Word for the Day Is....

Boo!

Spooks are about ... Watch out!

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon All Rights Reserved

Today's Lesson

Lesson learned: Sharing everything one knows, or does, regarding one's craft is not a good idea. Keep some secrets.

Gold Stars--A Secret Ingredient

Creative people need praise and encouragement. Praise for a job well done. Encouragement to keep going and doing...to keep exploring...to continue succeeding. If noone is giving you the praise you need, do it yourself. SILENTLY PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK...AND...Give Yourself A Gold Star.

You are alive...give yourself a gold star. If you are momentarily down and make your bed, give yourself a gold star. Is there one thing you accomplished today? Even the smallest thing counts...One gold star coming up.

You are important...you are important to yourself...some days you are all you've got (especially if you are good at what you do).

You are here...that makes you important. You are someone. There is no one like you.

Bring on the Gold Stars!!!!!

Remember: Be good, Do good, then Strive to Be Better!

And...hand out gold stars, some praise and a kind word or two.

"There is no failure except in no longer trying." ~ Elbert Hubbard

Here's the deal: If there is something you want to do, something you love doing, then do it. Your unique, individual "style" will emerge. A secret: Follow where your interests take you--your path. Don't do for others...do for you. Experiment. Challenge yourself. Pay no attention to what is "in." What is "in" may soon be "out."

THE LADIES

A FIRST AWARD IMAGE

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon 1997

All Rights Reserved

Goddess Images

I am enthralled with the Goddess Watercolors painted by Judith Heartsong. To me, they are reminiscent of archetypes (specifically The Muse) as part of the collective unconscious.

Printed with Permission from Judith Heartsong--©Judith Heartsong--All Rights Reserved

My Muse is an important invisible companion and inspirational partner. Every day I take a quiet time--a time out. Often I think in images during this quiet meditative time. It is my job to make these images real. After "seeing" an image, that image must come into being. It stays with me until I make the photograph. When nothing happens during a time out, I wait. Either now, or at another time, ideas will show up.

My Muse also visits when I am moving interesting objects around and playing with setups. After a few maneuvers, the composition looks "right." Then it is time to shoot. Over time, photographs find you. Your job is to recognize them when they show up.

Suggestion: Take a time out every once in a while and let ideas come to you.

To see more of Judith Heartsong's work click on the Goddess painting above or go to:

Collection: Art & Color.

To see her reference photographs go to Flickr: judith heartsong's Photostream.

Judith Heartsong's journal is at: Judith HeartSong

A draft of this article was written yesterday, edited (after receiving permission to use image) and posted Saturday, October 25, 2008.

Artists, Poets, Writers, Musicians, Etc., Etc.

"The poet is a bird of strange moods. He descends from his lofty domain to tarry among us, singing; if we do not honor him he will unfold his wings and fly back to his dwelling place." ~ Kahil Gibran

How Do You Do That?

Here is how to create a spiral from a landscape:



Choose landscape:








CROP image if desired.





Then...in Adobe Photoshop go to Filters > Distort > Twirl...Play with Twirl to get the effect you like.









Clean up edges using brush and fill tools and there you go...you have a spiral.

No Blooms--Berries Instead

The current Blogger's Community Photo Challenge is Spooky. Click on Photo Challenge Spooky image to go there. Please feel free to enter. Check out the Guidelines and go for it. My image is NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE JUDGING PROCESS.

Went out to get Morning Glory shots....no way. While there, I found some berries. Came up with this strange shot (Below) and decided to post it. The way some images come into being continues to amaze me. Sometimes they simply evolve and take on a life of their own.

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon 2008
All Rights Reserved

Happy Halloween!

Joy in A Digital Darkroom

This morning I am playing again. (One of my favorite things to do.) I may go back to this country road to catch a current autumn image.

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon 2008

All Rights Reserved

The image below was originally a sunset. How about that? Now, an example of the Golden Mean.

Image by Elisabeth Bacon 2008
All Rights Reserved

Our garden is overrun with morning glories. I am heading there, in a few minutes, to see if any of them have survived the frost.

Define Your Dream--Define Yourself

Image by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

Dreams come true. We make our dreams come true. Here are some ways to manifest what you want:

1. Plan, Make Lists, Be Specific
2. Commit, Show Up
3. Be Determined, Persevere
4. Focus, Become a Laser Beam
5. Learn and Grow--Knowledge is Power
6. Be Aware, Pay Attention, Be Vigilante
7. Believe, Visualize, Affirm, Listen
8. Follow Your Heart
   
   (Do you see the pot formed by the words in 1-8 above? Squint and look again.)

Be the Clay, Mold It, Fire It, Fill It and ENJOY!

Journal Upload

Today I uploaded my AOL journal so I would have it for reference. My Muse must have whispered in my ear urging me to upload, or my intuition kicked in. I had planned to let that journal go into cybertrash. Anyway, I changed my mind and am very happy I did. Currently that old journal will remain private and be my online filing cabinet of thoughts and ideas. Many photographs have been removed, however they can be put back easily.

The other day while writing about wabi-sabi, I realized that research on that subject was in my old journal. Now, thank goodness, I have online access to those old posts containing years of research and information.

At a later date, I may publish the relic online...we will see...

Also today we went to the big city, had a wonderful lunch, then headed to my favorite bookstore. Bookstores can be dangerous for me and today was a "dangerous" day. A pile of books sits here waiting for my attention. Oh such fun...I will jump into them as soon as I get out of here.

Take care...and Remember: Be Good, Do Good, then Strive to Be Better!

Artist's Day Out

Creative folks ride a roller coaster car filled with either a plethora of ideas or a void. Both ends of the spectrum are important. Balance lies somewhere in between. Achieving balance on a regular basis has eluded me. After putting out words and images, my mind shuts down. Where did I put those signs?

Out of Order

Closed For Repairs

or perhaps

Gone Shopping?

Today is my Artist's Day Out...

Time to Refresh, Rejuvenate and Refill Myself.

"Nature abhors a vacuum." ~ Aristotle

Haiku 3

Eating dinner with
Silent rain.
~EB

Dinner with
Silent rain
~ EB

Dinner
Listening...
Soft rain
~ EB

Truth

In a crowd...
One

In a crowd...
Alone ~EB

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

Horror of Horrors

Our coffee pot broke! Around here that is a major crisis. Checked the plug...jiggled the switch...nothing. Thank goodnesss a porcelain, white coffee pot, with matching cone, has been in the cupboard waiting for an encore. After washing pot, boiling water, scooping coffee into cone, water tranformed into that magical potion--coffee. Hooray, the day can begin.

Haiku and Wabi-Sabi

Summer's gone
Flowers cry ~ EB

"Pare down to the essence..." ~ Leonard Koren,

Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers

Experimenting with Poetry and Haiku

In the early morning fog, a grieving garden longs for summer's sun.

* * * * * * * *
1. Engulfed in fog

A grieving garden
Longs for summer sun

* * * * * * * *
2. Engulfed in fog (5)
A garden grieves for summer's (7)
Sun-filled days now gone (5)

* * * * * * * *

3. In fog
A garden weeps
For summer

* * * * * * * *

4. In the fog

A garden
Grieves

Thanks to Teresa Williams for reawakening my interest in Haiku.

Random, Rambling Thoughts About A Word

Word for the Day: afald or one-fold

I read somewhere that Ray Bradbury (hope I have the correct author) uses words to prime his writing--as a jumping off place; and Natalie Goldberg (author of Writing Down the Bones) referred to, in one of her books, her love of words and talked about the Oxford English Dictionary, a 20-volume set.

After being introduced to this massive collection, I found a CD containing all 20 volumes and a love affair began. Hard to believe...I enjoy reading a dictionary!

Recently, the original CD refused to run on my laptops. So...I ordered a revised edition. In this new edition, there is a Word for the Day. Today's word is aefald, or afald which means one-fold, singular, sole or simple, sincere, honest. Would "Keep It Afald" be effective instead of, "Keep It Simple." Guess not. Am kidding. Anyway, got to thinking about one-fold. Is being one-fold similar to being a one note, as in only able to do one thing? Is there a difference from being a one-note artist and specializing (and doing that one thing well)?

In any creative endeavor, the more one does the better one gets. I love still life, nature and everything about photography. However, I may be one-fold (one-note) when it comes to Renaissance-style images. When the final image pops up on my LCD screen I get excited. The play of light on form gets to me every time. That is the way it is. If that is one-fold, then so be it.

Here is my point: there is nothing wrong with specializing and excelling. So...if a one note is your lot in life, run with it. And.....

Remember: Be the Best You Can Be...Do Good, Be Good and Strive to Be Better.

Morning Fog

Photographs by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

Originality

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

" Originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes." ~ T.W. Higginson

Take Time To See

"Nobody sees a flower--really--it is so small it takes time--we haven't time--and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." ~ Georgia O'Keeffe

'Let the beauty we love be what we do." ~ Rumi

Final

Elisabeth Bacon 2008

All Rights Reserved

Stage 3

Who would have thunk it? Working all day yesterday yielded this simple result. More is needed to complete the image. Often "more" means taking away--editing. Today the choices continue.

New Work [In Process}

STAGE 2

Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

Yesterday began another art project. By the end of the day, I realized it was overworked. So...back to the drawing board. The key is always Keep It Simple. Today I start again...back at stage two.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Word for the day: raison d'être = reason of being

Photography and art give me raisons d'être.

Final

Added a couple of personal touches.

Altered Art Experiment [In Process]

This is such fun. I have wanted to create collage/altered art images for years. Tomorrow I will continue work on this card. Sometimes one has to stop before a project is completed. When you don't know what to do next. STOP. Take a time out...sleep on it. In the morning, when my mind is clear, the play can continue.

Change

I love symbolism...the end of a season and the beginning of a web. Here is my entry in the Bloggers Community Photo Challenge: Blogger's Community Photo Challenge-CHANGE :

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

“Change is the only constant” ~Heraclitus

Transitions

TRANSITIONS I

Photography by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

TRANSITIONS II
Photography by Elisabeth Bacon
All Rights Reserved

These images remind me of crewel embroidery. They speak to me of antiques, fireplace screens, traditional wing chairs and elegance. Dried flowers decorated winter parlors brightening the long, cold, gray days. These are nature's tapestries.

A big part of my excitement with photography is: the element of surprise. Today I am surprised.

Seeing the Positives

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon

All Rights Reserved

"People only see what they are prepared to see."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Start seeing differently--look closely. Walk around your home. Walk around your neighborhood. Creative, inspirational gems are everywhere.

My mother used to say, "Look at nature." Fall fields of grasses may take on a rust cast. Trees are cloaked in coats of many colors. A variety of textures and colors sit side by side. Symmetry, texture, color, design, patterns, movement, composition, darks and lights--can be found in nature. What combinations of colors do you like? Sit for a while...savor the moment. What do you see?

Today: I will take time to look around my world.

Good Morning

A new day...hooray!

This journal is a fresh start. I have decided to let the old go out and to bring in the new. How else can we grow and get new ideas. The fall season is a perfect time for cleaning out. A good example is cleaning out around the house. Clean out a closet and toss, or give away, anything you are not wearing. It feels so good. Once emptied out, you will have room for some new things to come in.

The same is true in life and also with creativity. Letting go of resentments, sets us free...we take a load off our shoulders. With creativity, by letting go of old ideas, patterns and routines, we free ourselves up to be receptive of new and fresh approaches.

After letting go, pay attention. Begin seeing in a new and different way. Become childlike when looking at the world. How amazing things are when seen with a child's eyes. What do we see that we have missed in the past? Make a list. Take notes. These notes and observances may be fodder for new projects.

Affirmation: I am willing to let go.
Remember: Be good, Do Good, Strive To Be Better

WELCOME

Welcome...Y'all come on in. Pull up your rocking chair and get comfortable.

Coming here every morning is going to take some getting used to for all of us who have been with AOL J-Land for years. However, I like the look of this new neighborhood and am looking forward to setting up residence here.

In this journal, I may digress from creativity and talk about all sorts of things...what the heck, this is my journal, right?

Again, welcome...It is good to see you. And...The sun is shining...it is a good day!

Affirmation: Change is a good thing.
Remember: Be Good, Do Good, Strive To Be Better!