I really did not mean to slow down to only one blog post and photo drop a month. But this seems to be a trend and I hope to break it. Procrastination and wasting time is always near. But so does the need for other activities, chores and everything we call life. It is Spring though and I am pushing myself towards a genuine seasonal shift.

For several years I have been trying to create a studio in the garage that has never held a car. It's a nice space. Being not overly bright may be its only drawback. But then it gets cluttered. Then it needs to be cleaned. then it gets cluttered again... you know the drill! Right now it's partially cleaned and partially cluttered... In my own defense, the clutter is not much of mine. It's other peoples stuff too. The garage is a community piece of the homestead, right? Somehow I have found many easy ways to prevent me from moving forward with the plan. I guess I'm thinking if I publicly state this I am going to hold myself accountable. Wish me luck!

I got to thinking about this intended art project, pivot or whatever it may become when I began to choose the next photo to come into the gallery here. My Earthbound abstract photo collection has the least amount of photos in it. So, it became the one to fill. I knew the abstract photograph I wanted to fill the spot. All I had to do was find it! I knew when and where I took the photo. So I opened that year folder and began to browse. Then I panicked. It wasn't there... Soon I realized I had actually created a special folder for my trip to Scotland in the Fall a few years back. I found both the original and the web sized version of the photo and here it is; Fall Colors! This was from a session where someone showed me the technique of "intentional camera shake" for the first time. Needless to say I took dozens and dozens of shots experimenting with the level and speed of the shake as well as the shutter speed. If I close my eyes I can actually put myself right into that cold and breezy moment. I can even hear the leaves rustling! This was a dense stand of birch trees and the sunlight was soft. As far as I can tell, I did not take one traditional photo of them to show you. They do make a very brief appearance in my last blog in the video I shared there, "Lost in the Cairngorms" at about the 1:40 mark :-) 

I find this sort of photographic work (abstract) very contemplative, both when doing it and now, when observing it. What sort of feelings or emotions do you get from it? This particular one has a very uplifting feeling to it on the wall.

Meanwhile, I inch closer towards my pivot goal; to mix my photography into a mixed media stew of art. I want to see what I can do with encaustic photography. I also want to try some different forms of "build up" with acrylics and collage work. Like I said, I have the space. I have the tables. I have some of my photography printed. The next step is going to be that fateful first foray into the art store. I want to try several mediums; wood board and canvas board will be where I start. For a few years I got stuck on the concept of printing my photos incrementally sized with the idea of glueing a smaller size on top of the larger size for many, many layers. The idea being to get it to be 3D rising out of the base an inch or more! I may still try that. I can tell you, my main reason for procrastinating is all based on the fear of failure. But I am coming to grips with the fact that failure is more than inevitable. Art really can't be made without it, right? As a photographer I don't give a second thought to taking 200 frames only to find one good one. This is no different! Right? The clock is marching and I know it's going to be fun!

My abstract photography is as close to creating art as I will get until I take the next step! This song by a very cherished singer, La Mari from Chambao, aptly titled "Ahi Estas Tu" takes me into the place where I want my art to go. I have only been to Spain once, But it left an indelible mark on my soul and i hope to return one day. Maybe even to live! If this is your first listen to Chambao I highly recommend you watch a live show on YouTube or listen to ANY of their albums. I was fortunate to combine a visit to the America's Cup sailboat regatta in Valencia, followed by two weeks of sailing around Mallorca. Flamenco Chill is what many categorize Chambao as and coincidentally, where I heard it first... out in the Balearics!

Bonus track! Check them out live just back in 2018! Music and art! Music and art! Music and art! Thanks for reading my blog. Writing is a great outlet that requires one to slow down and think! It's different from relaxing and absorbing. In fact, it's much like photography or making art. Creating as a form of release. Letting some of what is in you, out! Go out! Go out!

Ok. I'm going to go buy some substrate and stop procrastinating. As the teachers say, buy a large jar of Gesso!