Archive for 'Inspiration'
returning to the place where it all began – where the seeds were planted – where looking back, i became much of who i am today. it’s bittersweet joy to think of times past – the faces & places – some remain, too many are ghosts – cherished and never forgotten. I hear singing & feel the rhythm of dance, the freedom & exhilaration of all that was so new & never ending – days filled with darkness & brushstrokes of light. so my soul longs for what was – for who i was then mixed with who i am now….the fire was fed and is now alive – a youthful spirit returns anew – older, wiser and still seeking that which lies between.
(pssst….move your mouse over the photograph to see all the images….yes, i could automate it & yes, i could add thumbnails, but i find moving images annoying & prefer images full size!)
I was looking around today for an old metal playground and for fun, searched it on google. What I found has me feeling giddy inside. While what I’m about to say may sound not true, I’ve got the journal notes to back it up. I used to be an amusement park / ride junkie. And in art school, I had this crazy idea to turn rides into art. So this sort of took my breath away on every level ’cause it was really quite close to what I’d sketched out many years ago. If I’d only had the tenacity to see it through. At any rate, I’m glad someone realized it on every level and only wish a gigantic slide would come to Boston. That and the return of REAL playgrounds! Without further commentary, here’s the goods by artist Carsten Höller. For more on slides, check this article - it’s fascinating!
And one more from the creatives at VW….just for fun!
In the world that is becoming, as our society undergoes rapid change, we must return to our true nature in terms of how we rest and relax as well as in terms of how we work and play. –Martha Beck- Insight from Martha-A Resting Revolution
To be perfectly honest, I’m not what you would call a camper. My idea of camping is a real bed, running water and a toilet (no tents for this girl). So I’m far from what you’d call a real hiker. That said though, I like nature. I like being in nature. I like tasting the air, smelling the scent of pine or water or dry leaves. I like how it feels on my skin. I like the sound of my feet patting on dirt. And it’s not something I like as much as it’s something I need to feel connected. To remind myself of what it means to be a life.
Until yesterday, I didn’t realize how long of a time it’s been. Growing up in Northeast Pennsylvania, I spent a lot of time in the woods….first on family outings then as a teen, & as a young adult in Oklahoma. In Seattle, I felt sort of surrounded by magnificence– dropped within the middle of it and yet this access to the city was right there.
So spending a day yesterday walking in the woods for what was probably an hour to an hour and a half at best, felt more like a deep breath of a day. I felt like time bended & stopped – it was that moving & profound. These woods felt old, mysterious & powerful all at one time. I felt connected and tapped into my past. I could smell a fire and hear a guitar. It felt so beautiful and lovely and wonderful and playful and rooted. My bones ached in the most beautiful way.
I miss this. I miss the sensation of being surrounded by it. Lost within it. And I see now that I’ve chosen to almost punish myself with a stubborn unwillingness to explore, to see, to experience. So this was a well-timed welcome reminder.
I’m excited to discover new places & spaces & experiences within what is here –the history of the old woods, the first people’s woods & the wisdom & magic that is within them.
I can’t say enough about this project and how honored I am to know the photographer Brenda Richterkessing who gave her time, her love, and her artistry in photographing Summer. The images are mesmerizing without a doubt, but for me, it’s the beauty that glows shines so brightly from the insides of these two beautiful girls. And for me, I guess it shows how something rather horrid can be turned into something quite profound. I’ve ordered my bracelets & encourage you to do the same.
The wisdom shared in a little over three minutes is brilliant…
I am so very thankful to Deb Schwedhelm for letting us all know these beautiful videos were available. I can’t offer as profound of an intro as Deb does either. And though I’ve always known of Sally Mann, I never knew how important she’d be to me. With that….
“I work in several different groups of pictures which act on and with each other – ranging from several abstracted manners to a form for the surreal…. An educated background of Zen influences all of my photographs.” Ralph Eugene Meatyard, 1961
I’ve been talking with a close friend, colleague and mentor for years and have come to look forward to our weekly talks which typically center on art, artists, exhibiting, spectacle See more …
I remember the first time I saw a Helen Levitt photograph…I was in university in a history of photography class when a photograph from Levitt’s “Chalk Series” came on screen – a beautiful black and white portrait of children’s “chalk drawing” in NYC from 1938-1948. I was hooked on her photographs of kids being kids – particularly those which feature mischief. I laughed out loud the first time I saw the one of a little boy lifting the back of a girl’s dress for example. Though today many would find this inappropriate, it’s the innocence and lighthearted humor that makes it incredible. Though a street photographer documenting poor neighborhoods in NYC, I learn a great deal from her point of view, her artistry, her imagery from the camera angles and compositions and a genius ability to truly capture a child’s essence. I find her photographs convey a sense of the universal kid – the heart and soul of being free to express, to laugh, to cry, to run with joy. Now if I could only afford one of the out of print publications – I’d be all set.