Just one thing

A recent lesson in bestill52, my online creative class with kim klassen, was to take one thing and see how many different ways you could photograph it.  At first, nothing came to mind to really motivate me to do a series...

but this past weekend...as I was cleaning up the garden bouquet that was now withered and dying, this one tulip caught my eye...and persuaded me to play...

Different settings, changing light, varied filters and editing...it was a good exercise in seeing how a mood or a feeling could change with the slightest adjustments...

and while we're talking about one more thing...
Early Bird registration for Art Party Portland ends May 1
for details, information and registration, click here

joining the group over at kim klassen's for texture tuesday...
used kk textures enlightened and monday in my editing work of the tulips...

the first signs

edited with kk texture scripted edges

It begins with the sprouts of green among the dead leaves and withered grass from last fall...and then those first pops of color...little beads of purple...the grape hyacinths are blooming...

and then the light of day changes...it becomes brighter...and lingers longer...

The assignment for this week's bestill52 class was to capture this lightness...using elements of white and glass...my collection of small glass bottles put to perfect use, complemented by a swath of white linen and lovely afternoon light...

both photos edited with kk texture hughes

This spring awakening inspired me to clear out the dust and the cobwebs and 
to brighten the dark corners of the house...

edited with kk texture rainyday

hope and dream...the promise of spring...

joining the group over at kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...

taking a little detour

I've been participating in Kim Klassen's BeStill52 course...its a combination of still photography with reflective moments...to actually practice being still...quieting your mind and body...to listen to your inner rhythms...

Last Wednesday's exercise had a prompt to use some bunting in your vignette...I didn't have any bunting...and with my crunch schedule, I didn't want to make any bunting (though it probably would have been a good still exercise) so wondered how I could adapt...

I recently pulled this old board out of a corner of the garden...I recollect it had metal casters on it at one point...which I removed and now are attached to the low cabinet in my front hallway.  Re-examining the board, with its long, thick jute rope hanging on one end, I decided to clean it up and bring it inside for a photographic background...

As I set up on my dining room table, I grabbed the old tape measure laying nearby...the idea of the prompt was to have something in the background which would add some visual interest...I improvised...taking a detour with the bunting idea...

My neighbor's camellia bush is blooming so I snagged a stray blossom...
which was already wilting...picks up the faded red ink stain on the board...

Looking for something else to play up the pink...a few vintage bingo cards...

Finally...just focusing on the wood, the measuring tape and the dressmaker's shears...

This for me, reflects a picture of stillness...weekly exercise complete...

Joining the group over at Kim's Texture Tuesday...
all of my photos were edited with kk texture carmel...

learning to find the light

One of the downfalls of living in the Pacific Northwest is that winter can be gray...and long...
which makes taking photographs challenging...both in finding the spot where there is light as well as finding the time of day that makes any such photography worthwhile...

So I've been embracing the shadows as well as the light...I've found that the best light comes through the north facing window in my kitchen...directly behind the sink...so the small area to the left of the sink...before you knock your head on the upper cabinets...is the best spot to take photos...

Trying to capture that nuance of dark, moody photographs...pretending that it was a conscious effort to avoid shooting in a bright, sun-lit atmosphere...

edited with kk texture plaster squared

I picked up these daffodils...just starting to burst open...

Less than a week later...they are bolting...

edited with kk texture plaster squared

Swapping out the backgrounds also helped to elicit different moods...so many possible tweaks and variations...

Other photo fun I've been having...recently learned that prints of John James Audubon's Birds of America paintings are available for free download...one of my favorite artists...his precision and execution are incredible...
find all the prints here www.audubon.org/birds-of-america

I just had to play...
original print

My composition - "Birds on the brain"
overlay of one of my photos of birds in trees with 2LilOwls texture...

Joining the group over at kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...why don't you stop by...

Getting ahead of myself

The weather here the past couple of days has been very springlike...almost lulls one into thinking warmer weather is at hand...but I know better...its only a tease...

I'm so sorry for those of you who live on the East coast...stay safe and warm...

Since the weather was cooperating, thought I'd better get outside and clean up the garden...a task that didn't seem to happen this past fall...

My two large hydrangea bushes in the backyard garden are already budding...figured I could snatch one small branch...

Keeping it simple...edited with 2 layers of  kk texture unleashed

and one version edited with textures and overlays gleaned from my first session of AWAKE, 
a yearlong Photoshop artistry class...

Joining the group over at kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...camaraderie and photography at its best...

appreciating now...

the last number of days have been very gray and damp...
a steady rain that seems to say "slow down, don't go too fast"

a good plan for the new year...let's ease into it...acknowledge each day...
without wishing instead for the ones yet to come...

though difficult to discern from the photo...the silver baby cup is monogrammed with N.O.W.
I have no idea who this is...but the idea of making the present moment count is what captured my attention...

the diminished light gives a blurred edge to my photographs without any additional tweaking...
edited with just a simple layer of kk texture pinit11  (which you can download from kim's pinterest board here)

linking up with texture tuesday at kimklassen.com ...

Gravitational pull

Do you ever wonder why you are drawn to certain objects?

How is it that an ordinary object can have extraordinary appeal?

a forgotten tea cup...
an orphaned saucer...
an ink splattered book...

Most people would not give
such items a second look...
why is it that they call my name?


Sometimes I can't help myself...yesterday walking the dog, I just had to pick up the rusty washer on the street...
as valuable to me as if I had spied a diamond in the road...













Sometimes I have to be sneaky...this old red pencil...the extra fat kind that children use in elementary school...worn almost to a nub...with perfect peeling red paint...it was sitting on a counter at work...can't believe that someone was actually using it...most likely dropped by a child in the store...yes, it's mine now...

My rationalization...if I left it behind, someone would most likely throw it in the garbage, mistaking this treasure for trash...I rescued it for a better life...

Paired with my favorite french postcard, they are a divine match...

And yes...that postcard...languishing in a pile of paper...
just waiting for me to come along and take it home...

its caption, "wishes of happiness" expressing my delight...
and providing more than its share of artistic inspiration...

Joining the group over at kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...my first four photos edited with kk texture carmel...
my last photo edited with several elements from French Kiss...

Priorities

With winter making an abrupt entrance, cold weather clothing was quickly pulled out of storage...which led me to discover that my Doc Marten boots had a split in the leather toe...which led to more time than I wanted to spend looking to purchase a new pair of winter shoes...

I'm rather frugal with my money...I'm really quite content to wear my patched jeans, fraying t-shirts and oversized sweaters on most days...I'm in the studio working...fashion is not a priority...

But...poking around online Sunday morning...I spied these beauties on From the Alley to the Gallery etsy shop...and I maybe hesitated a minute before I bought them...

I have an obsession with adding to my exhaustive collection of old clocks...and giving money to a fellow artist to provide me with inspiration and joy also tops my list of priorities...

I don't know what it is about old clocks...

its not just the graphic quality of the clock face....

or the intricacy of the gears and springs within the internal workings...

its more about the commonality of this household item...and the lives that were measured by its ticking...
hours filled with joy...or maybe sadness...most likely a combination of both...

All I know is that they provide an impetus for my work...an inspirit for which I am grateful... 
(learned a new word today...inspirit...read all about on Pic Me Up, Donna Hopkins blog)

Joining the group over at kim klassen's Texture Tuesday...
my photos were edited with a combination of kk textures ReverseTTV and Dollardsoft&gentle