Digital Additions and Subtractions

Weaving Dreams

original photograph by artist

Floating World

original photograph by artist

Today was another play day for me -- how much fun to be able to sit and doodle with my photographs, creating other worlds and realms. There is so much to learn with these digital software programs that it becomes a bit daunting. However, I continue to slog away, making mistakes, starting over again . . . and again . . . and again.

I purposely chose to stay with one image and to keep changing the blending modes, colors, texture layers, etc. in the hopes that by using the one image I can truly see the alterations and how these tools work.

The first image has a texture layer in the background -- believe it or not, I scooped up a pile of yarns and ribbons from old knitting projects that I usually stuff into a crystal vase, thinking that I'll use them for fringes and such.

Somehow, the delicacy and "old world" effect of the yarns and ribbons seem to convey a sense of weaving. The rose itself, the simple yet beautiful Betty Prior rose, appears to float and thus the dreaming theme -- a bit of textural reverie.

The second image I tried for a kind of backlit old photo look, something one might find in a grandmother's photo album -- a bit dim and blurred, faded from exposure and handling. If I have more time, I might add a textured layer.

That's the thing -- time. Time runs out, chores must be done and eyeballs must be un-crossed. But I enjoyed this afternoon, and I hope you enjoy perusing these images. And here is one more for the road --

Old World Visions

Another layered image in my humble attempt to honor Severin Roesen, a 19th-century painter I admire particularly for his luscious details in the roses he painted. In this image, I used a photo of my David Austin Sweet Juliet roses, which came out a bit blurred, and a photograph of a moss-covered wall as the texture. Old English roses and moss seem to go together, again evoking another time and place . . .

Another version of the single rose image I uploaded as the new banner for my haiku blog -- so many versions from just one rose -- brilliant. Must be off now -- the little gray cells are getting dim . . . !

New Guidelines for Sanity

digitally altered photograph by artist

Back for a brief visit -- still giving myself permission to take a break, but I do miss the blogging community. Everyone is so supportive, I feel like I've jumped ship or something.

However, I do feel the need to set some new guidelines, to build new parameters for myself so that I do not fall into old habits. For one, I have dumped the visitor counter device. Bad move to add that -- I found myself checking to see if my "stats" were going up, did anyone stop by yesterday, etc. . . .

Blogging isn't about popularity; it is not a contest. I truly want this blog to be a personal journal that I keep in order to keep my creative sanity and to share with other kindred folk.

I will only blog when I feel it is pertinent, not just to ensure that Goggle or Yahoo pick up my blog in searches and such. Yes, it can be a marketing tool, but I already have a website for that purpose. I already belong to two online galleries for that purpose.

This is a personal space. This is the "fun" part. This is where I want to share ideas and thoughts -- or maybe just talk to myself and putter around in cyberspace.

So today I gave myself some time to play with my photography and learn more about certain techniques. It was fun; it was frustrating but I persevered and the end result is above. BTW, the border around the image I hand-drew mainly because the other recommended ways just didn't seem to work for me. I'm sure I'll find an easier method at some point.

In the meantime, I am going for a long walk in the sunshine and enjoy the afternoon, perhaps stop by the store and pick up a bottle of chardonnay, read some poetry and write some haiku . . . I guess that's the beauty of a creative sabbatical -- loving it!

Taking a Sabbatical

No pictures with this entry, I'm afraid. Sorry but life is getting a bit out of control here at work. In the non-profit sector, budgets have been cut, staff cut, resources are strained, and it will probably get worse. I have a full-time career as a director, and it is taking its' toll trying to keep so many balls in the air with one arm tied behind one's back. I have very little energy left for my art, much less anything else.

So, I'm giving myself a sabbatical from blogging -- at least for awhile. I hope to return but not quite sure when.

I want to thank all the wonderful "blogging friends" I have made over the past year. I hope from time to time to visit you and see your wonderful, inspiring creativity and writings!

Take care . . . and remember to stop and smell the roses once in awhile.

Art Forms for Labor Day Weekend

Haze-ridden Coast

Grey Coastline

Working with gouache and acrylics, mostly on Wallis archival sanded paper, I tried for a loose, more juicy effect, allowing the paints to run and drip, mix and flow -- a bit like how I'll be working with dyes and silks in the coming weeks. These started in response to the days at the beach on the Cape, where the weather has such a profound effect upon the land/seascape. Somehow, heavy oils just did not seem to work; however, the acrylics and gouache captured the effect I was seeking. Working on the Wallis sanded paper, usually for pastel work, helped achieve those rivulets and runnels one finds at the beach.

Well, in the next few weeks I'll be working with the dyes and silks for the festival in October. I often work with the Japanese arashi shibori technique (arashi means storm, as the wrinkles appear to be like wind-driven rain) where the silks are wrapped and tied on poles, then dyed and over-dyed and allowed to dry for several days. Here's an example of a finished silk scarf:

It's always a surpise as one cannot see what's happening under the wrapped layers, so a degree of patience and faith is needed, trusting in the process and allowing for "welcome mistakes" Maybe next entry I'll post some in-process photos -- it truly is a lovely mess!

Late Blossoms

On this Earth
by artist

Closely, Closely
by artist

As I walk through my gardens I can feel the veil of humidity and heat lifting. Nights are chilled and mornings are still, with only the flutter of wings to break the quiet. Roses and clematis, trumpet vine and fushia, petunias and impatiens, daylilies and rose of sharon -- all seem to lean forward, urging one to touch and smell.

Do they know the season is closing down? Do they sense time is running out?

Which flower would you take if you had to choose . . . impossible to say. Each speaks its own language, answers to one's needs at the moment differently.

I would take the daylily or the trumpet vine to signal ecstasy and joy . . . the fushia or the rose of sharon to mark deep passion . . . the rose for remembrance and the clematis for gentleness . . .

In the end I would take them all -- and none, as they are lovely right where they are -- in the garden . . .