Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 09 – The Unending Edge Of All Things
When I was reborn and when I died I remembered only one thing … I AM, All THAT IS – UNENDING….
The unending edge of all things
Creativity is an essential part of being human, a vital force without which we can exist, but not truly live. – Ann Cashman
Namaste.
Post Canvas and Paint….
Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 08 – The Expanding Universe
On a beautiful summer day, we skipped our rocket ships along the waves of space….
The expanding universe
Straight-away the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind’s eye, but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration. – Johannes Brahms
Post Canvas and Paint….
Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 07 – The Circular Eclipse
The sky turned the brightest day into the darkest night, as I lit a candle to illuminate the ambiguities of my desires….
The circular eclipse
The heart of creativity is an experience of the mystical union; the heart of the mystical union is an experience of creativity. – Julia Cameron
Post Canvas and Paint….
Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 06 – The Winding Tapestry
On the winding road every past moment in life followed me as the future fell off the cliff ahead of me….
The winding tapestry
The human mind cannot create anything. It produces nothing until after having been fertilized by experience and meditation; its acquisitions are the gems of its production. – George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon
Post Canvas and Paint….
Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 05 – The Returning Tide
As I found myself lost in the sea with no boundaries I never felt the need for gravity or place….
The returning tide
Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create – so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating. – Pearl S. Buck
Post Canvas and Paint….
Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 04 – The Loving Heart
In the translucent sound of night, the color of things to come were just beyond the stars….
The loving heart
Creation is such an elusive thing, for the more we think we are in control, the more we remove ourselves from the actual creation. – Betty Jean Billups
Post Canvas and Paint….
Post Canvas And Paint: Abstract 02 – The Dreaming Void
In a moment forged with the fluttering sounds of dreams in flight, I soon escaped my troubling fears….
The dreaming void
The true locus of creativity is not the genetic process prior to the work but the work itself as it lives in the experience of the beholder. – Monroe Beardsley
Post Canvas and Paint….
Not The Kiss Your Mother Used To Give You (When She Wanted You To Leave The Room)
The city series….
Standing by the curb
So you think you’re a man….
You think you know what she is trying to tell you. Sitting by the curb with your new Trek bike. With your boys. Trying to be cool.
Looking cool … Being defiant.
Did you even listen? Is there any clue?
Baby Boy Blue
As to why she decided on … you?
Yeah I know, you think it’s because of the ball you play. Or the things you say. Just yesterday she gave you that look. When you helped her with her books. Were you listening then? When it was your hand she took. Yeah I know. It’s all about the tool of the trade. And not feeling like you’ve been made. Is it good to know? Keep the show? Or stay in the flow? Yeah, it’s a tough day and what a blow.
You sitting on the curb with your boys.
Being her toy.
But did you even know
That kiss….
Is not the kiss
Just for show….
I Really Want To Meet Your Sensitivity With Compassion And Love (A Hit The Mark Remix)
In a moment, my only desire is to meet your sensitivity with my thoughtfulness and longing….
Being centered with you
They tell me that love and compassion is a journey without measure….
Not unlike an arrow whose flight is true….
Everything Changes Except A Persistent Memory (A Think You Know Remix)
We often find ourselves on the boundaries of what we remember….
Everything changes except a persistent memory
Sometimes in a moment of realization, in a glimmer of mindfulness, we can see the totality of our lives: The days spent with dreams. The nights, restless—consumed with thought. The years forged with the desire to be something—perhaps anything other than who we are. And in the end, an uncertainty that begs the question; do all things change except a persistent memory?
Perhaps we really do not know ourselves at all, and in its place we find only a recurring memory to give us pause.
A fine line of demarcation of what is and what we imagine; who we are and what we might have become.
It is a fortress of endless cycles of memories and desires that seduce the very knowledge of who we are and the way we think.
We know that everything is in constant flux. Everything changes. Our lives change and the world around us as well.
It is a given.
Yet it feels like our memories, the persistent ones, never do….
What If Your Creativity Was Gone
In the struggle to know ourselves we sometimes turn inward to find our creativity … Gone
The inspiration for creativity resides within and beyond….
I recently re-blogged the post by Maggie Madly Writing wherein she proposed the question, “if nobody read your blog, would you still write”? There were some interesting responses on both our blogs. As a result, I started to think about the process of creativity. And the question, what if your creativity was gone? And has there ever been a time when you did not create? How long did that creative drought exist? What was the reason for the dry spell, if any?
Over the years I have known many artists. Each having their own unique work ethic. Some artists work continuously, on a daily basis. Others like myself, work when inspired, or influenced by events in their lives. I often look for a balance of art, life and sport. The majority of my artistic influence comes from my life experience. Most notably in the past when I was going through some rather dark periods. It seemed the darker the period, the more expressive the art. But I’ve learned that is not always true. Gone are the most darkest moments of my life (so I hope). Replaced by a more connected experience with peace and beauty. Creating a different kind of art. A different source of creativity. In the past, I have felt a sense of lost when not creating. Although I’ve always believed it would return. Knowing that it is a part of me.
What to do if your creative spark is gone? Well hang in there and have faith in your ability. This is a good starting point. Then work. Work. Spend time with the process. Explore and experiment with ideas. Take the time to check out the work of other artists. Artists from various disciplines. I love to see dance, theater and plays. Music exploration also is a motivating factor. As well as spending time with nature.
Never give up.
We all have our own path to discover that which ignites the creative spirit….
Only After Seeing The Light Did I Ever Think More Of It
From across the room I saw what I knew to be true….
A Kind of Light that keeps breaking through
like a candle in time
the soft glow of knowing….
No Moment In Time We Can Ever Bring Back (A Really Gone Remix)
As our past fades away, is there a bridge or ferry that can take us where we want to go….
A flight of fancy a bridge and ferry
Trying to escape something that is little known….
Earlier today, I was reading a post that Conceptual Art re-blogged entitled “A Place Where My Thoughts Are Frozen Together” by the blogger Emily @ Making Bridges. I enjoyed the read and found much in which to reflect on. It was as I perceived it, a beautiful, personal, and in-depth look at the ambiguities of our life experience i.e. how we connect with ourselves, and how those experiences resonate and are influenced by the emotions that accompany them. As I read, this line really struck a chord with me… “I often find myself looking back on past experiences – painful and happy – wishing I could still feel the intensity of those emotions”.
I believe that all my life, I have been struggling with this as well. I keep seeing my memories. Feeling them. Finding them elusive yet obtrusive. Art as a solution, sometimes produces some release and some peace, as it transforms the related emotion into form, color, shape, and content. Each piece touching on the memories in a hope to find a cathartic release. But it seems that it all remains the same in the end. An internal struggle. An endless pursuit. Perhaps the process does bring me a small step closer to a sense of freedom or understanding. But to truly cross that bridge, or ferry across the depths of my mind, I can only wake each day, start anew, create another piece, with the hope of living a little closer to a more profound present moment.
In a moment we realize we can never go back….
I Am Here – You Are There (A Search The Sky Remix)
When I think of you at night, something is shimming above….
The solar fields above
fragments of light
– shimmer
like the fire of your heart
and
here i am
– burning
in the sunburst of your love….
A Family Tradition … Cousins (A Family Photo Remix)
Bringing the past into the present and going forward into the future….
Richard Malcolm and Denise
Richard is my older cousin on my mother’s side. He is sort of the “elder” of cousins along with his sister Andrea. Richard is a veterinarian and forensic scientist. He is also an adventurer and a world traveler. Here he is pictured with his ex-wife Denise a RN charge nurse and his son Malcolm a fitness guru and trainer.
In this series, I find that the challenge visually is conveying an artistic expressive nuance while maintaining a recognizable portrait of the family. Each image in the series poses the challenge to this delicate balance. Some images such as group photos, I believe lend themselves to more abstract expression. While a photograph of two or three individuals, I believe will work better if I approach it from a more portraiture sensibility.
What do you think? As I progress through the series, I would love to have your opinion on what works best.
Peace Love and Light to all the Families of the World….
A Family Tradition … Portraits (A Family Photo Remix)
Bringing the past into the present and going forward into the future….
Donald, Miriam and Children
I am fortunate to have a large and loving family. The journey in which this series will take me can only be thought of as a joyous rite. Beautiful is the memory of all those who, as family, have shared this life experience with me. Growing up with each other, especially my cousins was quite an adventure. There were ups and downs, pranks and games. And we often spent Saturdays or Sundays together; going to the park, enjoying picnics, and coming together as a family every Thanksgiving. My cousin Miriam pictured here with her husband Donald and children is a special soul. She is loving, happy and generous. A nurse by trade. When my mother was dying of cancer, Miriam would come by virtually every morning and sit with her. Caring for my mother with empathy and a heart of gold, she demonstrated great compassion. It is without a doubt, that I owe a lot to my cousin Miriam. And it is without a doubt that I love her dearly.
Family is important. Often we are called to give support, love and guidance to our family members. We can only, with a smile in our hearts, reach down deep with a great sense of purpose and joy when called to do so.
Peace Love and Light to all the Families of the World….
As We Approached The Ferry A Different Kind Of Night
It was the dark of night and the silhouette of the ferry consumed me….
From the dock I looked out beyond the thoughts that anchored my dreams
a soft glow
on the sands below
this night
so
– different
I found myself again….
An Entire Life And I May Not Know Myself
Sometimes the next chapter is the same as the one before and the one before that….
land ferry sky and water
Leaving behind the shore of dreams, I often wake to a life lost at sea….
A life misunderstood.
I sometimes wonder if I really know myself at all. I try to grasp, as I look back across the sea, the meaning of what has gone before. What remains on the distant shore…
The beauty of my indecisiveness. The machinations of my decisions.
Haunt me.
Like the fear of being stranded on land as my dreams sail away. There they go I say. Another day and it all remains the same…
Not unlike the fleeing faces in the clouds above or the uneasy sinking in the waves below….
A Beautiful Time Gone, Is Like A Moment That Never Happened
Sometimes there is a beautiful journey just waiting to happen….
Searching for the ferry on the docks
A journey has its moments. A beginning, a middle, and an end. Sometimes it is a physical journey, but most often it is one of internal longing and desire. A journey of memories. It is a beginning where we once believed in something, someone or someplace. Then perhaps a middle, when while living in the present moment, we believed time stood still, and there was no tomorrow. Or perhaps a tomorrow we could come to love. And then there is the end. An ending. A final moment. Magic and lost, beauty and longing for what was. The memory of beautiful times gone, like the fleeing of dreams in the waking of a new day.
I often see things through the spectrum of my experiences, while questioning the meaning of it all. But desiring to have no grounded answer to mislead me.
Sometimes in our awareness the journey has long since come to an end….
Lake Rock Sky (An Electric Ladyland Remix)
Sometimes an image reflects things that exist only in the mind….
A moment with lake, rock, and sky in retrospect ... An Electric Ladyland Remix
What do you do with a memory that occurs suddenly while creating a piece? Or after the piece has been produced? I really did not have any definitive path for this piece. I just wanted to explore form, color and process utilizing photographic images from a lake, a sky and a mountain. Process is important to me and sometimes an abstract work can reveal a lot about process. It then occurred to me after its completion that it had both an organic and electrical feel to it. And the image that came to mind, while deepening my contemplative view of the work was Jimi Hendrix. Yes—Jimi Hendrix. Why Jimi, now that is a good question? You really do not see any real connection to Jimi at all in the piece. Or so it seems. Perhaps if you are thinking like I am—in that moment; or after having similar life experiences, you would see Jimi as well. But it is ok if you don’t. It’s your art as well as mine. I am just the physical creator of it. To you, it is what it says and reflects from your life experience. But I digress. Getting back to Jimi and how he relates to this piece, is in itself abstract. In 1970 while visiting my older cousin and sifting through his record collection, I came across two beautiful album covers and titles. Both were mysterious and beautiful. They were Band of Gypsies and Electric Ladyland. This was my introduction to his music and rock music in general. I was 13 years old. I never looked back. The two albums and the music recorded on the discs would have significant influence on my future art. An introduction to psychedelic colors, experimental structures and abstract forms.
So I saw Jimi, in this piece, and it began with a lake, a sky and a mountain. And I called it “Lake Sky Mountain (An Electric Ladyland Remix)”
I can hear Jimi say … groovy….
Have A Fantastic Day And Take A Photograph To Remember It (A Smart Phone Remix)
Portrait in park.
via PicsArt Photo Studio
Park Sky Mountain (A Kinetic Design Remix)
When we observe nature from a design perspective, we often see her in a different light….
A day full of wonders
a place…
to find young love
with green grass
and warm days
– park
a view…
to dream
of far off lands
and nightshades
– sky
a trail…
to discover one self
on barren summits
and snowy slopes
– mountain
The Silence Series: Chakra Colors For Meditaiton – Vishuddha (Pale Blue)
Colors that bond us with our imagination and All That Is….
I believe that this chakra truly applies to all of us, but especially to the heart of the artist, writer, poet and all individuals who love to create. It is the motivating energy source for self-expression. We as artists and writers live our lives searching for our voice; manipulating images, dancing through forms, designing structures, solving equations and imploring words, searching for the right combination to get our ideas across. And in the process we discover new things about ourselves. We learn to share with confidence. This is the power of the 5th chakra.
The Sanskrit word for the 5th chakra is Vishuddha which is translated as meaning pure. When this chakra is in balance you feel confident in speaking your truth. Some of the keywords associated with Vishuddha are creative expression, knowledge, abundance and flowing manifestation. It is governed by the thyroid, metabolism and the immune system. The location of this chakra is the area surrounding the throat. The sense is hearing and the sound associated with it is HAM.
Slowly bring your attention to the throat area and silently repeat the mantra … HAM … HAM … HAM…
The 5th chakra Vishuddha
Peace be with you on your journey inward….
Namaste
I Thought You Might Like To Meet Me There
Just over the summit we can see the things we dream of….
Through the optical lens, sky and mountain
With the wind behind us, we were heard speaking to one another….
it is here that you first knew
how I truly understood.
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 