It is only one of many that contain my hodge-podge of journals. If you research journaling or keeping a sketchbook you will find examples of finished, decorative, and beautiful work. If you flip through mine, you will find some finished work, but very few that lean toward beautiful, and a lot of unfinished exploration of line, subject matter, thought and, honestly, helter-skelter scribbling. They contain odd bits of paper that also have drawings on them and lots of bulletin pages with sketches of people. I use them as resources for later work. I use them to remind myself of trips. My sketchbooks will make sense to almost no one. They don't always make sense to me. But this process of drawing, writing and scribbling is part of the way I make sense of life. (It is also a handy way to direct energy when I have trouble sitting still.)
Here are some pages from my sketchbooks. An insider's view. (Notice that I cheated and included a few more finished pages.)
But since I'm trying to be open, here are some of the pages I usually do not show people.
Here are some of the bulletin drawings. In recent years I've started to combine these bulletins into larger pieces.
Why have I decided to show photos of my messy shelves and scribbled pages? Because creativity in all its forms helps us process life. It's a way to understand our world and our responses to it. I know someone with beautifully organized and colored journal pages. I envy those, but that doesn't seem to be what I do.
What do you do to express yourself? How do you interpret and interact with the world? I know someone whose creative gift is to find, write, and mail cards to people who need encouragement. Do you dance in the living room with the music turned up? Do you find a new way to organize your paperwork? Do you write? Draw? Take a wonderful meal to someone who is struggling? Are you a creative problem solver?
Creativity is an expression of our humanness, is it our desire to understand what is, and what can be.
We are created to create.
Tell me about your creativity. I'd love to hear.
]]>Click here to see the first 4 paintings in the series.
5.
Friday Afternoon: Darkness
The sun is obliterated.
Earth and heaven barely hold together.
Where has the color gone?
Obscured.
Color is only revealed through light.
Darkness rules while colors fight to re-emerge.
The earth trembles, shudders, ominous and empty.
Is it?
A curtain is torn.
It is cold.
It is over.
It is dark.
The work is finished.
6.
Saturday: Silence
Silence.
In Pilate’s courtyard the paving stones have not been swept clean yet.
The courtyard is littered with debris like the aftermath of a party.
Drying blood waits to be scrubbed away.
Bits of cloth, thorns and vines are caught by a breeze.
The Word offers only silence this day.
In followers’ hearts - turmoil.
7.
Sunday Daybreak: In a Fog
The first gray tones of light reach the Jerusalem sky.
Mary was here before, as the Sabbath began.
Laden with spices she tries to remember her way through the garden.
Along the rock-strewn path.
Tears and swollen eyes obscure her vision.
She sees almost nothing.
She stumbles repeatedly but she doesn’t notice.
A servant. Dazed.
8.
Sunday Sunrise: Unsealed
This painting of acrylics and oils
Also contains pulverized stone.
Painstakingly crushed. Added to the painting medium. Gloriously mixed with media.
Applied to the canvas with difficulty.
Cracked. Crushed.
Once another stone was broken.
Unsealed.
Light emanated, bursting from the first tiny fissure.
Atoms shook. Bits of rock shattered.
Hardness dispersed.
Light, shining, radiating
Glory.
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The Book of Hours: Paintings 1-4
Click here to go to the second set of paintings in the series.
1.
Sunday afternoon: Descending Olivet
Gold and purple speak royalty.
Dark-grey the color of flint.
Flint: hard, dark, a catalyst.
Confetti-like scraps of golden paper
Signify celebration.
Celebration abounds as He rides
from Olivet toward the Kidron Valley and Jerusalem,
past Gethsemane.
He is determined, resolved, aware.
His face set like flint.
Darkness before Him.
His choice. This path. Love.
2.
Thursday Midnight: Anguish
A moonless night in Gethsemane.
The disciples barely visible.
Jesus is just beyond them, stretched on the ground in prayer
Great drops of blood mingle with sweat and earth.
Angels beg to assist, remembering an earlier night
when they sang “Glory”.
Surely the skies quake and rumble,
but even his friends miss the silent cacophony.
3.
Friday Morning: Broken
Scourged.
To the point of death.
The King of Glory? Unthinkable.
But darkness cannot overtake glory. Not without permission.
Silence from the One. He yields.
Pure gold, warm, and lustrous is bruised. Shattered.
Beaten. Spit on.
Despised.
Darkness thinks it is winning.
And yet.
Light shines from the broken pieces.
Glory reigns even while being broken.
4.
Friday Noon: Pierced
Those soldiers, are they so angry they ‘see red?’
The disciples see nothing. But red.
And flesh, torn.
For all the shades of skin that ever will exist, perfect flesh is ripped.
And bits of holy DNA scatter and drip.
Were they able to perceive His holiness that day?
A mere thief did.
Do I?
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Last light of the evening at a sediment pond at the edge of a new trail
The wildflowers had mostly curled in on themselves for the evening. It was too late for photos, after the bright sunshine of the day, after what would have been the golden hour if there had been one.
This same trail had, earlier in the month, displayed one of the most impressive wildflower shows you could imagine on a forest floor. Views that appeared to be straight out of Brothers Grimm.
Now the forest has curled in, curled up, quieted.
If I stop hunting for that picturesque beauty I hope for, might there be another obscure yet possibly more meaningful beauty waiting?
There are a lot of photos for you to scroll down to see. I could have posted more....
This first shot may be my favorite shot of the day. Though not focused on the strong florals, it expresses one of the hidden worlds of a lotus garden. If you take the time to scrunch yourself down and peer through the stems and leaves, there is a cooler, quiet world in that liminal zone between bright flowers and watery depths. The lush cool greens are quite a contrast with the hot and humid DC weather.
Waning Beauty
Perennial Hibiscus, or marshmallow flowers, after their full bloom, retain color and intensity for a while, and create striking displays.
Spent lace cap flower head with pond water in the background
Odonata
Here are two shots of dragonflies (order Odonata). Since they eat mosquitos they are good to have around. They are also beautiful with flashes of color and iridescent wings. The second photo shows a dragonfly with his face partially veiled by his see through wings.
People
There were many at the aquatic gardens this weekend. Colorful clothing added a fun dimension to the marsh.
Another Marshmallow flower
These are native to the area. This one showed off strong shadows in the midday sun.
More Flower Shadows
And more iridescence, this time from the lotus leaves. Wildflower shadows create a strong abstract shot.
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The night sky absent of light pollution is breathtaking, and it can feel as if you are looking at a completely different sky when so many stars are visible. I've heard of red giants, blue dwarfs, yellow stars. I even taught about them. But to be able to see color in the night sky is rare in an increasingly built up world. And it is awe inspiring.
I am leaving the description of starry nights to the wordsmiths.
Hover the to read excerpts from various poets.
~The last photo shows the Absaroka Mountains, with the light stream from a jet, and Cassiopeia almost lost in the number of stars.
A Portion of the Milky Way"Look at the stars! look, look up at the skies!" ~ Gerard Manly Hopkins
Jupiter and a Few Pale Stars"At night, as pale stars break"
Herman Hesse
"Where I am at home, only the sparsest stars arrive at twilight, and then after some effort and they are wan, dulled by much travelling. The smaller and more timid never arrive at all...but tonight they have discovered this river with no trouble" ~Sylvia Plath
Cassiopeia Hiding in the Stars"The Big Dipper is my only familiar.
I miss Orion and Cassiopeia's Chair. Maybe they are
Hanging shyly under the studded horizon"
~Sylvia Plath
A year later and it seems I am still mentally and emotionally processing the GBC trip to Papua New Guinea. It was wonderful in many ways, as well as a stretching experience. After many months of preparing an art seminar for the college students of GBBC, the 2 day workshop was a whirlwind of energy, song, color, and creativity. I did not know what a creative and thoughtful group of students I was going to meet at the college. They were a treasure to work with, and as so often happens, I was privileged to learn from them even while teaching. These photos were processed, and videos were put together, within days of completing grueling travel, so while they are not perfect, they will give you an idea of the team's activities and work on this trip.
Our visit was short, but I loved the opportunity to get to know the students and faculty at the Goroka Baptist Bible College.
This first video is a trailer I created to let people know about the team presentation of the trip. That presentation was a year ago but you can still enjoy the trailer.
Over 100 hours of travel there and back, and 10 days of work: this was an intense trip. I hope through the video you will see the beauty of the land and people, a team dedicated to the work at hand, and a college devoted to the people they serve. (And, yes, the video is long.)
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I went to Texas
with wildflowers in mind, but as much as I enjoy color I also love a dramatic Black and White composition.
The Texas trees create stark, textural images, especially the ones with few or no leaves. There is much to explore photographically. If we get back to Texas I will include time for a more well developed b/w series.
Epiphytes growing in a live oak treeThese are ball moss, a variety of tillandsia.
A Brooding Landscape There was cloud cover almost continually.
It should also mean warmer weather than the mid-Atlantic region. While we didn't get snow, as Maryland did, we did have weather in the 30's. We also had rain, drizzle, and lots of cloud cover. Never-the-less, the wildflowers were gorgeous. The people were friendly. The barbeque yummy.
Texas wildflowers have been on my "Things to See" list for many years, ever since a friend told me about a trip through Texas where the fields were so covered by bluebonnets that the landscape looked like an ocean. The blooms have not been quite that abundant in 2018, but it is still a very good year for flowers.
You may wonder how I convinced my husband to spend hours driving the countryside on a quest for wildflowers. Well, you rent an iconic American car. (See the last photo of this post.) Here are a few shots of bluebonnets from our trip. My computer has been behaving badly, but I have been able to get a few shots processed and uploaded.
Enjoy! And add Texas wildflowers to your travel list.
We rented a mustang convertible. One day, at least, was warm enough to ride in comfort with the top down.
Our suburban neighborhood harbors many types of wildlife, including foxes. Usually the foxes are a bit of a nuisance. We have to protect pets from them, and sometimes fox cries will wake us at night.
Today, though, we had a chance to watch a pair of foxes playing in the snow.
Enjoy!
I believe he is able to hear my shutter click even inside the house.
Almost lost in a haze of snow.
Stalking our rabbit!
Photography can be hard work. (Yes, it really is much more than clicking a shutter.) But what a great experience to take these photos marking her transition from high school to college. And what a joy to spend time with her, and even to edit the photos.
Just a few years ago I took photos of her older sister during her senior year. It is quite an opportunity to watch as a family grows up, and moves to new possibilities.
Heartwarming, even.
Blessings to you sweet Hayley.
With appreciation from your photographer
Some of the following photos are just of the night sky over the snowscape, with the moon rising. The green haze is part of the aurora.
We saw the lights the next night also. More photos to come!!
Northern Lights over the mountains near Lava Falls
Norhtern Lights east of Husafell, in the direction of Langjökull Glacier.
Moon Rise
I used a source photo taken during a beautiful sail. The sun was bright on the water around us, but off in the distance a storm approached. I used very thin layers of acrylic paint, sometimes with a brush, but often using a cloth rag to soften the water. Paint on, rubbed off, over and over until the water began to show those lighted layers than can sometimes be seen while sailing the Chesapeake Bay.
Patapsco Storm
This is a black Friday deal! Original price was $425, but for Black Friday the price is $310!!!
Comment and be sure to include your email if you would like more information.
Here are some close-ups.
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Snow. Mist. Rocks. Cloud cover.
These combined to make some of the most stunning landscapes I have every seen. The Icelandic landscape in November varied from bold warm colors, to soft almost imperceptible shades of white, to bold graphic abstractions. I will save some of the brightly colored landscape photos for later.
Here are a few photos of the monochromatic landscapes that completely entranced me during our recent trip. Dramatic abstractions with texture and impasto-like strokes, or atmospheric and fog covered, the views seemed conceived and 'painted' as if for a gallery show. I have chosen a few photos but every turn in the road revealed a new impressive abstract composition.
The Icelandic landscape is spellbinding.
Gullfoss (Golden) WaterfallThese falls were not golden when we saw them. They were barely visible through the fog.
Ribbon of highway cuts through a snowy landscape
Þingvellir National Park
Þingvellir National ParkDriving through the park toward the end of the snowfall.
Þingvellir National ParkThe setting sun almost breaks out from a snow laden cloud.
Þingvellir National Park
Þingvellir National Park
Þingvellir National Park
Near Husafell
View from our trip off the glacier
Between Husafell and the Glacier
View as we were descending the Langjökull Glacier
But, oh, so much fun!
I had the privilege of sharing a trip to Iceland with my husband and with friends, and while there we squeezed an anniversary shoot in. What an opportunity to share this trip and photo-taking with such a fun couple. They put up with having to smile and pose in very cold weather. (My skin has just now stopped feeling 'burned' from standing out daytime, and nighttime in the cold.) They were cheerful, sometimes silly, and they were the best sports ever!
Enjoy a few images of this very adventurous couple, dressed for the cold, and celebrating their anniversary!
Standing in Front of GeyserThis is THE Geyser, from which others got their name.
On Top of Langjökull GlacierOne of the resident ravens is in the background.
The Aurora Borealis Nice of her to show up for our photos!
Bright sunlight on a late summer day brought dancing colored light into the National Cathedral. Here are some of photos that are less about the architecture of the cathedral and more about the beauty of pure color. I have pushed some of them farther than typical, but these low key images reveal the color in a way that surprised me once i got the photos home and into my computer.
The striking color of the photos reminds me of different artists. Which artists, or styles of art, do they remind you of? Go to the comments and let me know if they remind you of specific painters. Or are these low key images visually too bold for you? I would love to know what you think.
Scroll down to see all the photos. If you hover over an image you will see (probably unnecessary) captions.
Color in a Side AisleA purposefully low key image deepens the colored light in one of the smaller aisles just off the naive.
Light to Dance InMultiple stained glass windows throw light over the tiled floors.
Mostly Reds and Yellows.
Stained Glass WindowThe sunlight casts a fine line on the windowsill that looks like refraction through a prism.
BlueThis light is from a mostly blue window is the same that throws blue onto the George Washington sculpture in the very last photo on this page.
WindowsillColored light turns his windowsill into an abstract canvas.
Color!
Vertical Columns of Color
George Washington in Blue An eerie view of one of the cathedral sculptures. This is probably darker than I should have pushed the image, but I like the way George seems to hover overlooking the dark hallway.
If you hover over each photo, you will find a brief description.
Patiently Agreeing to be PhotographedHe was quietly observing while our team had a tour of the college campus.
Sitting in the Middle of the HarvestThis little one sits on the food prep area with the kau kau. Kau kau is the main staple in the country.
Afternoon RugbyAll smiles as they tackle and tumble
A Boy and a DucklingThis tiny duckling had found his way to the wrong side of his enclosure. After a chase he was caught.
All Smiles!
Hot PeppersThis little one was proudly showing off the hot pepper plant.
A First BirthdayOur team member, Glen, (standing in the back) found out it was this toddler's first birthday. The little one was not sure what to make of the frosted cupcake that Glen managed to buy for a celebration.
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And then those tired low beams of sunlight shone through the dry field stubble. Suddenly, worn fields took on the most stunning shade of pure pink. Not red, not rose, but pure straight-from-a-crayola-box pink. I threw a phone at my fellow traveler and pleaded for him to take photos. A quizzical expression gave way to helpfulness. So I had photos. They weren't great: low light and traveling at 60 mph doesn't make great photography conditions. But, there was a record of pink fields.
Imagine how I felt when I found out later that the photos had not been saved. Well, try to imagine, since you may, in fact, not actually care whether a record of pink fields exists. I tried to paint those fields later, from memory. Perhaps I accomplished my goal since that painting sold to someone who loved the colors. Would you be surprised to hear that I grudgingly sold that painting?
So move ahead with me to May 2017. I travel to a new place, that I know little of. It is full of mountains and beautiful people, and gorgeous flowers, and to my complete surprise - pink fields. Mountains scattered with patches of long May grasses that wear pink only for the month of May: airy, ephemeral, dew drop collecting fronds of pink.
This was a busy working trip to Papua New Guinea and photography took a back seat to other endeavors, but I did get some photos of the mountains in their pink spring wardrobe. I know pink is neither tremendously fashionable nor 'cool'.
Nevertheless I like pink. Enjoy, with me, these images of a place that has been lavishly, even lovingly, decorated for the month of May.
Scroll down for photos.
Walk-aboutJust off in the distance some pink patches appear on the sides of the mountain.
Foggy Mountain ViewThe hill in the foreground reveals pink. Even in the distance and through the fog areas of pink peek out.
Dewy May GrassAfter the rain, sunlight glistens off droplets.
Later Afternoon SunlightAs the sun sets it highlights patches of pink on distant hillsides.
House and fieldsMay grasses frame a home site in PNG.
I hope to post color ones later, since that was the purpose of the visit, but enjoy a few monochromatic images of the flowers and architecture of the United States National Arboretum.
Striped Azalea Blossoms
Intricately Patterned Leaves on the Forest Floor
Jack in the PulpitThis is a larger variety than we usually see growing in the Mid-Atlantic.
The Frilled Edges of Azalea Blossoms
An Unusual Variety of Dogwood
TesselatedReflections in the Koi Pond
Plane GeometryEscher-like reflections that hint of the elaborate decorations of The Alhambra. (Just a little)
Ferns, Sedum and RootsDon't forget to look down while you are wandering in the gardens.
What if you have been to a place so many times that you feel there is absolutely no new way to photograph it? What if the newness felt like it left decades ago? Photography is about seeing anew. It’s about getting a fresh view of life. It’s generally easy to be set down into a new place with new people and see things in a new way. It’s much harder to maintain a fresh artistic vision when the scenes have played out so many times that you no longer even care to look.
What do you do?
What did I do this past weekend when I was sure I had already taken every shot a hundred times? When I hoped that the eagles would come closer, but they didn’t?
I lugged my heavy camera around. I took the photos - again. And again. Though the light was slightly different, and I knew the water was still, I thought the entire time, “Here I go again. Same. Same.”
Then I noticed some interesting mirror images. OK. So I took a few more. What I ended up with were some very unusual photos. Some even look profoundly altered, as if I might have used an infrared filter. You might find them intriguing. You might find them too unusual to be worth considering.
You may even find some of them far too similar to so many other ‘trees by a river’ photos.
What you think of the photos, or what I think of the photos, is probably of less importance than the fact that lugging a heavy camera around and taking another set of the ‘Same Old Photos of the Same Old River’ may be an excellent learning experience or may possibly produce images you never expected.
Explore the possibilities that the ordinary provides. Sometimes it will stay humdrum.
But maybe you will find something new.
Here are my photos of an old place.
Also, read the following quotes. They present opposing views, yet may each be true.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt
“”Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.” ~Ansel Adams
Trees Across the CreekThe eagles kept their distance. This one is lost in the the branches as he flies to his perch. The view across the creek is just winter trees, but the little bit of green glistens a bit against the bare branches.
Still WaterThere was barely a ripple near the bank.
Darkening CloudsAs the clouds moved over, the winter trees took on the darker look we usually think of. A moodier, but still mirrored, image.
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A fall day, cloudy and grey with a couple of quick intervals of sun peeking through, makes a perfect time for a stroll.
Borrow a puppy that needs a walk. Grab a few layers to wear. Bring some friends.
Then enjoy looking out over the Bay with the bridge off on the horizon.
If someone in the group makes mini turkey, cranberry, and spinach sandwiches to take along you've got an exceptional way to spend the day.
Here are a few photos.
Cloudy with a pop of orange.
]]>Beauty is fleeting.
The grass withers, the flower fades.
Here are a few photos: some are of flowers, a couple are broader landscapes.
The desert holds harsh and stunning beauty.
We were enjoying a sunset sail and had forgotten the strawberry moon until it peeked out over the tree tops. This was a challenge to photograph. Dusk. On a moving sailboat. And with a husband who thought I should be helping sail. (Which I did between shots and with my camera pushed onto my back.) It was perfectly beautiful. Last week we saw the loveliest sunset ever, and this week I believe we saw the loveliest moon ever.
Here are some photos of the evening.
By 10:30 the moon was back to normal.
The Ilsa Marin
Maryland is full of sailors. Our state mingles with the Atlantic on our eastern border and is split almost in two by the rich estuary called the Chesapeake Bay. Fingering off The Bay are practically countless rivers, large and small. Even if you don’t sail it’s hard to ignore the masts and sails and seafood restaurants and sailing lore that litter the area. Though many of us love the winter and snow (I do) we anticipate warm spring days when we can get back to the water. We walk the edge. We watch from the bridges. We eye the thermometer. We crave the sun.
And while we wait, marinas sit, lonely, full of boats ‘on the hard’.
I am new to sailing. Truly a novice. I learn the terms and rules reluctantly. Don’t get me wrong, I love the water, sun and wind, too, yet learning it all is slow for me. But this winter the sailing term ‘on the hard’ is taking on new meaning.
Yesterday we visited the marina to check on our sailboat, the little Ilsa Marin. This winter she stays in the water, and we check her now and then, but many of the boats are out of the water for the winter. They sit on the pavement propped up on jacks. Stable. But out of the water.
To drive through a marina on a sunless winter day feels sad. Expensive sailboats and motor boats sit useless. They wait to be scraped and painted. They wait to have repairs done. They wait. On the Hard. If I may continue to anthropomorphize them, they are dejected. Lonely. And they wait. Boats are not meant to sit out of the water.
This has been a difficult winter for my family and many of our friends. We have experienced loss. We have experienced grief. We have experienced difficulties. The troubles wash over one after another until the world, and life, feel hard and prickly. We struggle to find a place of comfort. We have watched loved ones and dear friends grieve, and hurt, and recovery appears impossible. For many health is illusive and finances are difficult. Life is hard. We miss joy. We thirst for water.
We wait and as we wait we feel we are being handled roughly. We are tattered. Sails need stitching. Hulls require scraping, painting. It is long tedious work. Are these repairs that must be made? Is it necessary upkeep to maintain seaworthiness? I don’t know. I know that On the Hard is not the preferred place for boats or people.
It is hard to remember untroubled days. We echo the Psalmists words, “My spirit is overwhelmed within me: My heart within me is distressed.” (Psalm 143:4)
We long for past joys. (Psalm 143:5)
We thirst for peace. (Psalm 143:6)
We wait. (Psalm 27:14)
While we wait, we trust that this time on the hard is temporary, and that we will find it has been worthwhile. (2 Corinthians 4: 17) We hope the result is to be more seaworthy. Not more worthy, but more able.
We trust a great God who is our Help. He is our Shield. He loves us. (Psalm 77:13, Psalm 59:10)
And we will continue to hope. (Psalm 33:20)
To my friends and family who are experiencing life On the Hard: We are too, and we seek and hope with you. We are praying.
Scroll down for photos.
If you would like to see all of the photos from this day click here.
Music can express truths about God that words alone cannot express. ~ Matt Sikes
A homily on spirituality and music could only bring to my mind, and hand, other modalities that also work to speak for us when words fail. Art, as well, can express things that words cannot.
I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for. ~ Georgia O'Keefe
I am not very good at sitting still so as I take in information my hands are usually busy listening. Yes, my ears take in the sounds waves. I have taught enough science classes to understand the mechanics, but for me, listening is easier with a pencil in hand. Sometimes I take real notes. Sometimes I only draw. Sometimes it's a combination. For many years I took proper notes. Then I started taking notes the way it worked for me, but I cautiously hid what I was doing. (By the way keeping your notebook hidden from all the people around you is a very good exercise in Blind Contour drawing.)
Then I entered my fifties.
(But that's a subject for a different blog.)
So, because I so enjoyed the thoughtfulness and stretching of Sunday's sermon, I am posting a glimpse of my notes from that sermon. You do not have to agree with how I interpret what I hear. You don' t have to like these pages, but maybe you can take the time to consider that awesome benefits can come from expressing yourself through words, music, and pictures, and that those modalities can be used to bring us closer together in a fractured society.
Here is a quote to contemplate, but not just art: art, music, ... and prayer.
Art is our one true global language. It knows no nation, it favors no race, and it acknowledges no class. It speaks to our need to reveal, heal, and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible. - Richard Kamler, artist
Click here to see MCP Actions on Instagram.
The topic for today, July 2, 2015 was "Red." An incredible sky certainly helped on this shot.
Many thanks to those who choose the feature shots.
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The lightening and thunder moved off to the southeast and took most of the rain with them. After checking weather radar we headed out for a walk just in time to see the back end of the front sliding by. Emergency weather reports would have had us stay inside for a while longer, I am sure. But then we would have missed a sky that made me dream of being part of a Marc Chagall painting. (Click to see his "Song of Songs.")
The storm left a spectacular, cloudy sunset that was reflected in sidewalk and gutter rain puddles. And that brings me back to my previous post. These are photos taken in a very ordinary neighborhood.
There are spectacular places to visit, and any time you have the opportunity to travel, take it. But there is also spectacular in the most ordinary places.
Here are (just a few) of my images after the storm.
It seems the woman I've turned out to be
Is not the heroine of some grand story.
But I have learned to find the poetry
In what my hands can touch, my eyes can see.
The pleasures of an ordinary life.
~Judith Voirst
These are a few shots taken at the home of a friend during a recent visit. The visit was not intended as a photo shoot. I just couldn't help myself. Since taking the photos I have been debating how to use them. Should I just add them to the thousands of stored images I have? Perhaps, I should have, but I am blogging them. This is in response to a post I saw today on Facebook. Yes, Facebook. I really do know better than to react at all to anything there. Yet, here I am with a blog post about something on Facebook.
The discussion was about "the best way to employ our lives." And whether or not our choices are mutually exclusive. I will not discuss my thoughts on this. I will tell you that I spent time in the company of a few women who made some 'ordinary' choices in their lives. They also made some drastic, exciting choices. They are intelligent, funny, talented, and loving. At this point they have each chosen lives that appear rather ordinary. They are not producing great art. They are not producing new written work. They are working, loving those around them, and heading out on mission trips. They pray often, cry, give to others. They also love life and laughter.
In making choices to support their children and extended family they have chosen not to do an infinite number of other things. Yes, sometimes choices are mutually exclusive. For now, they have put other things aside. I would put the choices they are living now up against any choice to "pursue their craft to the fullest extent."
Their lives are art.
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Ice storms are disruptive. They are also beautiful.
One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller
Travel to Panama as part of a work team gave us time in the rainforest, and a couple of quick visits to the City. The rainforest is a treasure, full of pattern, texture, color and interesting sounds. Later, I will post some images from there. But the most intriguing sites to me came from a cursory drive through Casco Viejo. Casco Viejo contains beautiful tourist areas, the residence of the president of Panama, expensive restaurants, and some extremely poor areas.
Here are a few photos.
And more images. These are only blocks away.
And Dilapidated Buildings that seem waiting for renewal.
And this one, decorated for the holidays, clean, painted, new with tourists nearby sipping lattes. It could almost make a person forget the poverty just around the corner.
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It's March 25th, 5 days past the vernal equinox, and it's snowing. I know we are ready for spring, but here in Maryland we have snow. Snow as late as April in the mid-atlantic states is not all that unusual.
I am just as ready for warmth and flowers as the next person, but we do not have warmth, we have snow. Take a minute the next time you have a chance, and look at the sky full of crystals of water, and think about the wonder of water and the seasons and the amazing paintings God puts around us. (Think Twatchmann, or Monet.)
Spring is coming.
While we wait let's concentrate on the miracles that surround us.
Portions of it have been rolling around in my own head for years. But, there are pieces that are a revelation to me. It has taken me decades to bring 'art' to a point in my life where it can be synonymous with prayer/meditation. Not always, but sometimes. and then I desire to incorporate gold and silver and even more. If my prayers (read: scrawled nonsensical journalings and sketchings) are a sweet smelling sacrifice (and I pray they are), this desire for pure beauty to be part of them seems right.
Here is one of those revelations that came through this letter, though. I have found my art supplies, since college days, from the drug store, the back sale corners of craft stores, things people are throwing away. And this is OK. I have lived "reduce, reuse, recycle" since way before it was trendy. Old stuff and 'trash' paper, will continue to make it into what I do. But...here is the clincher. This is my offering to God. My journals have been taking me there. And, if so, can I invest in metaphorical expensive oil, like Mary? I have set art aside for most of my life to invest time in family, church, etc. I have spent little money on it, again, to invest other ways.
In this I may have been more like Martha than her sister Mary, one of the other Mary's the Bible speaks of.
This is an Iphone capture from one of my journals.
Here is a small excerpt from Makoto's letter.
"Like Mary’s expensive oil, our expression flows out as a response to grace in our lives. Even if you are not cognizant of a grace reality, you can still create in the possibility of future grace. That takes faith to do, but if you can do that, you will be joining so many artists of the past who wrestled deeply with faith, doubt, poverty, rejection, longing and yet chose to create. Know that the author of creativity longs for you to barge in, break open the gift you have been saving; he will not only receive you, he can bring you purpose behind the battle, and rebuke those who reject you. Mary’s oil was the only thing Jesus wore to the cross. He was stripped of everything else, but art can sometimes endure even torture. A friend of mine said that in the aroma of Christ, Mary’s oil mixed with Christ’s blood and sweat, there are da Vincis and Bachs floating about. He will bring your art, music and dance to the darkness of death, and into the resurrection of the third day.
So endeavor to create generatively. Don’t be a critic when you create. You can look at your work later and discern what is good. Your growth as an artist is not in being able to impress others, or even God."
If I had come across this discussion years ago would it have changed what I did with my time and money? I don't know.
Will it change me now?
And about Makoto Fujimura's art? He uses gold and ground semi-precious stones in his painting.
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had me thinking that a series where I show a modern version of an old masterpiece would be a fun challenge.
You can click here to see Vermeer's version of "The Geographer" painted in the 1600's.
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If you have the opportunity to spend a day or a few hours on the Chesapeake Bay even under a cloud filled sky, you should take it. It is a natural treasure.
Navigating Alone
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I took another one day trip to NYC, this time with a group of photographers. Leaving for the bus at 4:45 a.m. and returning home at 2 a.m. the next morning is really not easy. Once there, we covered a lot of ground. What that means is that we walked and photographed, and walked and photographed. This might not be the best way to see the city, but it moves the art of seeing and photographing to a different place. Since I had gotten very little sleep the previous night I ended up following our group a bit aimlessly, clicking the shutter absentmindedly. While I can't recommend that as the best way to shoot, it did have some benefits. I was not preoccupied with getting that 'perfect shot'. Any of the artistic filters my thoughts usually go through were not there. Did I come home with any great images? I'm not sure. I did get a series of shots of street artists from plein air to spray paint 'performers'. And, yes, I liked seeing what I came home with. It was a little like free writing, or brainstorming, for an author. But do I want to walk around a city for hours operating on 1 hour of sleep again? Well, not really.
I will post more photos soon.
]]>Here are a few photos where I focused on the color green. They are altered with texture overlays. If you are interested in textures here are a couple websites where you can look.
http://jessicadrossintextures.blogspot.com/
http://www.frenchkisscollections.com/
I used textures from each of these sites on these photos.
Green cobblestones on the streets of Fell's Point
Maybe I am seeing things. I have not heard anyone else mention that some of the stones paving the old streets are green. You do have to keep your eyes open. They are not all green. And it helps to have someone with you to pull you from harm's way when you are watching the stones rather than the traffic. But, see, green.
]]>In the Scholar's room. View from the room.
Before dinner we took a walk around Little Italy and over to the Inner Harbor, with a quick stop at Starbucks on S. President's St. I included the link, because if you have a chance you should buy a cup of coffee from them. Typical for us, we had a low blood sugar issue and they were especially kind and helpful. Here's the view from the Starbucks.
A couple more shots back at the room.
Then we changed and went back out for an easy walk to Aldo's and a late (and wonderful) dinner. No, there are no photos of the restaurant. We ate, and talked, and relaxed, and enjoyed an excellent meal. And I left my camera back at the inn!
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We were given a great gift this past Christmas: a night's stay at an Inn in Baltimore. Here's one of the first shots of the trip, the setting sun shining through the National Aquarium. Yea, maybe not what you typically think of as a view of the city, but I like those curving electric lines. Baltimore might be considered by many to be Washington, DC's blue collar neighbor, but it's fun and photogenic! And it's a great place to spend some time.
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Here is my favorite that I took with the neutral density filters I borrowed from my friend. This is my second shot - 100 ISO, 90 sec exposure, f/22 - but I think it was the most successful.
Here is the first trial with the filters, processed in B/W - 100 ISO, 60 sec exposure, f/22 - but I had to lighten the darks quite a bit and the water does not have as soft a look as I had hoped.
Wild rice grows at the edge of the Patuxent River.
Even the ride back while the sun was setting offered plenty of beautiful winter color.
As the light faded the sky turned amazing shades of blue and lavender. I snapped this shot while riding in the car. It was enhanced some to bring out color and deepen contrast, but I really enjoy this type of 'on the road' shot.
What's your favorite time to take a mountain hike? I think November may top the list for me. The temperature is good for a rigorous hike. There are a few tenacious leaves left around. The crowds have to be smaller than the fall peak. And the trees that have lost their leaves provide a much better view than a fully clothed forest.
Here are some shots of our hike. If you want to see more click here for the gallery.
We hiked with a 22 year old who was on a quest. If you haven't been hiking in a while, and you hike with a 22 year old who is jogging UP the trail ahead of you, it might make you start thinking about getting back to the gym!
I forgot to mention that there was a little scattered rain, just enough to make it interesting. We did watch rain showers move across the mountains in the distance. It was beautiful.
The reason for our road trip!
Here are our newlyweds! We were so busy visiting with them and enjoying the places they wanted to show us, that we almost forgot to get pictures. Before heading back home, we stopped by Mounds State Park on the outskirts of Anderson, Indiana for an early morning walk and had time to snap a couple shots.
And early on a cold morning, even, they were charming!
We had great weather for our long drive out and back. Here is your chance to experience a tiny bit of the 24 hours we spent in the car!
Car trouble extended the return trip.
Happiness in hindsight.
Even roadside stops have their beauty.
We bought red beans and rice from a couple who set up 'shop' near I70.
I think this is a Maryland scene.
Maryland? Pennsylvania? Ohio? I know it's sunset.
West Virginia
Ohio!
Also, Ohio.
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Who doesn't love a 
3 day turn-around trip from Maryland to Indiana? How about pulling a U-Haul? It was a whirlwind trip that included one day of an 11.5 hour drive, one day of visiting, and then a return trip of 12 hours. Why was the drive so long? We bounced along with the U-Haul, sat in construction and rush hour traffic and then drove home with no power steering, stopping often to fill the power steering pump reservoir.
But the weather was beautiful, the newlyweds we visited were delightful, and lunch in Broadripple (Indianapolis) at Brugge's was perfect.
http://www.bruggebrasserie.com/
Mussels in bacon and cheddar, and fries with multiple dipping sauces at Brugge's Brasserie
A number of the shots were from my (rather dated) cell phone, but there are more photos to come, or you can look at some of the images in my gallery, Road Tripping. Below is an abstract that I shot while travelling 70 mph.
And here is the color version, though I prefer the black and white.
So, hours and hours in the car is not necessarily a bad thing. Especially if it gives time to formulate the idea for a new series. How about Literary Allusions? More to come...
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What a fun way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon! I had the opportunity to take a few shots for one of the counselors from Bowie Youth and Family Services. We had lovely fall sunshine and the first comfortably warm day in the week. We found a shady spot under the established trees on the lawn of Kenhill Center and got to work. After only a bit, it felt much less like work, and much more like a chance to enjoy the afternoon with a very professional therapist who is willing to show her playful and fun side! The breezes that tossed leaves and hair around gave her a chance to enjoy that fun side.
Photographing a therapist also brought up the question: Does a photographer have to put on a therapist's hat during a shoot? Sometimes it feels like it. Has anyone else ever experienced that feeling?
It is an amazing thing to see. If you ever have the opportunity to see them, take it, though that may depend on whether or not the funds necessary to run the Tribute will continue to be available.
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]]>This is the beginning of a project that I hope will give direction to the collections of people and faces that keep showing up in my sketchbooks and on the digital sensor of my cameras. Possibly recognizable as specific individuals, but probably not, these are studies, not portraits. I expect that my drawing style will vary; drawing tools will vary. Left hand, right hand, pencil, paint or pixel: here goes.
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