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~ August 2009 ~
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August 3rd ~ Education
| As those of you
who follow this blog know, I have been obsessed with learning
a new medium the past few months. This past weekend, I attended
my first photography workshop for studio shooting in Maryland.
Never did I imagine a year ago that I would be going down this
path today! It is an exciting adjunct to my career and an energizer
for my creative expression, social life and continued education. |
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The roots of education are bitter,
but the fruit is sweet." ~ Aristotle
"For the things we have
to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."
~ Aristotle
"Make the most of yourself,
for that is all there is of you." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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This is my favorite model
at the shoot,
Dasha from Russia. |
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August 6th ~ Obligations
| These days, most
everyone has a vast array of obligations. Some are temporary
and self imposed, like a task needing to be completed. Others
are dependent on family and work situations, over which, we may
not have much control. Often opportunities come with their
own deluge of obligations and there is no avoiding them. When
a course is set with a goal in mind and you are moving forward,
there is no turning back. If we want to advance, in most endeavors
in life, we must learn to willingly accept the obligations along
with the rewards. |
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"If he, Tom Sawyer, had
been a great and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book,
he would now have comprehended that work consists of whatever
a body is obliged to do and play consists of whatever
a body is not obliged to do." ~ Mark Twain
"I believe that every right
implies a responsibility; every opportunity an obligation; every
possession a duty." ~ John D. Rockefeller
"Rank imposes obligation."
~ Motto
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| Here's a photo
of Sid and Shirley, my wonderful models last week, with an old
opticon. Now it's my obligation to do some work on their shots,
put together a CD and get it out in the mail to thank them. |
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August 10th ~ Anticipation
| Living in the moment
is an art in itself. Sometimes it's hard however. When
we are expecting something to happen, we live in either anticipation
or apprehension. I believe that expecting a positive result
or situation over a negative one, will ultimately influence
the outcome.That is why, as Linda Blondheim said, "Maintaining
a spirit of anticipation and joy is the key to success." |
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"If you think you can do
a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right. " ~
Henry Ford
"If pleasures are greatest
in anticipation, just remember that this is also true of trouble."
~ Elbert Hubbard
"There are two ways to face
the future. One way is with apprehension; the other is with anticipation."
~ Jim Rohn
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| Original Watercolor
- 18" x 24" - Anticipate Beauty - $549.00 framed |
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August 13th ~ Purpose
| I often wonder
what drives me to paint, shoot and create. An answer that generally
comes to mind is the need to make my mark and tell the world;
"I was here". The other aspect is my desire to make
a difference and to make people's lives a little better
somehow. Maybe that is why I'm obsessed with reaching out
to you and sharing my thoughts and inspirations. I think we all
have that desire in some form, whether it's through or kids,
associations or our work. What's your take on it? |
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"Our primordial purpose
is to respond to the impulsion from within to solve the mystery
of our individual existence, to find and be the authentic Self
that is, has been and ever shall be." ~ Dr. Michael Beckwith
"There has probably never
been an artist that only painted for his or her eyes alone."
~ Moncy Barbour
"Art is the perpetual motion
of illusion. The highest purpose of art is to inspire. What else
can you do? What else can you do for any one but inspire them?"
~ Bob Dylan
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| Original Watercolor
- 18" x 24" - Soothing Blues - $549.00 framed |
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August 17th ~ Chaos
| This morning I
spent some time trying to photograph hummingbirds in flight.
Now I really understand the saying, "It's like shooting
fish in a barrel". I took down most of the other feeders
to attract them to the one I was shooting. Not only did the solitary
feeder attract massive clusters of birds, but also an array of
bees and wasps which really got the hummers agitated. It was
a great exercise in skill and hand - eye coordination,
but I can't say I've gotten quite what I'm looking for yet. I
can see clearly, that this complex, chaotic subject will require
me to develop greater precision and more refined technical and
photographic skills. |
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"Art is the achievement
of stillness in the midst of chaos." ~ Saul Bellow
"We live in a rainbow of
chaos." ~ Paul Cezanne
"We adore chaos because
we love to produce order." ~ M. C. Escher
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| Here's one of my
best shots from the morning session. See more photos of the little
jewels on my
web log. |
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August 24th ~ Goals
| Brian Tracy says,
"Rewrite your major goals every day, in the present tense,
exactly as if they already existed." This goes along with
the idea that most motivational teachers use; "believe and
achieve". One should always have very specific goals in
order to plan and follow through successfully. Once targets are
defined, you need to proceed with focus, motivation and action.
Confidence in achieving your goals will keep you on track. It
has been proven by many that a resolute, non wavering belief
in your vision does have the power to turn your desires into
reality! |
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"One should not pursue goals
that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what
one can just barely achieve through one's greatest efforts."
~ Albert Einstein
"It must be borne in mind
that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal.
The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach." ~ Dr. Benjamin
Mays
"Focus on your goals, not
on the obstacles." ~ B. R. Pulsifer
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| Today's image is
another photo I took a few weeks ago at my first commercial
group studio model shoot. |
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August 31st ~ Struggles Of A Butterfly
|
Whenever I see a butterfly these
days, I think of this story. There are many versions on line
but I like this one the best. I hope you like it as much as I
do.
Struggles of a Butterfly
When he was a small boy, he had
loved butterflies. Oh, not to net and
mount them, but to wonder at their designs and habits.
Now a grown man with his first
son to be born in a few weeks, he found
himself once again fascinated with a cocoon. He had found it
at the side
of the park path. Somehow the twig had been knocked from the
tree and
the cocoon had survived undamaged and still woven to the branch.
As he had seen his mother do,
he gently protected it by wrapping it in
his handkerchief and carried it home. The cocoon found a temporary
home
in a wide-top mason jar with holes in the lid. The jar was placed
on the
mantle for easy viewing and protection from their curious cat
who would
delight in volleying the sticky silk between her paws.
The man watched. His wife's interest
lasted only a moment, but he studied
the silky envelope. Almost imperceptibly at first, the cocoon
moved. He
watched more closely and soon the cocoon was trembling with activity.
Nothing else happened. The cocoon remained tightly glued to the
twig and
there was no sign of wings.
Finally the shaking became so
intense, the man thought the butterfly would
die from the struggle. He removed the lid on the jar, took a
sharp pen
knife from his desk drawer, and carefully made a tiny slit in
the side
of the cocoon. Almost immediately, one wing appeared and then
outstretched
the other. The butterfly was free!
It seemed to enjoy its freedom
and walked along the edge of the mason jar
and along the edge of the mantle. But it didn't fly. At first
the man
thought the wings needed time to dry, but time passed and still
the
butterfly did not take off.
The man was worried and called
up his neighbor who taught high school
science. He told the neighbor how he had found the cocoon, placed
it in
the mason jar, and the terrible trembling as the butterfly struggled
to
get out. When he described how he had carefully made a small
slit in the
cocoon, the teacher stopped him. "Oh, that is the reason.
You see, the
struggle is what gives the butterfly the strength to fly."
And so it is with us. Sometimes
it's the struggles in life that strengthen
us the most.
Author Unknown
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| Today's image is
a photo I took yesterday in my yard. |
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~
September 2009 ~
|
Get inspirational
emails with images delivered free to your mailbox as they are
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with "spirit
art subscribe" in your email. ~ Sandysandy |
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