Inspired

Changing The World

…by changing our thoughts.

A sweet alchemy begins to happen in our lives when we focus our thoughts on a world of beauty, grace and ease...and by ease, I mean letting go of the idea that life is a struggle.

The nest of eggs in this piece, represents the power we have to rebirth or begin anew in every moment. We really do hold the magic and power in our own hands to create the life we dream of.

So turn off the news, read uplifting thoughts and ideas, watch inspiring movies, surround yourself with people who believe in you and allow yourself to do whatever it is that makes your heart sing...even if your life is far from perfect right now...especially if your life is far from perfect right now!  Oh I know there's so much more to it than this...and yet there isn't...it's really that hard and yet that simple.  I wouldn't say so if I hadn't been there and back again myself.

Blessings of renewal in every moment to each of you,

Handmade/Homemade

Last week’s theme at Lens Us Together was “Homemade” and I struggled a bit with this topic.  If you’ve been visiting here for awhile then you’ll know that much of my “life” has been packed away in boxes since the end of April…including the contents of my studio.  It’s been a challenge for me but also very freeing, as I was forced to focus soley on photography and digital media and that has opened up new projects and new ways of approaching this media. 

The other challenge has been the difficulty I’ve had in concentrating on anything creative when my mind has been on construction decisions and living with extended family.  We’ve all had a lot of fun together and enjoyed the experience so much, but it’s definitely time to get back to “normal’ life…whatever that might be!

In the last few months I’ve been working on a series of digital work which start with my own black and white photographs.  I then add a solid block of colour and continue to add on collage layers (digitally).  I find the contrast of black and white with a bright solid colour, interesting and fun to work with.  The top picture was originally of a pumpkin patch…hence the orange, and the pink one above was of a field of gladiola’s.

 

And this one, which I’ve posted here previously, is of the ever present sea that nourishes and surrounds me! 

This is about as “home made” as it' gets around here these days!

I’m so glad you stopped by for a visit,

Play well and be kind to one another.

Birds and Branches

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.
It sings because it has a song.
Chinese Proverb

At night, I open the window and ask the moon to come and press its face against mine. Breathe into me.
Close the language-door, and open the love-window.  The moon won't use the door, only the window.

Mevlana Rumi

Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.

Victor Hugo

I’ve been busy playing with the birds!  The branches are my own photographs, digitally collaged with textures.  The little bird in all three pieces was a nuthatch that flew into Trudi’s  studio one day and wanted to stay.  She has kindly shared an extraction of the nuthatch for download.  Thanks Trudy, this little sweetie was just what I needed!

Thanks for visiting…I’m so glad you came. 

Play well and be kind to one another.

Fields of Gold

At the peak of summer when the Queen Anne’s Lace is in bloom and the grasses are thick and tall, I love to walk in these fields.  It’s been exceptionally hot and dry on the west coast this year and there’s a crispness to everything that’s not normally seen until fall.  It’s been wonderful for outdoor fun and just relaxing on the deck.  The extra bonus for us is that it’s also been perfect weather for house construction too, as it keeps the mud away! 

The treatment on this photograph was experimental for me…and the end result wasn’t exactly what I was attempting to achieve.  I used “paint brushes” in Photoshop and digitally layered the painted layers with the photograph.  What I really wanted to do was to actually paint (by hand as opposed to virtual) the photograph as blocks of colour on paper, scan it and layer it digitally into the original photograph, but I don’t have either the materials or the room to start painting right now.  There’s been a groundswell of creative ideas bubbling up in me recently so I’m making notes and writing down idea’s for when I do have the time and space to pursue them. 

Today

…mmmmm…a marvelous massage

…picking out the doors for the house

…a picnic at the beach for dinner

…and idea’s are percolating for the next Shared Focus project

Edit:  At Lucy's suggestion I listened to Eva Cassidy singing Fields of Gold, and loved it much that I thought I'd include it in this post.  I have heard her before, but not singing this particular song. Eva's voice is so very lovely...the world lost an incredible talent when she died in 1996.  Thanks Lucy! 

 

Play well and be kind to one another,