Boulevard St-Michel in the Latin Quarter, Paris, France
Boulevard St Michel
The Latin Quarter has become synonymous with the Sorbonne
University in Paris, France. It is an extremely old part of Paris. It became
its scholarly center in the 13th century when the University was moved
from the lle-de-la-Cite to the Left Bank. The Boulevard St-Michel is a wide
avenue built during the Second Empire, and is affectionately known by the
Parisians as the “Boul’ Mich”. It ascends from the river Seine towards the hill
of Ste Genevieve. The boulevard is populated with second hand bookshops, cafes,
distinct and exotic restaurants and avant-garde cinemas. The Boulevard St-Michel is the heart of the Latin Quarter.
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 16
30-Day Song Challenge: Day 16 asks the question what is “a song that is in keeping with all things French”?
Keeping it simple, Keeping it real, Keeping it retro….French pop from the 1960’s with Francoise Hardy and France Gall.
http://youtu.be/0aLoezucIzk – Francoise Hardy – Tous les garcons et les filles (1962)
http://youtu.be/s5aeeSmkPwQ – France Gall – Poupee De Cire, Poupee De Son (1965)
Oh yes, this is just… to damn cool….
Weekly Movie-Making Moments in Film: Camille Claudel
A woman’s strength and determination is powerful….
A woman’s love is without equal…..
A woman’s suffering for that love is immeasurable….
Perhaps one of my favorite French films that depicts artistic creativity, strength, determination, love and obsession is none other than the film Camille Claudel finely directed by Bruno Nuyten and starring Isabelle Adjani as Camille—the young but gifted sculptress. In the film Camille possesses an artistic and romantic passion that consumes her. Her love for the sculptor, Auguste Rodin, and her life, ends in pain and lost.
Here is a clip from the film. What do you think? If you have seen the film, what is your opinion of Isabelle Adjani’s performance?
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up
Looking up at the Eiffel Tower. What an amazing view, when standing beneath this incredible, beautiful, architectural structure. A work of art indeed.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
The Silence in Consciousness 02: a short reprise
Consciousness 10
Towards the Within, Consciousness has No Center
“Consciousness is everywhere, without a center. What appears to be a center is only a reflection in the mind”. … Swami Parmanandji Maharaj
Pure Consciousness, like sunlight is everywhere; however,
unlike sunlight it has no center.
As individuals, the I that we come to indentify ourselves
with comes into existence when Consciousness, manifesting itself as the
continuum of space, time and causations, mistakes
itself for its own reflection in the mind, identifies,
believes in, itself with its own reflection and limits itself to its own reflection.
Pure Consciousness has no center, it only just is.
Consciousness 11
The Silence in Consciousness
Towards the Consciousness within….
Consciousness
Consciousness 02
“We accept that we are, but we are not ready to accept that we are without anything—without
words, mind or body”. … Swami Parmanandji Maharaj
Consciousness 03
Consciousness 04
When attempting to understanding the concept or belief of our existence, we know the states of being awake, dreaming and deep sleep, but we may not be aware that our true Existence is independent of them. This is to say that our concept of existence and our actual Existence are two distinct things. At the base of all three states i.e. awake, dreaming and deep sleep is
the core foundation that alone makes their sense of being “real” possible. That foundation or substratum in which they originate from is Consciousness. At first glance, this may be difficult to understand, but we can transcend the three
states and realize the limited self as pure Consciousness.
Consciousness 05
Consciousness 06
Being without (the three states) means nothing but “I” exists. In truth, Consciousness Exist independently but we are not aware.
There is an interesting dichotomy that is at work here—how to understand that the three states are because of Me, but “I” am not because of the three states. At the core of this realization is the knowledge that my own Existence is free and not dependent on anything. The three states, our very existence, are transitory, only Consciousness is permanent.
Consciousness 07
Consciousness 08
By the very construct (the power to direct consciousness) in which our life is governed—being awake producing action, going from thought to thought, dreaming, and falling into sleep, we live life—we have the sensation of being “alive”. By this very same construct or shall we say capacity, we can return to pure Consciousness.
Consciousness 09
“If you remain continuously conscious, after some time the world will disappear and only pure Consciousness will remain”. … Swami Parmanandji Maharaj
What do you think? Do you question the knowledge of your existence (where does it come from), your purpose in life, what lies beyond what you see and feel? Does the awareness of your Consciousness play a role in knowing who you are and how you live your life? Please share.
Weekly Movie-Making Moments in Film: Chelsea Walls
I thought I would start showing clips from some of my favorite films. Over the years, I have spent a considerable amount of time in theaters, and long nights viewing video tapes, and DVDs. And we cannot forget the ever consuming Netflicks via our computers. It is time to go deep, yes—very deep—and find those rare moments in classic film-making. These beautiful, intrepid, and visceral moments can be found delving into the issues of obsessive love, angst, betrayal, and tragedy (thinking of French, German and Asian films in particular). And what comes to mind when thinking of tragic French films? Well we can find the French catapulting our emotions in such films as: Un Couer En Hiver (A Heart in Winter) directed by Claudet Sautet, Damage with French actress Juliette Binoche and film direction by Louis Malle. And last but not least—my favorite French excursion into obsession is none other than the film Camille Claudel finely directed by Bruno Nuyten and starring Isabelle Adjani as Camille—the young but gifted sculptress full of artistic and romantic passion. Her love for the sculptor, Auguste Rodin—as you can imagine—will only end in pain and lost.
I hope over time to share from around the world some masterful works in cinema. However, to kick off this Weekly Movie-Making Moments in Film, I present what I think defines a good film moment i.e. strong characterization, heart-felt expression by the performer, and feeling as if you can truly relate to the scene or film in general. For this first challenge, I am selecting the “poem” scene in the film Chelsea Walls as recited by Rosario Dawson.
Tell me what you think of this moment in the film, and what you think of this concept in general. Do you have a favorite moment or film that has influence you in some way? Please share.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Flowers 04
My final installment for the weekly photo challenge: flowers, is not a flower at all. I usually take a photograph first of the subject I wish to render digitally. However, this image of a “flower” is purely computer designed. With a little help from the kaleidoscope effect, I was able to create this artificial flower.
Flowers an artificial view
Weekly Photo Challenge: Flowers 03
I found that exploring both the elements of design and abstraction simultaneously was quite challenging. I will in the future, continue this series in which natural design and computer design merge.
Flowers in purple bloom
Weekly Photo Challenge: Flowers 02
The images selected for the weekly photo challenge: flowers are a part of my Post Canvas and Paint series of 2010. I aspire to incorporate both natural imagery and symmetrical design in the series.
Flowers flowing freely
Weekly Photo Challenge: Flowers
Flowers sometimes reveal the most beautiful forms of abstract design. I am always searching for that intricate form of movement and color variation.
Flowers flowing within
Life on the Edge of Everything
Sometimes after the waking, life on the edge of everything is a beautiful place….
The tree and the path in quiet meditation
During a transitional period in the early turn of this century, I found
myself leaving behind the shackles of a difficult life and moving down the path
to a better tomorrow. I was rediscovering the pleasures of being one with
nature; my perception of it, its physical beauty and why there was a need for
it in my life. I also continued the process of self renewal through sobriety,
art, meditation and the teachings of Buddhism. It seems that I discovered how
to quiet the idea of living life on the
edge of nothingness i.e. being caught up in distraction, attachment,
endless thought and ego.
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we
used when we created them”. …Albert Einstein
Part of this process was realized when I was awarded an artist
residency with the South Carolina State Parks. It was a week-long residency at
Barnwell State Park in which I was commissioned to document the park visually in
exchange of having the pleasure of residing in one of the cabins on the
grounds. It is a small wildlife park with a beautiful lake and an alligator
(which I unfortunately never did get the chance to see). The nights were quiet and peaceful, and very
beautiful—as I was surrounded with darkness, tranquility, and solitude.
“Those things that nature denied to human sight, she revealed to
the eyes of the soul”. …Ovid (43 BC-AD 17)
On one of my early morning walks, I found a lovely path that
meandered along-side a slow moving creek. There was a tree that had fallen,
slightly blocking the path, and I was fascinated with its natural abstract design.
I sat there quietly for a while thinking about my life, my art, my purpose and the beauty of the moment.
…”Nature. Whose sweet rains fall on just and unjust alike, will
have clefts in the rocks where I may hide, and secret valleys in whose silence
I may weep undetected. She will hang the night with stars so that I may walk
abroad in darkness without stumbling, and send the wind over my footprints so
that none may track me to my hurt: she will cleanse me in great waters, and
with bitter herbs make me whole”. …Oscar Wilde
Life on the edge of everything is a beautiful and safe place indeed…
Life on the Edge of Nothingness
Remove yourself from the painful past and uncertain future
Sometimes in the waking we often remember that life exist with its
own set of difficulties. It seems as if we are living in perpetual change and in
transitional states of being. We are confronted with interpersonal
relationships that need our undivided attention, support, and unwavering love—while
simultaneously we must seek solutions to a world struggling with civil,
political and social unrest. It is a monumental task at times to remove oneself
from the painful past and an uncertain future. But for the sake of the communities
we live in, and our children—we must
take that leap of faith i.e. believe in something greater than ourselves,
struggle against all odds, and see beyond living on the edge of nothingness.
This piece entitled “Remove Yourself from the Painful Past and
Uncertain Future” is a reminder of how we must move from one place to another
throughout our lives, both figuratively and literally. Sometimes there is pain involved in that move. I created this piece
back in 2003 when I was going through a period of personal change, and
recollection. It was one of a series of works that reflected on a transitional time
in my life, where I needed to migrate both physically and emotionally. Part of
that process was a physical move from Pennsylvania to South Carolina.
The other part of that move was internal—from a place on the edge of nothingness—to
a place on the edge of everything….
I found that a place on the edge of everything is a beautiful place indeed.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Entrance 03
A great entrance needs its own work of art….
The Louvre in Paris, France as remixed in the form of a digital pen.
The Louvre is a magnificent museum. I visited the museum in 1990 and just fell in love with its collection of art. But the entrance, the trait-d union between the new rooms and the surface, is a glass, transparent pyramid, of a very light construction, flanked by another two smaller pyramids which, like the larger one, reflect the changeable light of the Parisian sky.
The author of this bold project was the American architect of Chinese origin Ieoh Ming Pei, who also created the new wing of the National Gallery in Washington DC.
The entrance to the Louvre in Paris, France
Weekly Photo Challenge: Entrance 02
In keeping with the theme of Paris, France here is another entrance shot. It is the Musee d Orsay, located on the left bank of the river Seine. The Museum hosts the works of some of the world best Impressionist painters such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Manet and Pissarro. Post-Impressionist work can also be found in the museum as well. They include some rather remarkable paintings by famous artists such as Seurat, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
Musee de Orsay in Paris, France
Weekly Photo Challenge: Entrance
Here is a shot I took when I was in Paris. It is Nord, the central train station. I just love the architecture of this beautiful building. The entrance is directly below.
The Paris central train station NORD
Weekly Photo Challenge: Mountains 05
On the Pinnacle Mountain trail, South Carolina
One of my favorite places to hike in South Carolina is the Pinnacle Trail. It is located in the Blue Ridge Foothills. I came across this rock structure on the hike and fell in love with it. It has the stern look of a man grazing out beyond the ridge.
Here is a summary of the trail.
It is six miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2673 feet. It has a rating of strenuous and takes about 4 hours to complete.
The first 0.2 miles is a relatively
flat, paved path that parallels a creek. Small cascades and pools are easily
accessible from the trail. After the pavement ends, follow the trail signs for
the Pinnacle Mtn. trail.
The trail is in fair shape most of the way.
There is significant erosion in a few places and parts of the trail can be quite
muddy.
At about the 2.5 mile mark is the Bald Rock Overlook where you can
look back towards Table Rock Mtn. The summit is marked by a sign and a pile of
rocks but you’re in the middle of a forest with no view. Return the way you came
or continue on the Ridge Trail that connects the Pinnacle Mountain and Table
Rock trails.
This trail is rather remote at times. I was hiking it alone and felt a need to see someone on the trail.
The Silence of Creativity
Towards the love within….
Creativity
Creativity 02
Where does the impetus for creativity come from? Is it a latent form of suppressed
experiences and / or emotions? When is creativity realized, and how is it manifested into what we call art?
As artists it is hard to imagine a world without art and the forces of creativity that fuel it. It is also at times difficult to understand the sensibilities that emerge from the soul when an idea comes into being i.e. its origin and purpose. Perhaps we can conclude with some ambiguity that creativity is indeed either individualistic, universal, or both—governed by the life one has lived or hope to live.
Creativity 03
Creativity 04
“The imagination imitates. It is the critical spirit that creates”. … Oscar Wilde 1854-1900
“Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go – purge
yourself. If you are unhappy with anything…whatever is bringing you down, get
rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity,
your true self comes out”. … Tina Turner b. 1939
Creativity 05
Creativity 06
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You
imagine what you desire you will what you imagine and at last you create what
you will”. … George Bernard Shaw 1856 – 1950
Creativity 07
Creativity 08
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep”. … Scott Adams b. 1957
Sometimes I see things around me that are in part a glimpse of reality. The many “realities” that surround my life often become vehicles for abstraction through the creative process. They are like a multitude of intersections—full of possibilities. As artists we must always ask the question is this the direction I want to go? Will this convey the message I desire to express? But in the end we can only trust in the mystery of what is and what it means to create art and call oneself an artist.
Creativity 09
The Silence of Creativity and the Creative Journey Within
What are your thoughts? As an artist or writer or master of any creative discipline where do you believe creativity arises from? Please share your ideas and what inspires you to follow your imagination.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Mountains 04
Mountain biking at Tsali Recreational Area in North Carolina
A photo challenge that includes mountains would not be a challenge without a difficult mountain bike to the summit. In this photograph I have just reached the top of the Right Loop at Tsali Recreational Area in North Carolina. The elevation at this point is around 5000 feet.
The popular Tsali Recreation Area has long been a top destination for mountain biking in Western North Carolina, and even the entire eastern US. Containing nearly 40 miles of trails in a system with four excellent loops, it has been rated as one of the top 10 places to ride in the USA. The area is located on a hilly peninsula reaching into beautiful Fontana Lake, at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. The four long main trails at Tsali wind along the lake shore and onto the wooded, steep interior ridges. There are several connector trails, gravel roads and extension trails that give a few more options for rides besides the main loops. Three designated overlooks along the trails provide sweeping views of Fontana Lake with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the other side. The trails are fast, hardpacked singletrack, and they’re extremely well designed and well used.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Mountains 03
The rocky edges of Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina
Another classic view of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Mountains 02
Waterrock Knob, North Carolina
Waterrock Knob is a mountain peak in the U.S. state of North Carolina.It is the highest peak in the Plott Balsams and is the 16th highest mountain in the Eastern United States. It is the 15th highest of the 40 mountains in North Carolina over 6000 feet.
The mountain is split by both Haywood and Jackson counties in the western mountains of the state. It is located in the Plott Balsams mountain chain between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Great Balsam Mountains. The mountain’s summit is located within the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park Service unit.
The mountain is a popular destination with tourists and amateur hikers as it is easily accessible from the Parkway. A visitors center is located near its summit and a hiking trail leads to its top. The hiking trail and visitors center are manned and maintained by the National Park Service, part of the United States Department of the Interior.
This photograph was taken during a hike to the summit of the mountain. I love the view here. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a wonderful drive in which to cruise by car or bike.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Mountains
Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina
Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state park near Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet (1,818 m), it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes by the south side of the mountain. It is located at the meeting point of Avery, Caldwell (highest point), and Watauga (highest point) Counties.
Until 2008, Grandfather Mountain was privately owned and operated as a nature preserve and tourist attraction. It was and still is best known for its mile-high swinging bridge, the highest in America, built in 1952 by Hugh Morton. The bridge links two of the mountain’s rocky peaks, and is known as the “swinging” bridge due to its tendency to sway in high winds. Morton inherited the mountain from his grandfather and developed the tourist attractions. He died on June 1, 2006 at the age of 85. After Morton’s death, he donated all of his photographs, including many of Grandfather Mountain, Mildred the Bear, and many other aspects of life on the Mountain to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
This Photograph was taken during an earlier visit to the mountains of North Carrolina.
As We Live Our Lives Moments In a Day Stand Apart
Whitewater and chakra flowers for meditation, journey and insight (detail)
June 18th 2009, a day that stands apart.
On the Nantahala river in Western North Carolina in celebration of
my 53rd birthday the following day on the 19th of June.
A contemplative day full of energy and colors….
A view of the Nantahala river
We can never have enough of nature. We must be refreshed by the
sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its
wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the
thunder-cloud, and the rain. …Henry David Thoreau
I love this quote because during our 3 hour trek rafting down the river,
it began to rain hard with severe thunderstorms. What an incredible experience battling the
elements as we faced the challenge of the rapids.
We found our courage, our laughter, on the river
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of
grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of
nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive. …Eleonora
Duse (1858-1924)
Nature always sets itself apart
Notes for chakra flowers
Our thoughts are like the waves of a whitewater river. They rise
and fall relentlessly. Our minds, like the lower depths of the river, become
increasingly more settled as we immerse ourselves in our meditation practice. …Walter W. Smith
In a new day that stands
apart, we remove ourselves from yesterday’s trials (the painful past and
uncertain future) and find insight in the quiet of the present moment. We are in
touch with our bodies—moving the energy through the chakras.
Our day ends as it began---finding meaning in the present moment
Today, hold the past in your
hands. Hold your two hands out in front of you and allow them to fill
with the past, your past, every moment of it. All that happened and did
not happen, all that was wonderful and all that simply was. Let it all
fill your hands.
And now, as you continue to hold
your past in your hands, turn your inner vision to your heart. See how
your heart is clean and clear, free of any regret or longing. Your heart
is beating in this moment and this moment only. …author unknown
As we live our lives we find ourselves standing apart---living in the moment
As the details of our lives become memories and the moments of
life stand apart, what brings joy, peace and happiness to you? What are some of
your experiences that you embrace with fondness and love? What are your
thoughts? Please do share a moment or two with us.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Broken
A broken world view
This week’s photo challenge is “broken”. The image I selected for this challenge is a
photographic still of my 1991 video installation presented at Highwire Gallery
entitled “The World Spins Black / White”. The 1991 installation was an
examination of—and condemnation of the forces of civil disobedience, war, and
social unrest that our society was struggling with at the time. The motivation
for choosing this photograph, at this specific point, is the state of our political
union here in the United States and abroad. At the core, I believe is a broken democracy.
The world is changing and it can be
argued not for the best. There is an ideology that threatens to disrupt, dismantle,
and delineate our democracy and freedom. That dismantling presents itself in many
different forms, with a variety of sponsors. Here in the United States, I
believe its greatest sponsor is right wing conservatism at its extreme,
supported by various proxy organizations, and funded by wealthy individuals
such as the Koch brothers. At the heart of the process with malice intent are
the reduction and perhaps even the elimination of our government i.e. the way
it functions and the services it provides. Hence there is the privatizing and
systematic assault on the public sector, with the goal being the transference
of wealth from the many to the few. In league with the machinations to
facilitate these insidious methods are corporate media moguls, right wing think
tanks and Tea Party legislators to name a few.
My image for this challenge “broken” is a world globe,
wrapped in barbed wire and decaying red roses.
“The vast possibilities of our great future will become realities
only if we make ourselves responsible for that future”. … Gifford Pinchot
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 