by anonymous. Thanks, it makes me happy. It's for flour but would work for beer too.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gold Medal Flour, see?
http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/news/gold-medal-flour.gif

Unknown said...

It's a nice find, but surely it is wheat and not laurel?

amarilla said...

You're right! Or is it golden laurel? Hard to tell. If it's wheat, it's been adapted to the laurel wreath format. It's a double award package, the gold medal and the laurel wreath, so if someone hopes to win the bake-off at the county fair, this may be the flour for that singularly delicate and flaky pastry.