Sunday was one of those serendipitous days when I had the wonderful opportunity to see a master at work.  Robert Gary Parkes gave an exclusive glass blowing demonstration to members of my camera club.  He was articulate in explaining a little of the history of glass blowing, talked about various kinds of glass, and showed us how he combined glass to create stunning colours.

We were all happily snapping away trying to catch his every move. I experimented with a variety of aperture and shutter settings and used a tripod to help capture some of the action.  If you’ve ever seen glass blowing you will know how fast the artisan has to work to keep the molten glass from hardening too quickly.

Here’s an image I took while Robert was swinging the rod with hot glass back and forth in an almost dance-like rhythm.

With twirling and whirling and crimping and shaping, Robert created an exquisite glass bowl.  I captured this image while he was in motion and just before he was ready to cut it off the rod.

If you live near Vancouver,  it’s an easy drive to Robert’s studio in Surrey, BC. He’s more than happy to give demonstrations for groups and has a beautiful collection of glass pieces for sale in the gallery.  His website is http:/robertgaryparkes.ca  Don’t forget your camera!

Here’s a tiny portion of a vase on display in the gallery.

© all images copyright Marion McCristall

Weymouth ( /ˈweɪməθ/) is a seaside town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast. The town is 13 kilometres (8 mi) south of Dorchester and 8 kilometres (5 mi) north of the Isle of Portland. The town’s population is 52,950 (2006).

The A354 road bridge connects Weymouth to Portland, which together form the borough of Weymouth and Portland. The history of the borough stretches back to the 12th century; including involvement in the spread of the Black Death, the settlement of the Americas, the development of Georgian architecture, and preparations for World War II.

U.S. soldiers marched through Weymouth to board landing ships for the 1944 invasion of France.

Fishing and trading employ fewer people in the area since their peak in earlier centuries, but tourism has continuously increased its presence in the town since the 18th century and is now the primary industry. Weymouth is a tourist resort, and its economy depends on its harbour and visitor attractions; the town is a gateway situated half-way along the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site on the Dorset and east Devon coast, important for its geology and landforms. Weymouth Harbour is home to cross-channel ferries, pleasure boats and private yachts, and nearby Portland Harbour is home to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, where the sailing events of the 2012 Olympic Games will be held.

Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I would have liked to sit on this bench and have a cup of coffee and experience the ultimate peace of mind if time would have permitted. But I captured it and now I can experience the freshness of that morning anytime .

.

Related articles

• Ephemera Day: Vintage Postcard, 1935 (randalldickerson.wordpress.com)

Bon Iver  played a session for record a 5 track-long session for 4AD/Jagjaguwar. They played tracks from their Grammy Award winning album. Watch it below:

Setlist:

Hinnom, TX
Wash.
I Can’t Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt cover)
Babys
Beth/Rest

By Conor Kelly

Lyrics :

[CL] Gakkeumssik sure chwihae jeonhwalgeoreo
Jigeumeun saebyeok daseossiban
Neon tto dareun yeojaui ireumeul bulleo
No~No

[Bom] I Don‘t Care
Geumanhallae
Niga eodieseo mwol hadeon ije jeongmal sanggwan anhalge
Bikyeojullae
Ijewa ulgobulgo maedallijima
Cause I Don‘t Care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
I Don‘t Care eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
[Minzy] Cause I Don‘t Care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
I Don‘t Care eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
Boy I Don‘t Care

[Minzy] Dareun yeojadeurui darireul humchyeoboneun
Niga neomu neomu hansimhae
Maeil ppaenonneun keopeulling
Na mollae han sogaeting
Deoisang motchameulgeotgata
Oh, Oh, Oh
[Dara] Neon jeoldae aniraneun sumanheun nauichingu
Neon neukdaeran chingudeulkkaji tailleotjiman
Charari holgabunhae
Neoege nan gwabunhae
Nae sarangira mideonneunde
Oh, Oh, Oh

[CL] Oneuldo bappeudago malhaneun neo
Hoksina jeonhwahaebwatjiman
Yeoksi dwieseon yeoja useumsoriga deullyeo
Oh no~

[Bom] I Don‘t Care
Geumanhallae
Niga eodieseo mwol hadeon ije jeongmal sanggwan
Anhalge
Bikyeojullae
Ijewa ulgobulgo maedallijima
Cause I Don‘t Care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
I Don‘t Care eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
[CL] Cause I Don‘t Care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
I Don‘t Care eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
Boy I Don‘t Care

[Minzy] Nan neottaeme ulmyeo jisaedeon bameul gieokhae Boy
Deo huhoehal neol saenggakhani mami swiwonne Boy
Nal nochigin akkapgo gatgien sisihajanni
Isseulttae jalhaji neo wae ijewa maedallini
[CL] Yo sogajun geojitmalmanhaedo subaekbeon
Oneul ihuro nan namja ullineun Bad girl
Ijen nunmul hanbangul eobsi neol biuseo
Sarangiran geim sok Loser
Mureupkkurko jabeul su inni
Anim nun apeseo dangjang kkeojyeo

[CL] Now clap your hands to this

[Bom] I Don‘t Care
Geumanhallae
Niga eodieseo mwol hadeon ije jeongmal sanggwan
Anhalge
Bikyeojullae
Ijewa ulgobulgo maedallijima
Cause I Don‘t Care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
I Don‘t Care eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
[Minzy] Cause I Don‘t Care-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
I Don‘t Care eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
Boy I Don‘t Care

I have no idea what plane this is and ironically it seems to have a question mark on it’s side. Someone who can identify this type/plane? Quite some people seem to have gathered around it so maybe this was a special occasion?

full credit: Joseph Samyn

Prominent venture capital investor Ben Horowitz  has been using rap to transmit business lessons to tech entrepreneurs.

Mr. Horowitz : “Because it’s Rakim, and he’s like the greatest rapper of all time, he could fit into two sentences what it took me three pages to explain.”

[Source: NYTimes]

We weep for the blood of a bird, but not for the blood of a fish. Blessed are those with a voice. If the dolls also had voices, I bet they would have screamed, “I didn’t want to become human.”

Mamoru Oshii

Could commodities themselves speak, they would say: Our use value may be a thing that interests men. It is no part of us as objects. What, however, does belong to us as objects, is our value. Our natural intercourse as commodities proves it. In the eyes of each other we are nothing but exchange values.

Karl Marx

Our home away from home in Luang Prabang sat opposite from the former royal city’s oldest operating temple, Wat Wisunalat (a temple with many variations on its name). The temple was built in the early 1500s.

Known for its quiet lanes and thirty temples, Luang Prabang feels authentically Asian. Monks of all ages – clad in saffron-colored robes – pound the pavement in bare feet and sandals, and from time to time, you’ll be able to observe, or in our case, hear Buddhist customs being practiced.

We learned that on about four particularly-significant Buddhist holidays per month, the gong is sounded and the drum is played at a temple complex. We happened to have impeccable timing, as we were across the street from this temple on three of those special days. The sounding – which lasted for approximately 30 minutes – would have been the perfect local alarm clock had it not been for its early sounding at 0430. The haunting sound was particularly challenging on the day we both were afflicted with food poisoning and wanted nothing but uninterrupted sleep!

The Wat Wisunalat complex is well known for its unique stupa, That Pathoum, which is nicknamed the “Watermelon Stupa” because of its rounded dome. No other stupas of this kind exist in Laos or perhaps even in Indochina. (Stupas are Buddhist shrines.)

Like some of the other temple complex buildings, the stupa was destroyed during the Black Flag invasion of Luang Prabang in 1887. Many of the Buddha images and relics inside were destroyed. Today, worshippers place marigold flower-studded cone hat–like offerings at the base of the stupa along with balls of sticky rice.

Dogs perpetually and playfully roam the property, watched over by the guard-like figures flanking the stairwell. They were intended to be intimidating, I suppose, but I found them rather whimsical and charming with their crooked teeth and colorful costumes.

Lithium – Nevermind

Nirvana on MTV Shows in Early 90sThis song came out of Cobain’s experience living with the born-again Christian family of his friend, Jesse Reed. When Kurt was a rebellious teen, his father placed him in the care of family and friends. For a time with a the Reeds, he became a devout Christian. But he later renounced Christianity and engaged in “anti-God” rants.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Lithium"]

Something in the Way – Nevermind

When Cobain left high school two weeks prior to graduation because he realized he didn’t have enough credits to graduate, his mother told him get a job or leave. She banished him after one week, and he remained homeless for a while, sometimes staying with friends, and sometimes hanging out under a bridge over the Wishkah River. That experience inspired this song.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Something in the Way"]

About a Girl – Bleach

Inspired by his conflicts with a girlfriend, Tracy Marander from Olympia, WA, who used to insist he get a job. She supported them both by working at the cafeteria of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but he spent most of his time sleeping into the late evening, watching television and concentrating on art projects. Marander did not know this song was about her until after his death.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="About a Girl"]

Aneurysm – “B” side of Smells Like Teen Spirit / With the Lights Out (2004) / Deluxe Reissue of Nevermind (2011)

When Cobain met a punk rock girl named Tobi Vail, his infatuation made him so stressed and overwhelmed that he vomited. This event inspired the lyric, “Love you so much it makes me sick,” in “Aneurysm.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Aneurysm"]

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nevermind

Girlfriend Tobi Vail wore the deodorant “Teen Spirit” and another friend of his spray painted “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit” on his wall, as a joke. Cobain was unaware of the deodorant name, and mistook the slogan as having a revolutionary meaning.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Smells Like Teen Spirit"]

Aero Zeppelin – Incesticide

Cobain was a fan of classic rock bands from the 70s, like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Queen and KISS. He occasionally covered these bands and wrote this song as a tribute to Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Aero Zeppelin"]

Heart Shaped Box – In Utero

This song was inspired by watching documentaries about children with cancer. He told biographer Michael Azerrad, “Anytime I think about it, it makes me sadder than anything I can think of.”  The song’s name came from a heart-shaped box that Courtney Love had given Cobain. However, he had originally titled the song “Heart-Shaped Coffin.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Heart Shaped Box"]

Rape Me – In Utero

Cobain wrote it not only as an objective discussion of rape, but a metaphorical protest against his treatment by the media.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Rape Me"]

Pennyroyal Tea – In Utero

“Dave [Grohl] and I were screwing around on a 4-track,” said Cobain, “and I wrote that song in about thirty seconds. And I sat down for like half-an-hour and wrote the lyrics and then we recorded it.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Pennyroyal Tea"]

Scentless Apprentice – In Utero

Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer inspired Cobain to write the song. The book is an historical horror novel about a perfumer’s apprentice born with no body odor of his own but with a highly developed sense of smell, and who attempts to create the “ultimate perfume” by killing virginal women and taking their scent.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Scentless Apprentice"]

For 15 years, Lacuna Coil like any other band has ups and downs, though the release of their 6th full-length album marks a return to their original roots and to their more aggressive sound. I have to admit, I’ve been a big fan of this band in the early days. Their sound in the first 2 albums, “In a Reverie” and “Unleashed Memories” was probably the best sound they ever had and their peak of glory in their composition style as well.

Changes occurred with Comalies the 3rd record, which meant a new playing style the band approached and also, the moment it broke into mainstream. I was pretty much impressed by their representation in this album, however, distrust appeared with Karmacode and Shallow Life the last one being so commercial that it was a pain to listen to it, an unbearable pain.

Dark Adrenaline, like I said, marked a new era for this band, and a revolution in their playing style. I remember that in some interviews the band members specified the fact that the album will be much heavier than the previous ones, but with the release of their first single, Trip the Darkness, I already began to question this aspect. As always the duet between Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia is amazing, pretty catchy and energetic, offering moments of sobriety, aggression and restlessness, I have to admit that I was disappointed after hearing Trip The Darkness. A pretty lame dialogue between the two singers accompanied by an energetic yet boring and without depth instrumental, this is what described this single. However, I immediately changed my mind when I heard the second single this band released, entitled Kill The Light. I found in this song exactly what I wanted from this band and from this album. With this song I could finally recognize that they’ve kept their word about this album being much more heavy than the others.

I anticipated this release to be even more fantastic and it sure was. Even though the lyrical themes and compositions are relatively shallow and superficial, you cannot say that this band does not offer a certain level of excitement. Actually, their good point does not really stand in studio recording songs but in live performances, where the band offers a hell of a show and unleashes a lot of energy that is impossible for fans to just stand like statues, staring at them. Against You even featured guitar solos, something that I have not heard from this band in a long time, another guitar solo can be witnessed in The Army Inside. Give Me Something More is yet again a catchy tune with a great performance offered by Cristina Scabbia.

I Don’t Believe in Tomorrow is in my opinion the worst track of this album. Cristina’s performance is at the level that I expected but Andrea is absolutely boring. It is hard for me to talk about every song individually, since, a fan of Lacuna Coil knows that there are a few songs that manage to attract the attention and the rest are just a sort of copy/paste recipe. The album ends with the song My Spirit which is my favorite out of all this album, showing probably the best performance given by the two vocalists and the most impressive lyrical content, combining both English lyrics and Italian lyrics. It is also the only song of this album that goes over 5 minutes in length almost reaching 6 minutes.

All in all, if you are a fan of early Lacuna Coil, this album is a must listen, it is much more heavier than the last two releases this band offered. I don’t know where this band it is heading, but if they keep doing works like this album, I am sure that they are on the right path.

Overall Impression: 90/100

Lithium – Nevermind

Nirvana on MTV Shows in Early 90sThis song came out of Cobain’s experience living with the born-again Christian family of his friend, Jesse Reed. When Kurt was a rebellious teen, his father placed him in the care of family and friends. For a time with a the Reeds, he became a devout Christian. But he later renounced Christianity and engaged in “anti-God” rants.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Lithium"]

Something in the Way – Nevermind

When Cobain left high school two weeks prior to graduation because he realized he didn’t have enough credits to graduate, his mother told him get a job or leave. She banished him after one week, and he remained homeless for a while, sometimes staying with friends, and sometimes hanging out under a bridge over the Wishkah River. That experience inspired this song.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Something in the Way"]

About a Girl – Bleach

Inspired by his conflicts with a girlfriend, Tracy Marander from Olympia, WA, who used to insist he get a job. She supported them both by working at the cafeteria of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but he spent most of his time sleeping into the late evening, watching television and concentrating on art projects. Marander did not know this song was about her until after his death.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="About a Girl"]

Aneurysm – “B” side of Smells Like Teen Spirit / With the Lights Out (2004) / Deluxe Reissue of Nevermind (2011)

When Cobain met a punk rock girl named Tobi Vail, his infatuation made him so stressed and overwhelmed that he vomited. This event inspired the lyric, “Love you so much it makes me sick,” in “Aneurysm.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Aneurysm"]

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nevermind

Girlfriend Tobi Vail wore the deodorant “Teen Spirit” and another friend of his spray painted “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit” on his wall, as a joke. Cobain was unaware of the deodorant name, and mistook the slogan as having a revolutionary meaning.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Smells Like Teen Spirit"]

Aero Zeppelin – Incesticide

Cobain was a fan of classic rock bands from the 70s, like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Queen and KISS. He occasionally covered these bands and wrote this song as a tribute to Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Aero Zeppelin"]

Heart Shaped Box – In Utero

This song was inspired by watching documentaries about children with cancer. He told biographer Michael Azerrad, “Anytime I think about it, it makes me sadder than anything I can think of.”  The song’s name came from a heart-shaped box that Courtney Love had given Cobain. However, he had originally titled the song “Heart-Shaped Coffin.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Heart Shaped Box"]

Rape Me – In Utero

Cobain wrote it not only as an objective discussion of rape, but a metaphorical protest against his treatment by the media.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Rape Me"]

Pennyroyal Tea – In Utero

“Dave [Grohl] and I were screwing around on a 4-track,” said Cobain, “and I wrote that song in about thirty seconds. And I sat down for like half-an-hour and wrote the lyrics and then we recorded it.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Pennyroyal Tea"]

Scentless Apprentice – In Utero

Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer inspired Cobain to write the song. The book is an historical horror novel about a perfumer’s apprentice born with no body odor of his own but with a highly developed sense of smell, and who attempts to create the “ultimate perfume” by killing virginal women and taking their scent.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Scentless Apprentice"]

Lithium – Nevermind

Nirvana on MTV Shows in Early 90sThis song came out of Cobain’s experience living with the born-again Christian family of his friend, Jesse Reed. When Kurt was a rebellious teen, his father placed him in the care of family and friends. For a time with a the Reeds, he became a devout Christian. But he later renounced Christianity and engaged in “anti-God” rants.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Lithium"]

Something in the Way – Nevermind

When Cobain left high school two weeks prior to graduation because he realized he didn’t have enough credits to graduate, his mother told him get a job or leave. She banished him after one week, and he remained homeless for a while, sometimes staying with friends, and sometimes hanging out under a bridge over the Wishkah River. That experience inspired this song.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Something in the Way"]

About a Girl – Bleach

Inspired by his conflicts with a girlfriend, Tracy Marander from Olympia, WA, who used to insist he get a job. She supported them both by working at the cafeteria of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but he spent most of his time sleeping into the late evening, watching television and concentrating on art projects. Marander did not know this song was about her until after his death.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="About a Girl"]

Aneurysm – “B” side of Smells Like Teen Spirit / With the Lights Out (2004) / Deluxe Reissue of Nevermind (2011)

When Cobain met a punk rock girl named Tobi Vail, his infatuation made him so stressed and overwhelmed that he vomited. This event inspired the lyric, “Love you so much it makes me sick,” in “Aneurysm.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Aneurysm"]

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nevermind

Girlfriend Tobi Vail wore the deodorant “Teen Spirit” and another friend of his spray painted “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit” on his wall, as a joke. Cobain was unaware of the deodorant name, and mistook the slogan as having a revolutionary meaning.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Smells Like Teen Spirit"]

Aero Zeppelin – Incesticide

Cobain was a fan of classic rock bands from the 70s, like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Queen and KISS. He occasionally covered these bands and wrote this song as a tribute to Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Aero Zeppelin"]

Heart Shaped Box – In Utero

This song was inspired by watching documentaries about children with cancer. He told biographer Michael Azerrad, “Anytime I think about it, it makes me sadder than anything I can think of.”  The song’s name came from a heart-shaped box that Courtney Love had given Cobain. However, he had originally titled the song “Heart-Shaped Coffin.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Heart Shaped Box"]

Rape Me – In Utero

Cobain wrote it not only as an objective discussion of rape, but a metaphorical protest against his treatment by the media.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Rape Me"]

Pennyroyal Tea – In Utero

“Dave [Grohl] and I were screwing around on a 4-track,” said Cobain, “and I wrote that song in about thirty seconds. And I sat down for like half-an-hour and wrote the lyrics and then we recorded it.”

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Pennyroyal Tea"]

Scentless Apprentice – In Utero

Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer inspired Cobain to write the song. The book is an historical horror novel about a perfumer’s apprentice born with no body odor of his own but with a highly developed sense of smell, and who attempts to create the “ultimate perfume” by killing virginal women and taking their scent.

[metrolyrics artist="Nirvana" song="Scentless Apprentice"]

Cannibal Corpse
TORTURE

Ahhh…another lullaby for my sickened soul! The masters of horrific death metal are back once again. Here’s a surprise – this is heavy and fast! Stunning, right? Honestly, this is one I could probably have written without ever hearing a note of the album. It’s heavy. It’s fast. It kicks all kinds of ass if you are into this type of thing.

Still, there’s plenty to appreciate here with TORTURE. First and foremost, TORTURE takes up where KILL failed in my eyes; showcasing a lot of musical ability in the form of interesting transitions and (dare I say it) a hint of rhythm in some of the parts! To be clear, we’re not talking about bubble gum, stick in your head Motley Crue rhythmic action here, but for Cannibal Corpse, songs like “Scourge Of Iron” have just a touch of flair that’s far more churning and rhythmic than almost all of their back catalog.

Musically, Cannibal Corpse has always been solid, but they never fully gelled after Jack Owen left in 2004 until now. By far, TORTURE is the most cohesive album these guys have done in nearly a decade. In large part, that’s due to the absolutely incredible guitar work here. Pat O’Brien and Rob Barrett simply overpower this legendary group’s sound on TORTURE with what might be the most fierce guitar attack in the band’s history. Listening to material like the happy “Encased In Concrete”, you just hear some of the thickest, ripping guitar riffs ever recorded. Throughout the entire release, the riffs are 10 tons thick, while the soloing pierces the songs. Barrett and O’Brien are stellar throughout. The same can be said, as always, of the band’s twisted underbelly. Bassist Alex Webster and the nearly mechanized drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz roar throughout. The drumming is just sick on songs like “The Strangulation Chair” and “Instestinal Crank”.

Vocally, it is what it is. George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher fits the role just fine. He’s always been better than the overrated Chris Barnes as a growler. Let’s face it though, picking either to lead your band is like choosing which sort of cancer you want to kill you. As always, Fisher is solid and steady as he barks out his murderous nonsense. He’s doing his job, although he’s never excelled much further than that in my eyes.

PITRIFF RATING – 87/100 - As Cannibal Corpse goes, this is definitely their best album in recent memory. Well worth a trip into misery, Corpse has unleashed a good one this time around.

Chris Akin

CD – AMAZON

This is the 1961 Jukebox.

“Swirling Tide” – Espasa Beach, Spain – Lujo Semeyes - Featured Photographer

This is one of those “I wish I was there” (IWIWT) photographs.  I can feel the cool water and sand between my toes.  There is a strong breeze blowing and I put on an extra layer, but dare not miss what promises to be an excellent sunset.  After reading Lujo’s account it turns out I am not that far off.  Although maybe the water is a bit cooler than I expected.  Please  visit this and several other “IWIWT” photographs at Lujo’s portfolios  500pix.com/lujo and flickr.com/lujo.    Here are a couple of other great links of his in Spanish asemeyando.es and exodos.es

Here is Lujo:

The photograph was taken at the beach Espasa (Asturias) in this medium, just at dusk, on a day of very low tide, leaving bare rocks are usually not visible.  I chose this day for the state of the tide, and be having a polar front, which provided a good sky.  As an anecdote to relate, on arrival it was snowing, but did not cover the sand.

Picture data are:
Cámara Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Distance focal17 mm
Obturación3.2 speed sec.
f 8
ISO/Pelicula200
high mirror
self-timer with 2 second delay
050 tripod manfroto XPROB
Hoya Polarizer pro at 9
Lee Filter 0.6 GNDS

Quite the sad looking satellite graveyard…

Either that or a satellite pound? I feel there should be a sign with “Adopt A Satellite”

They look so cute that I just want to take one home…

Gary announced news on Twitter

Gary Barlow has announced that he is to become a father for the fourth time.

The Take That singer revealed that his wife of 12 years, Dawn, is pregnant, via his Twitter account on 19 February.

Earlier in the day, X Factor judge Gary teased that he had an announcement to make, posting:

“Gorgeous day in the Capital.I’m announcing some news on here tonight!”

Before then revealing:

“I feel like I’ve built this news up to much. Hope you’re not disappointed.

“My wife and I are expecting our 4th child #Anotherowngoal.”

The couple, who married in 2000, are already parents to 11-year-old Daniel, Emily, nine, and three-year-old Daisy.

Olya Ivanova Autorretrato

http://www.flickr.com/photos/olyaivanova/

Me in Berlín

During the weekend I spent some time with this little buddy (it’s a Canon EOS 1000D with 50mm f/1.8 lens) and I think I’m in love. Now I need your opinion. Do you have a DSLR? Which one? Is it worth it? Bonus question: Which are your lenses of preference?

“Despite the fact that verbal dialogue was not possible, music thankfully enabled me to communicate and share a sense of humanity”

For those of you in the UAE-Jason Carter performs TONIGHT at The Fridge in Al Quoz, Dubai

This promises to be a very special musical experience!

For more details visit www.thefridgedubai.com or visit the facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/326964360680031/

At a charming Italian ristorante.

[Alexander] I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Niga odie inneunji
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Niga nuguwa inneunji
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Ije modu mal hejwodo dwae
Jogeumman do dagawajulle
Ijen nae soneul japgo usojumyon dwae

[Alexander] Hanabuto yolkkaji
Yegil hebolge
Niga nal
Bogo utneun sungan naege ppajyosso
Aju jakgo sasohan
Pyojong hanakkajido
Nado moreuge jakku singyongsso
Gwenhi useumina

[Alexander] Baby stay by my side
Walk with me by my side
Jogeumssik nae mami
Dakil baralgae
Baby stay by my side
Walk with me by my side
Geudero do
Nae yopeuro wa ijen ne gyote nega isseulge

[Alexander] I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Niga odie inneunji
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Niga nuguwa inneunji
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Ije modu mal hejwodo dwae
Jogeumman do dagawajulle
Ijen nae soneul japgo usojumyon dwae

[Alexander] Kkumsogeso hanbon bwatdon got gata
Geu pyojong momjit sonjit hana kajido
(Yes you) Geure noya
Baro noya
Naega chatdon dan, dan, dan, han saram

[Alexander] Baby stay by my side
Walk with me by my side
Jogeumssik nae mami
Dakil baralgae
Baby stay by my side
Walk with me by my side
Geudero do
Nae yopeuro wa
Ijen ne gyote nega isseulge

[Alexander] Ijen geuman halle
No omneun haru
Naegen doneun obsodo dwe
Niga omneun
Chuogeun jongmal amu euimi omneun gojana
Oh~

[Alexander] I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Niga odie inneunji
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
Niga nuguwa inneunji
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
I Just wanna know~know
Jogeumman do dagawajulle
Ijen nae soneul japgo usojumyon dwae
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)
I Just (I Just)
Wanna know (Wanna know)

[Alexander] I Just

I joined a student from graphic design on an interview he was doing with Sturle Dagsland, a Norwegian up and coming band. These are some of the photos I took.

//all photos are taken using a Canon EOS 7D, lens: Canon 18-50mm, f.2.8

Me and my little pal, Felix. (Photo courtesy of Jason Shadie Photography)

Thinking it would make a great prop (we were at a farm) I brought along a hay bale. Well…cows don’t see something like that and say “Oooh, what a totally appropriate photography prop. Well done Jen” and go on with their day. They see it and say “Shazam! Hay for me to eat! Get outta my way camera lady!”. Nothing puts you off like 20 cows staring at you with hungry eyes.

"Mooooohaaaaay"

Here are some more of my favourites from the day. Thanks to all for making it a huge success…including Dee & Jamie for the beautiful location and Jason…an awesome wingman. I’m looking forward to the next one!

Felix Loves Lemonade

LENGTH – 7:06
RELEASE DATE – 2012-02-01
BPM – 126
KEY – D ♯ MINOR
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• American Fashion Photographer Mark Fisher •

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Photographer Mark Fisher ™ Is Well Accomplished In

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Some French prettiness for you on this beautiful Monday. I woke up to the sound of pouring rain and it’s made me feel super in love with most of the music I’ve heard today. Nothing wrong with that though

Last week World Press Photo announced this year’s winners of their annual photo contest. World Press Photo could be said to be the Nobel Prize for photojournalists, and for 2012 Samuel Aranda from Spain brought home the most prestigious prize, the World Press Photo of the year. Kudos to Aranda for a very strong image. The photograph shows a woman holding her wounded son in her arms. It’s captured inside a mosque used as a field hospital by demonstrators against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, during clashes in Sanaa, Yemen.

What actually surprises me of this year’s awards is the fact that a whole lot of great images have been picked by the jury. Of course you may say, it’s the most prestigious photojournalistic contest in the world. But surprisingly often I have found the many winning pictures to be quite boring and definitely not long-lasting in my memory. At least for me. So my delight seeing the result of this year was even more exuberant because of my lowered expectations from previous years.

I have often wondered by which criterions the pictures for the World Press Photo have been selected. For me it looks like pictures of war, destructions, grief and pictures taken during excess danger to the photographer would be picked as winners, no matter what other photographic qualities they lack. Going back to what I believe a good photograph is about (you may want to have a look at my post A Good Photograph, What is that? to find out about that) usually the winners would have some stopping power, but hardly anything more. They would often play on a one-dimensional level, lacking depth and lacking openings to other interpretations – thus being very literal and boring. For me it seemed like there was no evaluation of artistic or creative qualities as part of what makes a photograph stand out to excellence.

So what made the jury pick those pictures the previous years, which for me clearly wasn’t the best of the best of all photojournalistic work? I had no clue, until I read a blog posting by Alex Garcia last year, a rewarded photojournalist at Chicago Tribune. In his post 2 Essential Ingredients of Contest-Winning Photos he states that access and intimacy are the two qualities that triggers juries of photojournalistic contests. Access simply means how hard it is to get a photo and intimacy provides the personal connection for which we strive with other human beings to create, according to Garcia. I believe Alex Garcia to be absolutely right. Finally I understood what made previous winners of World Press Photo winners. The intimacy part I recognize being important, but access? I don’t really care how hard it has been to take a certain photograph, even if the photographer was shot during the process. For me it just doesn’t make the photograph any better how much hardship the photographer had to withstand. Whatever it can’t tell me while watching a photograph, doesn’t matter. Of course I might be curious about how a certain picture was taken, but that is all.

So I believe Alex Garcia’s evaluation is spot on, but it makes me a little sad on behalf of photojournalism and documentary photography. There is so much excellent work being done out there, and these are the criterions they are judge by!? No wonder I have more and more move away from pure journalistic work. Don’t get me wrong I am deeply passionate about making important stories, but the superficial news coverage has just become less and less interesting for me. I want to know why, not only if something happens.

All the better judging the result of this year’s World Press Photo. I don’t know if it signifies a change in mentally from the organizers, but I am just delighted that some really good pictures have been awarded this year. Aranda’s picture isn’t necessarily the best of the year in my opinion, but that doesn’t matter. It’s only my opinion anyway, but there can be no doubt about the fact that it is a very good photograph. If you are interested in having a look at more winning pictures from this year’s contest have a look here: 2012 World Press Photo. And here are two of my personal favourites:

© Damir Sagolj

© Brent Stirton

So I’ve already mentioned in a previous post or two about how I did eight years in state prison. It pretty much sucked, as you can imagine. But at the joint where I was at there was a music program. I had a cellie who played guitar in the band, and he got me a spot playing bass. I’d played in a bunch of shitty bands before I went to prison, and I could basically hold down a bass line fairly well.

At first the band was just one unit, a bunch of guys who were into different music. There were some black guys and some white guys, and we played all sorts of stuff. I learned how to play stuff by Earth Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder along with some classic rock stuff. I played my first show with them in the gym and there were about forty other dudes who showed up to watch. I managed to get them to play “I Wanna be Sedated” by the Ramones, but other than that it was all R&B and classic rock.

Well, eventually some other guys started coming to practice and taking turn at various instruments. There was kind of a fracture, like there was a metal faction and the R&B dudes and there was squabbling over what would get played at practice and when we played shows. So the music guy, this cat who the prison payed to teach music (he has music theory classes separate from what he did with the band), decided there would be two bands-a rock band and an R&B band. They kind of overlapped, one of the guitarists played in both bands. I was relegated to the rock band. I don’t think it was because of my playing, it was because I tended to be a spazz and jump all over the fucking place when I played. It just didn’t gel with smooth sounding rhythm and blues, I guess. They had two other guys who wanted to play bass for them anyways.

So, anyways-and I’ll try to hurry up with this-I wound up in the rock band. None of these guys would have known a punk rock if I picked one up and threw it at them, and I was sort of stuck playing loads of Metallica, Disturbed, Godsmack…just  a bunch of mainstream metal. Although we did do some Black Sabbath and other shit I actually liked. Anyways, my cellie had a pile of  old Guitar Player magazines and one of them had the music to “Kick Out the Jams” by the MC5. I  was like, oh fuck yeah we gotta do this one, this is a fucking classic. I managed to talk the other guys into playing it and “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead at our next show in the gym. They were like “sure, as long as you sing”.

Thus I was given vocal duties on the MC5 song, and vocals and bass for the Motorhead song.

So I practiced it and the day came for the show. There were a good amount of people there, and the “balcony”, the upper open hallway on one side was lined with guards. When we’d play, they’d just lock the gym with everybody in there and go grit on us from the balcony. I think it was procedure in case anybody got too excited or a fight started or whatever. We were opening with Kick Out the Jams and I was nervous as fuck. There was a reason I played bass and never was a singer, I could hide behind my fucking bass. But the moment came, and sure as shit I belted out the greatest line ever written to a rock and roll song, “LET’S KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHERFUCKERS!!!”

It was loud. We had a decent sized P.A. system. In fact it was loud enough the warden heard us from his office. He was displeased, I later found out. But the song was pure proto punk fury. We tore into it at close to double time, and gave it a blistering treatment. Of course our guitarist had to tear loose with a pentatonic nightmare solo so it wasn’t as garagy as the original. But it was fun. The keyboard player from the R&B band was pulling bass duty and totally rocked it, and our drummer-a guy who had been locked up for twenty years and was never going to see the light of day-he pounded the living shit out of the drum kit like it owed him five packs of cigarettes. One of the few moments of raw fun in that eight years. And plus, I was able to look right up at those guards while delivering the closing lines….Just let me be who I am, and let me kick out the jams..

endnotes:

this post is dedicated to Micheal Davis, bassist for the MC5 who died yesterday at 68

I tried to use the WordPress proofreader on this, but I guess I have to set the preferences first or something. I don’t know, I have the feeling that if I start auto correcting my grammar and getting style suggestions from the computer this blog might actually be readable. I don’t want that.

Tonight I celebrated my busiest day here at sunburnscold-16 fucking views! To celebrate I went and bought a tabasco Slim Jim, two lottery tickets and some Pepsi. If I get even more views tomorrow I might do something REALLY crazy like buying espresso flavored soda at Catalano’s in west side.

Here’s the mighty MC5 doing Kick Out the Jams,  just in case you’ve never heard it or whatnot

OH THE GLUTTONY…

Eager faces pressed against cold glass outside C’est Bon patisserie in Rozelle…

Sweet Sorrow – I Love You

세상에서 가장 행복한 말

Se-sang-e-seo ga-jang haeng-bok-han mal

그래서 더욱 듣고픈 말 

Geu-rae-seo deo-uk deud-go-peun mal

고마운 말 날 살리는 말

Go-ma-un mal nal sal-li-neun mal

사랑해 그댈 정말 

Sa-rang-hae geu-dael jeong-mal

쑥스러워 평생 못하는 말 

Ssuk-seu-reo-weo pyeong-saeng mot-ha-neun mal

그래서 더욱 하고픈 말 

Geu-rae-seo deo-uk ha-go-peun mal

미안한 말 눈물나는 말

Mi-an-han mal nun-mul-na-neun mal

사랑해 그댈 사랑해

Sa-rang-hae geu-dael sa-rang-hae

맘은 굴뚝인데 이 핑계 저 핑계로 미뤄뒀지

Mam-eun gul-dduk-in-de i ping-gye jeo ping-gye-ro mi-rweo-dweott-ji

그렇지만 나는 말야 

Geu-reoh-ji-man na-neun mal-ya

그러니까 나는 말야

Geu-reo-ni-gga na-neun mal-ya

내 진심은 말야

Nae jin-shim-eun mal-ya

너를 사랑해 사랑해 사랑해

Neo-reul sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

나에게 누구보다 소중한 사람

Na-e-ge nu-gu-bo-da so-jung-han sa-ram

언제나 내곁에 있어서 자꾸 깜빡 잊고 살지만 

Eon-je-na nae-gyeot-e iss-eo-seo ja-ggu ggam-bbak it-go sal-ji-man

사랑해 사랑해 사랑해

Sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

나 지금 눈물나게 고마운 사람

Na ji-geum nun-mul-na-ge go-ma-un sa-ram

언제나 그렇게 있어줘 그대

Eon-je-na geu-reoh-ge iss-eo-jweo geu-dae

기쁜 내 맘을 알아줘

Gi-bbeun nae mam-eul al-a-jweo

멋쩍어서 내내 감추는 맘 그래서 지금 열고픈 맘

Meot-jjeok-eo-seo nae-nae gam-chu-neun mam geu-rae-seo ji-geum yeol-go-peun mam

든든한 맘 참 따뜻한 맘

Deun-deun-han mam cham dda-ddeut-han mam

사랑해 그댈 사랑해 

Sa-rang-hae geu-dael sa-rang-hae

맘은 안그런데 자꾸 툴툴거리고 짜증냈지

Mam-eun an-geu-reon-de ja-ggu tul-tul-geo-ri-go jja-jjeung-naett-ji

그렇지만 나는 말야

Geu-reoh-ji-man na-neun mal-ya

그러니까 나는 말야

Geu-reo-ni-gga na-neun mal-ya

내 진심은 말야 

Nae jin-shim-eun mal-ya

너를 

Neo-reul

사랑해 사랑해 사랑해

Sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

나에게 누구보다 소중한 사람

Na-e-ge nu-gu-bo-da so-jung-han sa-ram

언제나 내곁에 있어서 자꾸 깜빡 잊고 살지만

Eon-je-na nae-gyeot-e iss-eo-seo ja-ggu ggam-bbak it-go sal-ji-man

사랑해 사랑해 사랑해

Sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

나지금 눈물나게 고마운 사람

Na-ji-geum nun-mul-na-ge go-ma-un sa-ram

언제나 그렇게 있어줘

Eon-je-na geu-reoh-ge iss-eo-jweo

그대 때문에

Geu-dae ddae-mun-e

기쁜 내맘을 알아줘

Gi-bbeun nae-mam-eul al-a-jweo

이것 저것 재지 않아도 별다른 이유 찾지 않아도

I-geot jeo-geot jae-ji anh-a-do byeol-da-reun i-yu chat-ji anh-a-do

날 믿어줄 감싸줄 지켜줄 힘이되줄 

Nal mid-eo-jul gam-ssa-jul ji-kyeo-jul him-i-doe-jul

나의 좋은 사람들 

Na-eui joh-eun sa-ram-deul

그댈 사랑해 사랑해 사랑해

Geu-dael sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

너를 

Neo-reul

사랑해 사랑해 사랑해

Sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

이 세상 누구보다 소중한 사람

I se-sang nu-gu-bo-da so-jung-han sa-ram

언제나 내곁에 있어서 자꾸 깜빡 잊고 살지만

Eon-je-na nae-gyeot-e iss-eo-seo ja-ggu gam-bbak it-go sal-ji-man

사랑해 사랑해 사랑해 

Sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae sa-rang-hae

나 지금 눈물나게 고마운 사람

Na ji-geum nun-mul-na-ge go-ma-un sa-ram

언제나 그렇게 있어줘 

Eon-je-na geu-reoh-ge iss-eo-jweo

그대 때문에 

Geu-dae ddae-mun-e

기쁜 내 맘을 알아줘

Gi-bbeun nae mam-eul al-a-jweo

너를 사랑해

Neo-reul sa-rang-hae

Translation

The happiest words in the world
The words so make us want to hear over and over
The thankful words
The words cheer us up
I do love you
The words, we cannot make during lifetime because of shyness
the words so make us want to say more
the words contain apologies and tears

Love you, I love you
Even though I really wanted to, I was just putting the words off making up reasons
However, I…
What I really want to say is…

I love you, I love you, I love you
You’re the most important person to me
Because you’re always with me, I easily forget but

I love you, I love you, I love you
you’re the thankful person till tears come out
Please always be there
And know that I’m happy filled with thinking of you

The words I’m hiding because of shyness
the words so make me more want to open now
Truthful and heartwarming words
Love you, I love you
I didn’t mean it, but
I kept complaining and expressing annoyed
However, I…
What I really mean is

I love you, I love you, I love you
You’re the most important person to me
Because you’re always with me, I easily forget but

I love you, I love you, I love you
you’re the thankful person till tears come out
Please always be there
And know that I’m happy filled with thinking of you

Even without measuring this and that
and without finding any specific reasons
you are my good person who is willing to
to trust, embrace, protect and encourage me

I love you, I love you, I love you
You’re the most important person to me
Because you’re always with me, I easily forget but

I love you, I love you, I love you
You’re the thankful person till tears come out
Please always be there
And know that I’m happy filled with thinking of you
I love you

Hangeul & Translation credit: skyccm @ jpopasia.com

Borealis and Fireball

We had no idea at the time what it was; on Sunday a little research determined it was likely a rocket falling back to earth.  The research station at Poker Flats (up the Steese Highway) had put a rocket up during the show to test how a strong borealis might affect GPS transmissions.

Then on Sunday we were treated to another spectacle, albeit somewhat later in the evening.  We’d been monitoring the borealis forecast, and all signs were good; we kept checking outside to see if anything was starting.  Finally at 10:20 pm the show began, and it lasted over an hour.  We came back in as it was fading, after taking pictures for 56 minutes (based on the time of first picture to last picture).

Borealis banding grows

First if was simple arcs, then curtaining began to appear.  Then multiple bands, then swirl patterns, then about 40 minutes in a burst of activity, and the lights began the dancing that visitor come here hoping to see.  Bright spots grow and fade, the bands jiggle and bounce,the curtains wave as though blowing in a wind (a solar wind!) and colors start appearing top and bottom.  It’s an incredible show, and cannot be truly caught by any camera; the photos you see are a pale imitation of what actually occurs.

Dance of the Northern Lights

After the dance, the display began to slowly fade, which we’ve noticed before.  after an hour and ten minutes or so, the skies were empty of anything but stars.

I’ve downloaded the photos from my camera, but not uploaded them to the SkyDrive yet; that will have to wait for Monday morning.  Fortunately it’s a holiday so I’ll have time to work with them and pick out the best ones.  I have 59 photos to go thru – I seem to snap them off at about one per minute, and they all turn out great.  I’m still using the Canon Elph SD980IS pocket camera, with an f-stop of 3.5 and a shutter speed of 8 seconds on all of these pictures.  Rich loaned me his mini-tripod so I have more options now for where I can set up, and I try to pick a spot early – once the show starts, there isn’t really time to move around!  Just rotate the camera and pivot the tripod… and click.

Jose Levy Photograph

Source : http://frogandprincess.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/frog-and-princess-exclusive-talks-with-2/

Sketch of Jose Levy

Source : http://www.joselevy.fr/mes_projets.php

We met unexpectedly while we had relaxation in Funaok Onsen in Kyoto. We had great conversation in here because we are only foreigners in this place who can not speak Japanese at all. Yeah at least we have similar problem that made a chit chat. We shared why we were in Japan at that time and I knew from him that he did “Artist Residence” in Villa Kujoyama. I didn’t know about artist residence at all before met him. I got a little insight what artists do for their job as an artist. He told me that he won award which brought him to Kyoto for doing artist residence. His job in art residence was teaching kids in Japan for making ceramics.

He is so nice, humble, and I didn’t notice if he is famous artist from Paris. I thought he just like artist who loves traveling around the world. Yes, I was wrong. I knew whether he is so popular from google. Yes, go(ogle)dess! I had to finish my relaxation in Onsen because my friend was waiting for me, so I said goodbye to him. He asked me to add his facebook by his name and invited me to his exhibition that he made for art residence (ceramics by kids). I typed his name in facebook and I just got public figure profile, not an account. After that I typed his name in google and the result made me blown away. He have made runway show alot, many exhibitions, doing project with Vogue, and there’s article about him in business week. I didn’t know again who the hell is this man.

Thanks for the sharing and the ceramics exhibition! Hope the best for your career as an artist and maybe we can meet again in Paris (Amen!)

For your information: you can see his projects and creations on his website http://www.joselevy.fr/

UX is an art and science, and it is all but ignored in the development of new media channels where customers control their own fate. If the appeal of an app diminishes, it’s removed from the device. If a brand page in a social or mobile network no longer delivers value, a customer can effortlessly unlike, unfollow, or unsubscribe. If the rewards for taking action on behalf of a brand–think check-in, QR, barcode scans, or augmented reality plays–are intangible, or gimmicky without intent, customers will simply power off. And, if a consumer cannot take action in your favor, within their channel of relevance, with ease and elegance, value or ROI will forever escape your grasp.

More on this, in the fastcompany article “Why User Experience Is Critical to Customer Relationships”.

Some nostalgic cartoonish illustrations by artist Alice Tait.

http://www.alicetait.com

HZ
interactive video mapping installation
Helmholtz Zentrum Munich | November 2011
mayer+empl project 2011_014

HZ photos

Hand stitched sacred heart with buttons, pencil and safety pin

Heart, pencil and ink

Steampunk Roses and cogs

newspaper, ink, acrylic paint, pencil, printed photos

pencil, watercolour crayons, acrylic paint, glitter card, newspaper, ink

watercolours, paper, sweet wrappers

Player #1 Chlly

Player #2 Raffleberry 

Player #3 All Thee Above

Player #4 Guiguoz

Player #5 Many Hours

Player #4 Guiguoz

Player #6 Thoughts Of My Brain

 Art game continues…. to Tuesday 12pm (GMT) and then a new image will be post on Wednesday and so on.  

This is fun…  Come and join us! Click Art Game to start

Note: Those who are participants in the Art Game and to all fans, fellow-bloggers and friends who continue to watch and love this game of art…  you can grab your logo here.  Copy the link  below and paste it to your page.

Place this link to your Widget Text:

<a href=”http://www.allaboutlemon.com/art-game/”><img src=”http://www.MyspaceImageCodes.net/images/31427art game.gif” alt=”Easily Upload Your Images To Myspace”></a><br><small> </a></small>

Have fun!

 I have several collections of symbols – and several collections of words. Here they converge. Each one drawn above  is a symbol in its own beautiful way – a symbol of a time past when printing was the only efficient way to distribute written information yet the symbol is also, I think, clever and elegant and efficient in its own simple circle based design. The elegant shape of each one (only two are drawn above) are strangely beautiful, like a hidden language, a secret language. They look familiar but are not. Fascinating.

On the note of text as  symbol, there is of course a hells-box..Its basically a random selection of discarded printing letters, all jumbled up in a box of random letters in various fonts. I’d love to find one someday…my collection of random printers block letters thus far is a few antique printers block letters (of various fonts) found at various junk shops.  I know you can buy entire sets of perfect new letters but they just lack the provenance of a hells box.

I did see once some very beautiful romantic poetry written and printed by an artist who used only the letters available in a found hells box…it was fascinating, beautiful to look at as both a collection of words made of odd fonts and letters, and to read as poetry, I think it was just wonderful.  

I keep  collecting symbols that speak to me, both ancient and modern… A symbol can be a powerful connection with our past, but also can be a fragile thread that connects us as families, communities, cities, and as global citizens.

I’ll explain as to why I’m so impressed with her.

Coming from the background that she had she’s pretty successful. Her talent, her grace, and even her dedication to her talent has brought her this far. Fantasia to me has seen lows, but she’s still standing. I honor this woman by saying she’s the only American Idol contestant with relatable history. Recently in times her shows have all been inspiring. She’s taught me to follow my dream and no matter what people may think of you, walk tall and stay focussed. My lesson to my readers is that whatever you persue, keep your head focussed and don’t blame your mistakes for failure. Learn from your mistakes and succeed!!

These photographs are very much what I am looking for with my work, not too formal and not too organic. I wanted to portray the themes that I read in Frankenstein and Milton. An ongoing struggle between man and nature, in its simplest form the sky represents nature and the factories stand in for man. In the next post I will go more in-depth into the relationship between man and nature and how it has been present in art for centuries.

After having the rain drain my will to continue–metaphorically or otherwise, I’ve been spending the rest of the afternoon making my very own, I-don’t-have-the-required-ingredients-but-I’m-too-fucking-resourceful-to-worry, a-la-Jamie-Oliver version of a Nutella Mug Cake. Perfection, I’d say.

Okay. So, I kinda murdered it already.

And because the too-much-pain-for-someone-so-young artist/writer in me cannot stay still any longer, I would probably have someone clear out the house’s annex and paint it over. Crisp white, I’d say. If that doesn’t work, there’s always my brother’s vacant bedroom.

Needless to say, my portfolio needs much, much, much working on. (Probably because it’s near non-existent as well.) I should also try splashing some light and color into my black-and-white (mainly black) life. That just might be the only shot I have left at tragedies at perfection. Also since magical nights with old-fashioned romance are long gone as well.

One of the most brilliant and controversial critics of photography, Jean-François Chevrier, will give a conference on Photography, Between the Fine arts and the Media, on 23 February at 20:00 at the IED Madrid, Calle Flor Alta 8. Free admission.
Conference: Photography, Between the fine arts and the media: “tableau” and Kinesis.

The conference will be in English, Spanish translation is provided. The conference is part of the European Master of Fine Art Photography.
CONTACT: info@madrid.ied.es, +34 91 448 04 44, Skype: info.iedmadrid

——- versión en español ——-

Uno de los críticos más brillantes y polémicos de fotografía, Jean-François Chevrier, nos acerca sus impresiones sobre esta disciplina en una conferencia del 23 de febrero a las 20:00 en el IED Madrid. Entrada libre.

Conferencia: Photography, between the fine arts and the media: “tableau” and kinesia.

La fotografía, en la obra de Jean-François Chevrier, se debate entre las bellas artes y los mass media. A partir del concepto tableau analiza aquellas obras fotográficas que toman como modelo el cuadro pictórico. Historiador y crítico de arte, Jean-François Chevrier es profesor en la École Nationale Supérieure de Beaux-Arts de París. Fue fundador y director de la revista Photographies (1982-1985) y asesor general de Documenta X (1997). Ha comisariado una quincena de exposiciones internacionales y ha colaborado con el MACBA en una muestra a través de diferentes lenguajes artísticos. Actualmente sus escritos se recogen en una antología formada por siete volúmenes (Editions L’Arachnéen, 2010-2011).

Organizado por el Máster Europeo de Fotografía de Autor.
INICIO: 10 de abril de 2012 – marzo de 2013
CONTACTA: info@madrid.ied.es; +34 91 448 04 44; Skype: info.iedmadrid

IED Madrid. Flor Alta, 8
28004 Madrid
Entrada libre

I’ll explain as to why I’m so impressed with her.

Coming from the background that she had she’s pretty successful. Her talent, her grace, and even her dedication to her talent has brought her this far. Fantasia to me has seen lows, but she’s still standing. I honor this woman by saying she’s the only American Idol contestant with relatable history. Recently in times her shows have all been inspiring. She’s taught me to follow my dream and no matter what people may think of you, walk tall and stay focussed. My lesson to my readers is that whatever you persue, keep your head focussed and don’t blame your mistakes for failure. Learn from your mistakes and succeed!!

This was made using watercolour paper, Faber Castell indian ink pens, ared sharpie and the text is a eucalyptus transfer of a photocopy of text from one of my short stories.

Drawing 2 from 2008

Made using the same method as the first drawing above. I think all of the drawings in this post developed from my drawing-a-day series.

Tree

The tree drawing was for a class brief on using technology to create a work. I took a series of still photos of this drawing in progress and conflated them into an animation. If I can find the animation – it’s on a flash drive somewhere  – (and figure out how to load it here!), I’ll post it later. This is indian ink and red sharpie on a found book page.

Silver and black

On black paper of appalling quality (so bad I’m now kind of ashamed of it even though I still like the drawing, but it was all I could get hold of given time and money restraints) with a found book page cut and applied to it, overdrawn with metallic silver pen.

Looking at these from four years ago makes me realise just how much my drawing has changed over time. I’m still making some of those marks, still using found paper and red/black/off-white, but the drawing itself has evolved. And picking up a pencil or a pen, the lissome flow of graphite or ink over paper, is still a joyful experience

Nicholas Gruenwald

Have a look at these artistic fragments of urban living, captured by Stuttgart-based photographer, Nikolaus Gruenwald in his range of images titled, Sleeper in Metropolis. VIew here. His other collections are also worth viewing, and further work can be seen at his site here.

This is a beautiful installation and photograph by artists/photographers Petrovsky & Ramone, particularly because I think it captures the different faces of love in a simple and subliminal way.

Unfortunately their website is currently under construction, but I will certainly re-post more of their beautiful imagery once its online again.

So watch this space…

 http://www.petrovskyramone.com/

#draw365 series, oil pastels on paper,  5×8 inches,

“I don’t mean for everything to be funny,” says Border to magazine Wired. “We all have different perspectives and my perspective happens to be kind of strange and twisted.”

Border explains his sculptures and photo scenes came about almost by accident. He studied photography in school and initially made his living as a commercial photographer, then he tried cartooning and he ended up doing sculptures. “I couldn’t have planned it if I tried.”

Border noticed that some inanimate objects looked like animals or lent themselves to representing humans. Out of a sharpened pencil, he would make a bug, the tip representing the stinger. Or with pears he would represent male and female bodies.“A lot of it is playing with our preconceived notions of shapes and objects.“