Abstraction - What?

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What does abstraction mean to me, in regard to my new BIG photo-reflection project I call ABSTRACTION? I have been altering images to my liking for some time. There has been a movement, for me, to abstraction for a while. I have less interest now in sharpness, depth of field, documentation. My interest now is light, color, design, message - altering the original view even to the point of non-recognition. I strive to raise question, not answer them. I strive to insight imagination, not clarity. I like when an image is affect, an intangible; a feeling, mood, philosophical or theological message. Be it positive. Be it delighting. Be it inspiring, Be it hopeful. Be it beautiful. Be it honoring natural awe. Flowers are a recent awe for me! I have even set up a gallery of flowers on my gallery site MESipe.com. I love it! I am not sure where my new bent will lead, but I am open to my universe. God, I pray I see your living wonder.

Fleeting Beauty

Loving What IS

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A few years back, I woke before Patty and was full of love, as I admired the brimming light on her profile. It was beautiful to me. I captured the moment with my iPhone. I am glad I did - the memory is lasting. The image of the moment is below. It may be morbid, or inappropriate to you, but telling to me.

Recently, Johanna, a dear friend, and class mate of Michael and Bridget, posted that Patty saved her life. Later she posted that Patty was a dear heart to all of the ‘hanging around’ class mates. Patty lived… and loved, in the moment. Past and future were of little attention for Patty. I was unaware of Johanna’s experience and probably a lot more of Patty’s loving moments. I suspect there were many.

During a recent long meditation, I realized that; life is not having what you love, nor even loving what you have. It is loving what IS. You would think that I would have picked this up from a half century of living with Patty. I guess I am a little slow. It is never too late to learn. Thank you Patty for shedding light on what’s important.





The River Flows Still

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A reflective walk along the St. Paul Mississippi path is my occasional delight. SKYWARD is my present photo project. Meditation is my present journey. The stars must have been aligned for me, this visit to brother John’s and sister Eileen’s at the GNL in Lowertown, because the great river flowed still. Never before have I seen this still. The blue and white skies and surrounding structures imaged perfectly in the water. The fishers were at peace.

The moment screamed silence, gear neutral, no mindful duality, peaceful quiet, block out road noice in favor of bird speak. I enjoyed the urban nature - a real treat, with a couple images to boat.

Still

Peaceful Paul

Bernadette is LOVE

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My dear sister Bernadette passed over this morning at 4:17am. She was a beacon of light at her rest home. She expressed love to all the patients, their mates, children, staff - whoever was fortunate to be in her path. She prayed like no other. Others came to her side requesting to pray together. She was slow to judge, and quick to forgive - a very wise woman. She is now surrounded by LOVE.

Moon over rock dunder

Missed the Point

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One day after showing excitement about the images in the Original Art blog, I find myself saying there is something wrong here - the images aren’t capturing the feel, for me. The skies were so magnificent that I am not doing justice as I interpret the essence of what I am seeing - too many detractors from the colors, sky patterns, design. I usually like sky grounding. In Original Art, the sky alone is the image - nothing else is needed, as I see it.

Original Art edit

Golden edit

Auburn edit

Original Art

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I love Magenta - blue red gold affect skies over Button Bay on Lake Champlain - presented below. This is the second time, within a short period, the skies blow my mind, while walking the state park along the shores of the great lake. I am into the walk and talk. Beauty overwhelms. We stop. My nature loving friend notices the Original Art first. I use my new iPhone for a series to stitch, process, interpret - resulting in some of my favorite images of the year, and maybe ever.

The Original Art is priceless - not mine - natures. All four of the artful skies are within minutes of each other - within steps of each other. A real art show. I capture, interpret, and present. Joy to the World.

Original Art

Auburn

Golden

Button Bay December

Sacred Space

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The skies delight while exiting the St Paul History Museum - backlighting the St Paul Cathedral, during my last Minnesota visit. As I reflect on Sacred Space, the image below, I’m struck by how filled with joy I am by nature - viewing colorful clouds, majestic trees, warming light. The greatest Cathedrals can’t fill my soul like God’s glorious natural space. Blessed am I to grow in this love.

May you have a Merry Christmas and be blessed to love each day.

Sacred Space

Felicity

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Every once in a while I capture simple beauty that just makes me happy to view. Felicity does that for me. Sky, mountains, water, and mostly light, mesmerizes. I noticed the image a couple months ago and made it a banner on my blog page. I blog about it now because it fills my heart. I don’t now about tomorrow - maybe it won’t have staying power on my wall. I am about to go to the print room and make it a possibility as a photo of a life time.

Felicity

Crimson Show

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I am nearing All Souls on the shores of Lake Champlain for a monthly diner gathering. All Souls faces my favorite mountain range, the south end of which I identify by the peaked Adirondack mountain you’ll notice in the images below. I have to stop, just blocks before the best positioning, at All Souls, to see the disappearing closing day colors. A number of near by cars do the same. People shooting the scene with their companion iPhones. One person standing by said “I haven’t seen a sky like this in a long time”.

Moments like this are why I carry my monopod and Sony compact camera with me all the time. I got a few shots, but was too late for the position I would have liked in front of All Souls. You get what is given. I am grateful to have seen the beauty and capture a bit of it.

BASE POINT

Stand Tall

The Point

Seeing the LIGHT

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Seeing the LIGHT - LOVE, is a favorite present topic with my blogs, and images. It is because of a present focus on seeing the depths of my INNER WISDOM - learning the LOVE within. It’s a really cool journey for me. It brings, joy, peace, forgiveness, letting go of judgements while allowing for praise. I have for a long time said ‘LOVE is the answer’, but it is this journey that is bringing me closer to understanding that it is LOVING only that I long for. I have flashes of Enlightenment, and the journey has just begun

Seeing the light

Continuous Improvement

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I seldom get it right the first time. Thank God for my instincts to be okay with continuing to improve rather than giving up! Cropping images sometimes turns something I kind of like to something I really like. I guess it’s where my eye goes, and the feel I get. I play with light with adjusting filters too. There are unlimited variations and degrees that are options. It’s fun to explore possibilities.

For instance, the image below, Red White and Blue. I cropped the tree and railing to put more emphasis of sun beam and surrounding color, and - it’s a different picture, which I like much more. I also eliminated any filter affect on centers of interest. Anyway, that’s my story… and I’m sticking to it.

Red White and Blue cropped

Red white and Blue original

Sun Beams

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The other day was a fun day to look skyward. I was going crazy with my iPhone as I walked lakeside viewing the sky above my favorite Adirondack range. The sun was peaking through the assortment of shaded clouds, highlighting the lake’s calm and the mountains colors - a welcome sight - a sight I seldom see. It makes for good imaging.

Sun Beams

Red White and Blue

Holy Juniper

Turning the Corner

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I walked Mount Philo with a dear friend on November 1st. What a treat to see heavy, sticky snow fall with accenting colorful Fall Sumac. We are turning the corner to Winter, even though there is seven weeks of Fall remaining. The snow is gone today. Wait your turn, Winter. Fall still has a stretch to show it’s glory. Winter scenes are wonderful. There will be plenty of time for you Winter. I think about images of ice today. There will be plenty of time for that Mike - wait your turn. Look to the skies in the meanwhile.

I am becoming more and more connected to Nature. I wish to become one with Nature. What does that mean, Mike? I will know when I arrive. For now I am touched with a growing connection, and influenced by one that very much may be one with Nature.

november sumac

another World

Enlightenment

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I photograph my favorite Adirondack mountain range again and again - never the same, but never moves. The skies move - changing all the time. What better base to capture artful skies then my favorite view of beautifully aligned mountains.

I reflect as I view what relates to me, in the photos below - wouldn’t it be wonderful to only know LOVE - to be Enlightened. My ego intrudes. I know more now though. LOVE is mighty. I know LOVE is the answer to all problems.

enlightenment

Partly cloudy

pointed

Path of Change

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Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Dead. It was fun to see the gamut of colors on one tree at Button Bay, on Lake Champlain, this last Wednesday, while walking six miles around the park with a dear friend. And the skies were beautiful to boot.

I reflect on change - my environment mostly: geographic, family, career, health, friends, spirituality, eternity. The powers in the world, to me, haven’t figured it out, and drastically need the wisdom of individuals who know that the answer to everything is LOVE. Our minds and bodies - Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Dead. And then what? Do we come around until we get it right?

Path of change

Look Skyward

swirly stroke

Iconic Entrance

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To me the hill entrance to ALL Souls Interfaith Gathering (ASIG) is iconic. It does, although, remind me of my brothers herniated stomach. It is an unusual shape in an unusual place - meant to be, I guess, to attract my camera, sliders, and worshipers. The top of which is a perfect spot to see the sunrise over Mount Mansfield and Camels Hump on Easter morning. The hill deserves a name. Maybe it has one. I must inquire.

Iconic entrance to ASIG

Eating Out

ASIG Cloud over hill

Resurrection Morning

Blowing in the Wind

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Leaves are coming down - end of a colorful season. My image Blowing in the Wind is one of my favorite Fall images. It triggers a thought of the wind and rain that is the culmination of a glorious season in Vermont. People come here, from all over the world, just to see the colors of the forest in the valleys and on the mountains. It’s spectacular

Blowing in the wind