There are patterns wherever we go. Some are man-made, while others are in nature. Still others are a combination: humans manipulating natural phenomena to create patterns. Anne-Christine of Lens-Artists’ Photo Challenge this week has chosen the theme of patterns.

This fountain at Ravinia (outdoor summer music venue north of Chicago) was created by harnessing the properties of water and gravity to make a moving pattern of columns of water which appear and disappear in a sort of wavelike pattern – it’s mesmerizing to watch!

Sometimes a fountain doesn’t have to be spectacular to create an interesting effect. The bubbling water in this fountain at Chicago Botanic Gardens disturbs the surface of the pond just enough to create concentric circles.

Speaking of ponds, this pond is crowded with lily pads that are very similar in shape and form a sort of pattern (also at Chicago Botanic Gardens).

Nature’s creations often form beautiful patterns, such as these leaves…

cornflowers…

a yucca plant with its fan of spiky leaves…

and these cacti with their tiny flowers that look like rubies dotting their prickly surfaces.

Animals, too, have natural patterns which are often used as camouflage. Butterflies have a symmetrical pattern formed by their wings. There are two seemingly identical butterflies on this leaf.

Giraffes, cheetahs and leopards have patterns on their fur for camouflage. This leopard, though, was in plain sight as she walked by our safari vehicle in Tanzania. Soon she would disappear into the brush of the Serengeti.

Man-made patterns are everywhere humans live. Lincoln, Nebraska has some very talented street artists! An alley in downtown Lincoln had been beautified by the imagination of several different artists.



When we build buildings, patterns are created consciously or subconsciously in the architecture. Look up at Denver’s state capitol dome to see patterns such as the ribs of the dome at the very top and the circles of round stained glass panels of famous Coloradoans.
At Union Station in downtown Denver, these identical windows make patterns too, as do the light fixtures! How many patterns can you find in this photo?
Whether natural or man-made, patterns are everywhere and pleasing to the eye. Using patterns, our brains make sense of the world.