Today was an exceptional day. After ambling about Manhattan for a while, the gang headed up to Brooklyn Heights, where we grabbed a quick lunch of falafel and aloe water--the food on this trip is incredible! We continued on to the crux of our day, visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. The weather was perfect--brief clouds followed by the warmth of the sun, an excellent day for such an outing. As we made our way down the Cherry Blossom Esplanade, we were bombarded by the vibrant colors and subtle windblown fragrances of flowers, bursting into bloom.

While visions of cherry blossoms danced in our heads,

we meandered through the gardens and came across a Chinese song group. At least thirty

people were gathered together, lead by a harmonica, joined together in song. It was very

moving to see these people come together and take the time to unite with one another in such a beautiful place.

Another highlight of this trip was the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden, where we stared wide eyed at the glittering water, teaming with bold koi fish.

In the past few days, we've been positively inundated with images, criticism, and conversation about art, and it has all forced us to think about the meaning, implications and questions that art can raise:

What is photography? Which is more important: knowledge or imagination? Do images have to be common or relatable? Why don't more artists have a sense of humor? Hopefully we'll come closer to understanding what these questions mean, not only to our own artwork, but in how it holistically pertains to the dialectic of art.

What are your thoughts?--we would love some input.

I hope that volcano clears up soon.