Month: January 2021

Aimee

Creating characters through a bit of collage and painting. Finding vintage images that inspire art and story has become a habit. When I study an image the process that emerges is who was this image likened to, what time period was it created, where did the image live and then the story begins …

Bouquets

Writing before on this subject, about five years prior, I find I am once again finding beauty through grocery store bouquets. The flowers have gone up in price which one would expect over a five year stretch of time. These particular bouquets are five dollars. Each week while shopping I look forward to choosing one and returning home to put together fresh flowers for my home.

The Dancer

‘Please send me your last pair of shoes, worn out with dancing as you mentioned in your letter, so that I might have something to press against my heart.’ ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Selective Photo Focus

My understanding of a selective photo focus – ‘a technique where the photographer selectively focuses on the subject of an image, ignoring all other aspects of the scene. The contrast of the sharp subject against the soft image background.’ ~Shutter Muse

I noticed the soft image background seemed to be on one side, which is a lesson learned. I can now try to figure out how to take the photo with the whole background softened.

For me, the camera is a sketchbook, … ~Henri Cartier – Bresson

Colored Pencils

One of my most desired art supplies is colored pencils. They have a light touch, they can be smeared and blended, the array of color choices is amazing and they smell, ever so lightly of freshly cut wood, combined with clean.

Surviving Remnants

As I sort, wrap up the breakables and clean the Christmas decorations I think of how empty the rooms look. The stripped, red and white ribbon and snow flaked rug with a Christmas red background filled the living room with color and a soft sparkle from the chosen clear lights. The kitchen lacks the greenery tied up with another go round of ribbon that glitters. The sweet smells are packed away standing straight in their Christmas themed box. I can still smell the orange, cinnamon and cloves with that hint of fresh pine. I finish the
chore taking my time and try to remember the arrangement of things, making mental notes for next year. I have read, to take photos of these things, but I find I would
rather gather the memories and neatly tuck those away in a natural way. I think I am done and all looks neat and piled in the red, plastic containers when I come across in my
room a small nook filled with a few more decorations. I find I am happy, almost relieved that a few have lagged behind. Candles that lite the windows, silver napkin rings without the white, fluffed napkins, an unlit Christmas tree candle that was really too pretty to light and a finial that just appears to match Christmas, fitting in. The spoils are pure bliss and I will leave them for a few more moments before finishing the memories.

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess
created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don’t clean it
up too quickly.”
~Andy Rooney