A little wooden butterfly scotch taped to a piece of vellum that was taped to a sunny window. A bit of fun on a Tuesday morning. 😉
Posts Tagged ‘art’
woody in flight
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, art, butterfly, digital photography, fun, illustration, Inspiration, light, nature, shadows, silhouette, wood on January 8, 2013| 1 Comment »
fruit and flowers
Posted in Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged art, colors, floral photography, flowers, fruit, Inspiration, nature, pink, red, rose, still life on January 7, 2013| 15 Comments »
in flight
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, birds, friendship, gifts, imagination, Inspiration, leaves, nature, nature photography on December 18, 2012| 2 Comments »
I do not know if I would have looked down upon this leaf as it lay on the ground and thought bird, but it does make me smile to know that a friend did think such a thing of this leaf and then went on to think that I might like to have it and so she safely tucked it away until she could give it to me as a gift. I took it home and placed it in a bowl with other leaves and stones. Every now and then I’d glance at it and squint and try to see through my friend’s eyes. Somehow it was this morning that I looked upon it and saw the bird in flight.
two black angels
Posted in Inspiration, tagged angels, art, colors, culture, dreams, exploration, George N. Barnard, Inspiration, photographer, South Carolina Cherubs, stereograph on December 13, 2012| 3 Comments »
This morning I had a dream about two wonderfully portly smiling charcoal-skinned angels. Now I know how the brain can pull together all sorts of images and concepts in an attempt to help one stay in bed. I had already hit the alarm twice. My brain was working overtime to keep me settled in the warmth. You see, I do have a dark angel in the house — a holiday ornament of a little brown girl with close cropped hair. For days I had been humming that song by Radiohead about black eyed angels swimming with me. And yesterday a certain painter hinted that he was feeling inspired by William Blake. So, of course, I had pulled up William Blake images to view his vision of humanity in all its earthy, robust glory. So why wouldn’t I dream of black-eyed, dark-skinned angels smiling at me? Later I decided to take a break in my day and google such a scene. Imagine my surprise at what I found.
In the late 1890s, photographer George N. Barnard had photographed the daily life of South Carolina’s denizens in all their various shades. In an ode to Raphael’s angels, he had two young African American boys pose with pondering expressions upon their faces. Eventually he (or someone else?) placed wings upon their backs to complete the scene.
I’ve already tracked down a biography about Mr. Barnard, a famed American Civil War photographer. I’m looking forward to learning more about him, and of the story behind this photograph of the South Carolina Cherubs. But if you already know the story, please share.
in the words and images of donald langosy
Posted in Inspiration, tagged art, beauty, collaboration, colors, friendship, image essay, Inspiration, musings, painting, poetry, Talking Writing, travel, writers on December 12, 2012| 1 Comment »
Are the holidays especially hectic for you too? If so, I highly recommend you steal away to a quiet corner and read this image essay by poet and artist Donald Langosy. A treat for the eyes and soul, I’d say. 😉 http://talkingwriting.com/image-essay-donald-langosy/
“The Metaphysician and Monsignor” © Donald Langosy
all that glitters is not gold …
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, collage, colors, crafts, creativity, diy, fun, glitter, gold, imagination, Inspiration, nature, nature photography, stationery on December 11, 2012| 5 Comments »
… but sometimes, it is. This day’s activity began with a desire to start sending out holiday cards. Inspired by recent interactions with children of all ages and with artists from many different backgrounds, I decided to err on the side of curiosity and creativity. For a while I had been wondering if I could transform one of my postcards (a simple stand of trees) into holiday stationery. Today I decided to go for it. I searched my supplies for white glitter to mimic snow upon dark branches but all I could find was gold glitter and a little blue, a bunch of old papers and stickers, some scissors and a bit of glue. And so …
In the end, I expect I will send them to my youngest friends and family (or those who are quite young at heart), and who do not mind a bit of sparkle in their mailbox. 😉
The Art of Rod MacIver — Connecting with Something Larger than Ourselves
Posted in Guest Contributor, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, colors, creativity, culture, Heron Dance Art Studio, Inspiration, landscape, nature, outdoors, paintings, Rod MacIver, spirituality, taoism on November 30, 2012| 2 Comments »
Snowy Evening by Rod MacIver
On occasion I muse on this blog about pausing and giving one’s self permission to stop moving in a world that is increasingly hectic. One resource that has been especially useful for me of late is Roderick MacIver’s A Pause for Beauty, a daily e-journal produced by the Heron Dance Art Studio featuring MacIver’s paintings paired with his words or select quotations.
Solo Migration by Rod MacIver
I was moved to contact MacIver, wanting to know more about this artist, his inspirations and the creation of his Heron Dance Art Studio. Following are excerpts from our conversation. Please note that the images he has granted permission to share on this blog are those he considers some of his favorites.
Eagle Morning by Rod MacIver
The website describes Heron Dance as a literary nonprofit and art studio founded in 1994. While MacIver’s paintings dominate the site, he made clear that Heron Dance began as a print publication — a blue newsletter — based on interviews with people he met during his travels, people “who had some concept of greater good.” “Art,” he noted, “was minor in the beginning.” As for why he conducted these interviews, “Well, previously I had worked on Wall Street and then I was diagnosed with a serious illness, non-Hodgkins lymphoma. As I survived that illness, I wanted to devote myself to something positive.” And so he set out to capture the experiences of people doing good works, learning about their spiritual lives, what motivated them, the nature of their struggles, as well as hopes. Eventually, as he fully describes on his website, he stopped looking without and began looking within.
Tranquil Reflections by Rod MacIver
He taught himself to paint while in the hospital. The art made its way into the print publication simply as part of the graphic design of the masthead. It was over time, he shared, that the art became more important. As more people began asking for his artwork, he realized his art could be an integral part of a business. But painting he asserts is about more than business. “No, I enjoy painting. I need to create time to do more of it.”
Grizzly Wonder by Rod MacIver
He currently splits his time between the business side of the Heron Dance Art Studio (located in Vermont) and “the quiet beauty” of cabin life in the Adirondack woods where the landscape’s influence is clear in his painting. Taoism is inspiring him these days. Taoism is a spiritual tradition that promotes living in harmony with nature, among other beliefs. “It’s an interesting approach to spirituality. Water is an important component that I am exploring. Water-related activities have been an important part of my life.”
Morning Solitude by Rod MacIver
The home page of the Heron Dance website lists his current and ongoing creative projects including new collections of his paintings and personal reflections available in books, calendars and diaries.
Heron Whisper by Rod MacIver
If you have a quite moment, or better yet, if you are seeking a quiet moment, I encourage you to read Mr. MacIver’s very detailed account of the the origins of Heron Dance via this link. There you will find excerpts from the interviews mentioned earlier in this post, and see not only the evolution of a publication like Heron Dance but also witness the ongoing evolution of a person and his unique journey in this life. Enjoy!
a walk in the woods
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged art, autumn, birch trees, Blue Hills Reservation, Inspiration, landscape, nature, outdoors, sense of place, walking, watercolor on November 13, 2012| 4 Comments »
I was hoping a walk in the woods would help me regain focus for steady, solid writing. I think it is okay that I was inspired to paint instead.
paper scissors glue
Posted in Inspiration, tagged art, collaboration, collage, illustration, Inspiration, nature, paper on November 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »
A bit of paper glued down to another surface. Collage is simply that, and so much more than that, at the same time. I’ve certainly come to appreciate the vision and intricate work involved with collage through my ongoing collaboration with artist Zoe Langosy. More to report soon about our next collaboration for 2013. Meanwhile …
* you can also read more about Zoe’s creative process in this interview.
dusk reflected in the waters
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged art, beauty, colors, darkness, Inspiration, landscape, light, Middlesex Fells, nature, nature photography, reflections, trees, water on November 6, 2012| 2 Comments »
Words + Images 