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
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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.
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“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
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
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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
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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
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
As We Grow Older Details Become Memories
A mother's smile, a mother's joy
Do you at times find yourself transported back in time when
a certain inherent detail of your life presents itself and reminds you of
something or someone? Do you recognize that moment as a significant junction
between remembrance and the here and now?
A father's necktie, the way he dressed
The other day while driving and listening to some beautiful
introspective music by the New Age composer Cleveland Wehle, I found myself
visualizing small details of my life. The name of his CD is Relax Deeply – The
Music, and the inspiring track that prompted me to compose this post is
entitled Anne’s Pleasure. What I visualized while listening were small
fragments or details that were components of a larger picture. Those images symbolized
in part the relationship I have had with time and memory—my life, my time here
on planet earth, my memories.
A photograph, a loving memory, a mother's wedding
Details become memories….
It seems that as we grow older, our lives manifest a
deeper sense of reflection. It is at times … like the feeling of Déjà vu, when
something ignites our connection to the past. The smallest detail infuses
itself into our mindset. We feel and
remember things hard to describe in words, but intuitively understand their
meaning.
A daughter's beauty throughout the years
One of the objectives of my work as an artist has been to
bridge the past with the present. In
this post, I take small visual details of the past, and present them as memory
fragments. Those fragments reflect my relationship with my mother, father,
daughter, sister and family.
A sister's handwriting, so distinct
There are a host of details from our past, about our lives, just
waiting to present themselves unexpectedly—changing the way we remember. We all share in our own unique way this
experience. Let’s look back and celebrate.
A memory of my family's elegance, so timely
http://youtu.be/IKMDy_elBK8 – Cleveland Wehle – Song for Mary Clare – Video by David Flood
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It
is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a
stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good
as dead: his eyes are closed. … Albert Einstein
What do you think? What small details that surround your
life bring back memories of beautiful times gone by?
Just Felt Like Posting a Work of Art / a tribute to my daughter
My daughter the model and the world behind you
A photograph of my daughter who as a teen did some modeling. This was around the time I was visiting Europe and Barbados. I wanted to post something, hence the title “Just Felt Like Posting a Work of Art”, and the first thing to come to mind was my daughter. Lady, as she was affectionately known, remains in my thoughts. I wake to her, and I fall to sleep with a dream of her. The title of the piece is “The World Behind You”. She certainly had a world full of life, beauty, and wonder in which she embraced with joy.
Rest in Peace my Lovely Daughter….
The Silence of Liberation
Toward the love within….
Silence
Silence 02
It is after 12 a.m. and I have just read a wonderful post by
fellow blogger Elizabeth—the author of the blog Mirth and Motivation on
Wordpress.com. I was so inspired by her thoughts and comments on the recent
tragedies in Norway, China and the death of Amy Winehouse, that I felt compelled
to create a post on her theme i.e. the need for silence, for understanding,
compassion and healing.
Silence 03
Silence 04
I am not going to say much about the events that occurred here
in this post, (the struggles of mankind as a community and we as individuals
speak for themselves) however, I would like to express my feelings, my
compassion, and the love of healing through
silence via my art.
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Silence 06
Silence is a powerful tool. When we cultivate our inward
journey through meditation, contemplative thought and positive action, we
harness the energy to change ourselves and the world around us. For me, these
moments tonight of creative insight and sharing, in connection with my art and
the desire to send forth compassionate energy is liberating in of itself. I can feel the hurt that so many in our
communities are experiencing and my desire for their liberation and the end of
suffering goes out to a world in need.
In Buddhism we learn the need for Nirvana: the cessation of
unsatisfactory conditions and their causes.
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Silence 08
I hope the images I have created and the music I selected
for this post help to bring some peace and positive recollection to our hearts
and minds.
http://youtu.be/K8-iTakhFrs — The Disintegration Loops III — William Basinski — Video by Bodyheaven
We are of one Source Energy, and one Spirit.
The Silence of Liberation and the Silence Within
Weekly Photo Challenge: Colorful 02
The Brooklyn Bridge in NYC
Continuing the theme for this week’s photo challenge: colorful, is again an early digital work. This piece is one of the first to incorporate photography and digital manipulation. I am combining marble paper digitally altered and a photograph of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. This piece was created in 1987.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Colorful
To be wrong I could be right
I thought that since this challenge was about things that are colorful, I would revisit some early digital work. Most of my early work were digital drawings using DigiPaint software. All of the work from this period could be seen as highly colorful and opague in its composition. This piece entitled “To be Wrong I could be Right” is the very first digital drawing I ever did. It was created in 1985.
Body Sequence of ‘Go Out and See’ 02 / Caving into the absolute darkness
An unearthed prehistoric stonewall some six feet high, built of rocks of
various sizes, is evidence that the cave was likely inhabited by aboriginal
people. It is unknown when the first settler entered Morril’s Cave, although it
has been written that settlers surely would have encountered the cave by the
beginning of the 1800’s. Nothing is known of the cave until it became the
property of Elias S. Worley. Locally, the cavern is often still referred to as
Worley Cave. A large amount of saltpeter was mined from the cave early in the
Civil War. A mill was operated in the early 1900’s where the stream exits at
the lower entrance of the cave. It was said that the stream’s volume was
“sufficient, even in severest drought, to turn the undershot wheel of a
large mill.”
Our journey begins on a very hot day, where the temperature outside the
cave is in the mid 90’s, however, inside the cave the temperature will stay all
year round at about 57 degrees. One of the first things we discover as we
proceed further into the cave are the beautiful rock formations and the
cloudburst that greets us as the contrasting air molecules meet and merge. There
are moments of intrepidity and excitement as we approach the day’s first big
challenge i.e. the 30 foot crawl between two rock formations. Not everyone was
willing to do it, however I jumped at the opportunity—or should I say crawled.
I love a physical challenge and the cave provided many opportunties. During the
course of our 3.5 hour journey we crawled, tunneled, climbed, waded through
water, descended and ascended nearly 180 feet while hiking 1.5 miles. We also
sat in absolute darkness. Sitting in absolute darkness with only the slight
sound of water drops was fascinating. It was quite the meditative moment. Our guide
informed us, that if you remained in this kind of darkness for 72 hours you
would become completely disoriented. After being in this kind of sensory
deprived environment for such a long time one would soon begin to hallucinate.
However, I must say that if you are a practitioner of meditation this is the
perfect setting for deep contemplation.
It was an enjoyable day for all of us on the tour. And if you are
physically able and daring, I highly recommend you try this. What do you think?
Does this sound like something you would do? Are there other challenges or
activities that you would like to conquer?
Our natural resources can provide the excitement and challenges that can
sustain the mind, body and Spirit. Go Out and See.
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 