You are my escape

Yes,I am using you as the reason to excuse myself from the grueling task of living room/play room clean up time. I quietly chuckle. And here's why:

As an artist, we are required to be very many types of characters to promote, organize, and keep good accessible records, and produce work that makes all of the later responsibilities worthwhile. I am in the thick of bookkeeping and kicking myself for neglecting my record keeping. I know better. And I am finding that the neglect has entered my studio work time. Is it my taxes or my awareness that is offering this insight into a more efficient practice? Probably a bit of both. Regardless, I am making changes to return to that balance space where business practice and art practice are partners. So, writing is part of my promise and meditation for the mid-day as the boys are cleaning up their toys. What a triumphant morning!

Here is my first spring Flower and a testament to keep me photographing everyday (much harder than most believe). I can remember some advice a veteran photographer gave me a long time ago: photograph everyday for yourself and share what you want with the world; no one needs to see the bad ones-except you. He meant that each image is a lesson in light, composition, and action. Even though I am not excitied about the Hibiscus flower blooming in my yard, I can see the even light on the petals and the depth of field I wanted in my mind. Here I was practicing a feeling of oneness that all things within me and the flower were on the same wave length sort of speak. And yes, even the most mastered contemplative photographers practice everyday.

Spring Vacation 2010

I must confess I am glad to be on a non-schedule for a while. My creative sparks or ah's happen when they happen whether I am at a park, cooking, driving, etc. I am ready to check my notebook this weekend and really start a few new projects. I am creating a new studio area to start my nursery art collection, which has been on the back burner for sometime. I am experimenting with portraits and acrylic lifts from paper and trying various media's for mounting. And, most importantly, I have made a personal commitment to make more time to work on images in my portfolios-an upgrade of images that have been sitting unseen. I feel like a Gary Winogrand wannabe. In all seriousness, I am ready to market my work through new venues.

Equipped with the power of thoughtful possibilities, I have reached out to those women whom I most want to emulate in some way. I am excited for this mystery to unfold. After reading an article by a veteran woman artist, who confessed that the unknown was a fear of her's, I felt inspired to jump closer to where I want to be in my career: making contributions to post-modernism (or wherever it is we are now) and contemplative photography; I want to move people in to some sort of action from my conservation photography work on South Florida, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades. I want significant work that catalyzes a revolution in thought on our personal responsibility to care for our land and our neighbors.

The rain just arrived and made me think of this image with the heart shaped water on the lily pad.

Contemplate the potential and power of the water. 

March 2010

Today in my studio, only a small path is clear for anyone to walk. The dog is complaining, loudly. I am prepping for a local art festival this weekend. 10 framed prints; a collection of unmated prints in a sizes. I am bringing both color and BW, which leads me to my recent question. Why does color sell more than Black and White? I have heard it before from other artists. I just never believed it. I am packing up hoping to find that "ahhha" and it dawned me that it is time for some old fashion work time.
Marketing, Income streams, taxes..I need to return to the fuel that sparks me to execute all the business side of artistry. Maybe I just need some therapy. Art Therapy therapy that is....I can't wait.

But until then, Come visit me at Veterans Park in downtown Delray Beach. Atlantic Ave. and the Intercoastal Bridge. All day, and the weather is going to be fabulous. This time I plan to bring my camera, and will post some photos .
See you there.

The Reality of My Art World

I have decided to take mulit-tasking to a new level: I am officially throwing my employment hat back in the ring as part of diversifying my income streams: I'm hunting for a job to bring in more money. Fortunately for me, my eternal flame for photography and my art is eternal. I can not escape from this passion. And oh how I have tried to ignore it, but my little voice inside grew louder instead of quieter until I surrendered. So, I know that proof prints and paint brushes and still life props will clutter my office relentlessly and will only scream at me until I pay attention. The job is just experience and, let's face it, a recessionary must. Not a replacement-just another side dish in the greater scheme of things.

I will be at Art in the Park in Veterans Park in downtown Delray Sat. March 20th selling both color and BW prints.  So come visit me...enjoy Delray and the great weather!!!!!

Understanding Oneness

The Foreword from “What the Road Passes By” by Dewitt Jones

 " There are times in my life, sometimes with a camera, sometimes without, when the world is so achingly beautiful, when everything holds such meaning, that I am incapable of any expression except tears of joy. The boundaries of my being begin to blur, whatever separates one thing from another begins to dissolve, and in that confluence of light and line and law, lies an experience for which I have no words."

A friend, who happens to be a Zen Buddhist, sent this forward to me. I have found no better description of what oneness and mindfulness are. I do read a fair amount of Zen text to gather a better understanding of oneness and how to apply to my everyday life. I feel the significance of mindfulness leads to a greater understanding of present reality and how to live as a part of it while seeing the wholeness of our individual experiences. I repeat or recall this feeling again and again while working in my photography studio-people, still life's, or even my son. As simple as the steps appear, the complexity of being can be challenging. I waiver between this is simple am I really getting this to frustration repeating the oneness. Yes, I practice again and again. Even when I feel the success, I continue to practice. My goal is to innately tune into myself and permit that blurring of boundaries; I want to feel the limitless possibilities and the peaceful balance. This is an exercise in trusting yourself. 

For today and the ones that follow join me in sitting, walking, or whatever is asked of you, let go and breathe. The stress and demands of you (self-imposed or not) will not disappear, but perhaps the breathing will allow for these things to just be. For it is our attitude and presence that can evolve, not the thing causing our stress. Once we (or I) continue to practice the breathing of mindfulness, no limits will be self-imposed. Possibilities and ideas have room to peculate into actual acts of being. 

                                       Banana Leaf Abstraction from the yard next door....

For Ourselves-nurturing the artist within

I just found a new blog that I just love. http://rebirthworkshops.com/blog/

These 2 photographers/writers also write about the life of a photographer incorporating small video clips that really make the experience and read well worth the extra few minutes. I am thinking about adding on some short clips too. One of their clips is about taking time for yourself; something we all need to be more proactive about!  I have work in every area of my studio that needs attention. Bookkeeping, one on one marketing calls, some promo postcards, that tax file (groan), a new still life waiting for attention, and printing for a new art show coming up in a week! I am not so sure that fun can be placed with all of these tasks, but thus is the life of a self made artist. I am passionate about photography, and even more so, when I am buried in my studio creating. A lot more goes into the entire process than just the creating aspect. As I have said, talent is the basic ingredient for success and fortunately we all have talents that fuel us. When our fuel force is down or slow because of whatever reason, we need to take time to reboot. With so much to do, how can we make this kind of time?

I ask myself this question all the time. With a household to run on a trim budget, errands, kids, the daily chores, my business laundry lists to to do's, and personal creation time, I am always challenged by time. Only a Mary Popins could zen me away! I have found that my productivity and multitasking abilities are infused by taking a break to walk, photograph, paint, or meditate. If I take an extra 30 minutes for myself, I am more relaxed and ready to face all the things needed to be done in a day. More importantly, I feel more comfortable rather than inadequate accomplishing only a few things over a hundred. So, today, I took 30 minutes for meditating. Emails, paperwork, and some phone calls later, I still have some printing to fit in, but overall I have already had a productive day.

Life Distractions

Admittly, I am distracted by a WalMart deveopment in my neighborhood. I am all for cleaning up a blighted corner, but not if the choice is poor growth management. I am confused about why my city council felt it necessary to speed through the paper work process for approval. Who gets a bonus for this? Yes, who is getting a kick back for this development? The other three strip plazas one of which has over 200 vacant units of store front and the other two have large scale supermarkets less than 2 miles away.  This choice is shameful. Worst of all, I am allowing my emotional reaction to effect my productivity. I am hoping that by sharing this speed bump in my road that I can return to my world of marketing, updating my websites, and actually photographing.

I began to battle this distraction by writing; for a more calming meditative moment, I painted with watercolors. I have lost that center balance. My normal 15 minutes in the morning needed something more intense. This morning I have returned to writing admitting that this bump in the road is really bothering me.  Why do those that claim they represent us or our best interests make wrong choices? What is it that motivates the self fulfilling greed that prompts these paradoxical choices? Is it the remaining good ole' boy group or my idealism that proper representation actually means constituents are represented? I could eat the other half of the brownies I made last night. No wonder my undergrad college history professor drank vodka from a flask. History repeating over and over broke his heart.

So, when we love something that melds or just evolves, the metamorphosis can be disappointing. I am disappointed that "the elders" who are maintaining watch over the community have become what those before them declared opposition to. Each politician claims to be better than the past, but really just ends up being the same. Our children will learn this disappointment soon enough for they will be responsible for the consequences of our poor decisions. I am disheartened by the shadowy future my son must prepare to battle. I want to skate away with Joni Mitchell on her pond; I want to hide in an artist colony protected from all that is tainted and non-art; I want my mother.

Perhaps, that is the lesson learned: the people that we share life with that makes any road traveled worth it. I will think about this some more and. for now, call some friends that make me smile.