mfa + boston
I believe art is like exercise and diet - once you stop moving, the old habits surface and in too short of a time, all the forward progress retreats at an alarmingly fast rate.
I believe art is like exercise and diet - once you stop moving, the old habits surface and in too short of a time, all the forward progress retreats at an alarmingly fast rate. It's much easier to grasp this in terms of dance or athletics for without daily stretching, the muscles tighten and the drive to push past a known limit dissolves. It's a metaphor I see with photographing. While sometimes the spaces in between can offer rest and inspiring insights, too much time away often leaves me unable to be present for I'm more eager to find something spectacular rather than enjoying the moment. While all this surfaced during a visit into Boston to see the Class Distinctions exhibit at the MFA, this time, I was willing to stand in the undertow of with compassion and rejoice in the moments that appeared.
hope | mfa, 2016
the art lesson | mfa boston, 2016
digital jukebox, conversation with imaginary friend | boston, 2016
the sketch
I am without words to aptly put the year behind into some kind of focus ... let alone a context to all the life that's been lived.
I am without words to aptly put the year behind into some kind of focus ... let alone a context to all the life that's been lived. Given the tendency at this time of year to make sense of what’s past, I think we are naturally inclined to understand our truths; to thoughtfully reflect on what felt like triumphs; to make sense of those times when the shadows were a little darker and days felt a little heavy. That by doing so, perhaps we can infuse what lies ahead into a mirage we cling to in our minds - that bit of nirvana we hope and pray for in our day to day. But when I think back to the bits I remember of last year at this time in thinking about the year ahead, I can only recall a desire to sense an impression - to sketch an outline instead of a shape. Yes I had hopes and wishes and goals yet they were trivialities in the grand scope of the review mirror for I could not have even in my wildest imagined all I've experienced. So on the second to last day of this year, I am reviewing all that was; retracing the steps, recalling the sights and sounds, the faces and places and spaces ... the seeds of last year's grains cast to the wind for the year ahead.
the little tree
It was the first week of December and i still hadn't figured out what to do for a holiday card.
It was the first week of December and i still hadn't figured out what to do for a holiday card. Tho I've accepted a need to be in the month to feel that special something in the air, i am still learning to let go and trust in the process. And yet on the day i planned to take a drive along the coast with a friend (with a hope of finding an image in the back of my mind), the great muse in the sky saw fit to fill this particular day with a mystical fog and mist; two elements that inspire my art seeking soul, and I knew there was a very special picture out there for me that day. I'd actually planned to take one from the Beverly seashore with a view back to Salem and it was here that i saw this little tree perched on the fence overlooking a calm harbor with the stacks from the power plant (which three years later are dismantled) barely visible in the background. Yes, this was the picture which pleased my heart. It was the one for the card, but more than that, it's one that lingered well after the month had passed and sparked an interest in finding little trees each year.
Little Tree & Salem Power Plant taken from Beverly, MA | 2012
As we were in Florida early to mid December the following year, I saw these three little trees nestled among the palms. Though a little too busy for a card, and not as "little" a tree as I'd hoped for, it was the image for the year for by the time we returned and acclimated, the spirit of the season had somewhat transitioned into the new year vibe.
Three trees at the Edison House Fort Meyers, FL | 2013
Last year's image surfaced in the most unremarkable location by day; by night, its presence was sweetly magical.
Spiraling Tree with Star, Salem, MA | 2014
This year, I saw one that like last years, had the right vibe at night. While it worked for the card, I'm still in an inspired search. And in that, I thought of seeing what i could do with staging my own little tree.
Little tree & Spotlight, Marblehead, MA | 2015
So I selected a sweet little fir in a red stand and gave it a try. It provided an afternoon of enjoyment, sparked inquiry from a child on the beach and others walking on the trail and may offer a few more afternoons of interest. But I can't deny a sense of feeling like i'm cheating ... or perhaps that this is a side series. For part of the allure of the Little Tree is the discovery .... it is the experience of a process, the time and persistence, and in that (for me) is the gift.
Little (Staged) Tree at Winter Island, Salem MA | 2015
Wells Blog
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