experiment: from eternity to you and i | video art
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Last night I completed another video in my “Experiment” series entitled: From Eternity To You and I. I am quite excited about the results. I used various visual and audio elements in the video, including video clips, production music, and sound effects. Along with my own original video clips. I recently found a great video stock company called Video Blocks that provides high quality HD formatted videos clips, soundtracks in all genres, effects, titles, plug-ins and sound effects. The most exciting elements of this piece in producing it, was the video editing and sound editing. I am still adjusting to learning the various tools for more precise sculpturing of elements e.g. sound layering. But all in all I can see the potential for increased creativity. My goal is to move more toward the abstract, both in sound and imagery. Keeping in pace with the themes of Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism.
one step closer, one step farther away
With the SUN
at your back
onE step closer
One step FARther
– away
experiment: miles ahead | video art – short story
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There are times when I have a visual dream—in the waking, a collage of kinetic images. And as painful as it may sometimes be, I can but only love…living my art—finding fuel for it in the most unlikely places.
“Water.”
“And lots of it,” interjects First Mate, Jordan Le Blanc.
From below deck, I can hear the above conversation about the trials and tribulations of life at sea. Rasheed, Captain Louis Kirkland, and First Mate Jordan Le Blanc are examining and discussing the rigging on Voyager, an authentic replica of a 19th century gaff-rigged packet schooner. Earlier, Rasheed had been terribly excited after having taken the helm for more than twenty nautical miles. He had come rushing down from his watch shouting….
“I was one with the sea and it was overwhelming! I felt the pulsating power right in my hands!”
He then concluded by repeatedly saying, “Damn that was nice, that was nice!!”
I was quietly impressed, and had nodded my head in approval. That was around 11 a.m. on this, our second day of the voyage. I hadn’t yet taken a trick at the helm. Because I was feeling a little intimated. Instead, I spent some time with the navigation officer learning how to judge winds and currents, and chart Voyager’s course. Our plans are to do three nights and two days aboard the Voyager before heading to Cape Cod and Nantucket. I need this vacation. My personal life is on hold, work is stressful, and my art needs experiences to cultivate inspiration. Rasheed is feeling better, although he still refuses to dine on anything strictly vegetarian. I brought along my JVC HD video camera and Sony laptop. I hope to capture on video, the minimal motion and ambiance of the ocean. I intend to accomplish this by setting up the video camera yards from the shore, on the crest of a dune, leaving the camera stationary. And as John Cage the avant-garde artist and composer, would see it; art by random chance and whatever comes within the scope of the lens. Later I will edit the film down to just under an hour, overlay with images of my paintings, add ambient music, and call it “Oceans of Art.” I am installing this video piece in the vault of the Bank Club located in downtown Philadelphia, with the intention of transforming it into a chill-out lounge space for weary party goers, hipsters, and beak nicks. We left the picturesque town of Mystic, Connecticut just after sunrise yesterday. It was a golden morning and a beautiful start to the day. We sailed the majestic vessel throughout the morning, and afternoon before stopping for a short visit at Block Island. I’ve always been mesmerized by seascapes and landscapes. Drawn to their spiritual vastness, I sometimes find (if it’s a good day) revelation and beauty, hidden … deep inside the soul. When transfixed by such a mysterious place—we question its magnitude. In-turn, we find our very own inadequacies. Usually if I attempt to elevate myself, with pride, by thinking: I can do this … or I can do that … or perhaps … I. Whatever the thoughts may be, I always then, see myself as being very small. Last night our anchored port-of-call was Sag Harbor at which our superb chef prepared steamed lobsters, fresh vegetables and freshly baked pies. Tonight our port-of-call will be Newport–another coastal town rich in nautical history.
“Hello down there.”
The voice interrupting my chain of thought belonged to the distinguished Captain Louis Merchant Kirkland, a tall, white-bearded French Canadian. I found him to be charming and his sense of humor timely. As was his command of the ship. I’m sure he had come to remind me that it was almost time for my watch at the helm.
“Yes Sir!” I replied.
“No need to be so formal my enigmatic friend,” he said with a smile and a gesture for me to remain seated.
“Thank you sir,” I answered.
“You prefer … solitude before company?”
“Well … yes. Is it that apparent?” I asked with a sense of anxiety.
“Unlike your friend Rasheed, you haven’t spent much time with the crew. Is everything okay?”
“No, everything is not okay, I thought to myself. Damn fool that I am—some things never change … like the things created by unwanted experiences and obsession.
“I’m doing fine; I just have a lot of memories on my mind.”
I lied. I really can’t go on like this (too much emotional feeding and Bluefish can be a bad thing (it can be like a school of Swordfish in the side)). But if this is who I am–to think the thoughts that I am thinking? Then redemption and resolution—is to know, that although some loves drown in the embryonic pool of innocence (never swimming its full length)—they are loves just the same.
“Yes … memories, romantic ones I am sure,” said Captain Kirkland, aspirated—his chest heaving. “All the miles of memories that sail on the hearts and minds of men at sea—for the love of their women. There are many adventures one can experience at sea—a litany of memories in which to fill a lifetime of recitals. Let me tell you a few folktales. Starting with the moral certainty of them all…”
“Life on the oceans of the world is sustained by the luck of the draw–same as on land. At times it is called, (in recent history) the ‘American Dream’–the need to discover, possess and to be miles ahead. We find ourselves by looking beyond the impending realization, (everything but the girl)—reaching for it with fervent desperation. At other times it is a sighting too late, and the course not taken. Drifting for what seems like the duration of timelessness on the empty sea of lost love. For centuries man has sailed the seven seas and oceans of the world—in search of…”
He paused, smiled and then continued, “A couple of good stories to tell young seafarers.”
it felt like something was lost
approaching …
the sweet edge
of things unknown
it felt like
something was lost
Happy Birthday Lady
Happy Birthday to my lovely daughter Lady. Here is a photo of Lady and I back in the day. We love you dearly, forever and always. We miss you, and wish you were here with us to celebrate your birthday.
Dionanna Lady McFadden 1978 – 2011
My heart will always remember this moment and all the others.
Love Dad
floating down river
The world is a different place when floating down river with only your thoughts as your life jacket.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Forward
This week’s challenge “Forward” provides the perfect opportunity to post a preview of my upcoming book of digital art. This will be my second book I have published featuring digital art. The previous book, a small squared volume, featured abstract and surreal work. This second book will be a large 12″ x 12″ book of landscapes and abstract work. I am excited to feature my most recent work in this volume. I anticipate the book to be about 150 pages and will be published at Blurb Publishing. For the weekly challenge I am previewing the front and back cover.
experiment: set the controls | video art
My second video in the “Experiment” series is entitled “Set the Controls”. I worked on the formatting of the video over the last few days. Working mostly at night, I felt driven by the quiet solitude to create noise and kinetic energy visually and with sound. The video itself is a collection of clips from older videos (The Whipping Machine, The World Spins Black | White, Island – Water – Bridge) and new imagery from this past summer vacationing at Virgina Beach. Again, the theme centers around the ideas relating to the Futurism movement of the early 20th century: Modernization, Ambiguity. Complexity. And the fear of things getting out of control. In my work, I like the thought of creating images that juxtapose and provide tension to one another. All the while the soundscapes of cold wind and a distant jack hammer push the tension even further until it climaxes with an atomic blast and a requiem of church bells.
experiment 1:23 2.18.13 | video art
I have begun experimenting with the Avid Studio software. As I move through this experimental process, I would like the work to be influenced by several movements of the Avant-Garde. I am especially fond of the early film works of Salvador Dali, and the exploration of Surrealism, Futurism, and Dadaism. Dada can be defined as: “A European (France, Germany, Switzerland) artistic and literary movement (1916-1923) that flouted conventional aesthetic and cultural values by producing works marked by nonsense, travesty, and incongruity. It is a nihilistic art movement, found mostly in painting, but also explored in film and was based on irrationality; and negation of the accepted laws of beauty”. Futurism is defined as an “artistic movement originating in Italy around 1910 whose aim was to express the energetic, dynamic and violent quality of contemporary life, especially as embodied in the motion and force of modern machinery”. And last but not least, one of my favorite art movements is Surrealism, It has for many years, been a strong influence on the direction of my art. Surrealism is defined as: “A 20th century literary and artistic movement that attempts to express the workings of the subconscious and is characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtaposition of subject matter”. It should be an exciting process as I remixed old and new work with this in mind.
Maurice Sapiro a wonderful painter.
with your tears i fall like rain | video art
Contemplative moments when tears fall like rain. Music by ambient artist Sogar.
if the stars speak softly tonight
When you think of me at night do you hear the stars speak softly …
life has its own destiny apart from your dreams | video art
A meditative video on the essence of dreams, the pursuit of happiness and the interaction of destiny. Music by ambient artist Sawako.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Home | Is A Room With A View
For this room with a view, I thought a little abstract texture would hit the mark. This is the window in my bedroom.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Home | Is Where The Art Is
There is a path that will take you home, and when you arrive, it is a lovely thing to find art everywhere. This digitally remixed photograph is hanging in my bedroom. The piece is entitled “The Empty Space”.
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 