We're Not in Kansas Any More on Creative Arts Thursday/Friday
Artistic license not only allows at times, the "creative mind" to mess with reality … for me, it frequently encourages it!
© A. Mac/A.G. (With apologies to Judy Garland's "Dorothy")
Midnight Beachcombers, Cape May, NJ
© A. Mac/A.G.
Image atop of article: High Desert Starry Night, Canyonlands, Utah
NOTE the new GROUP Avatar.
Don't necessarily keep it real … but still … feel free to do so if you wish.
I love the detail in the first Picture. I can make out a shooting star.
I love ''We're not in Kansas anymore''
I love how beautiful the photos are.
Beautiful images Mac. Very well done. I really like the 'other world' looking images. Very impressive.
Super-creativity
From my balcony - my transportation to Kansas has arrived.
Don't bet on it.
By the end of the day we will officially have the snowiest October on record. This shot was two nights ago where we ended up with a couple of inches (pretty much melted by now). 3 to 6 more inches today and overnight.
I certainly remember snow in October and at times in September in northern MN.
Thanks for the memories.
Umm... brrr... That looks cold.
It is! Our office building heat is out waiting for parts. It's been around 64 in the building all week. I just want to go home and curl up under a blanket with the dog. LOL!
Soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Soup sounds great. Maybe I'll make some egg noodles and chicken noodle soup this weekend!
Perfect for cold weather. I also like vegetable soup when it's cold
We were at 100+ here again last week. It finally started to cool off and we are having a nice foggy morning.
That's as bad as the cold, I think.
It can get pretty bad, especially since we have humidity with the heat more often now than we used to. The older I get, the less I like it.
Sometimes we get snow in the mountains around L.A.
From last winter:
Nice shots!
Thanks EG!
Beautiful!
The San Gabriel mountains. Stunning.
Thanks!
Yes, the San Gabriels (as we call them) over the north side of the San Fernando Valley. I drove to the top of the hill near our house on the south side of the Valley to get these photos. The hills on the south where I live are the Santa Monica mountains.
Of course, since you used to live in Southern California, you know all about our geography already.
Good mountain snow shots. The last time I saw snow was on distant mountain tops when I had climbed the Holy Buddhist Mount Emei.
Memories of my snowy street scenes in Canasa. Is that a one-way street, or is parking only allowed on one side?
Well, that was lucky, only 16 comments between my comment and the one I replied to.
I posted this last week but it was pretty late so only a few got to see it.
Our resident eagles on a rooftop across the street from us.
Amazing.
They need names.
Fred and Ethel?
LOLOLOL. Frick and Frack.
Frack will have to stay off of Federal lands after January 20th.
That's awesome.
I remember a few years ago, there were several turkey vultures on the roof of the condo units across from me. It was kind of creepy.
Not so awesome as the shot of the eagles.
On my way home from work a couple years ago. I've always loved this converging of interstates and freeways.
Traffic was stopped and I might have been doing 2 mph in 1st gear.
I was wondering about that...
I know... I get PNs every time someone comments on my comments or articles, even when it's deleted / otherwise removed.
I didn't want to come off like the Highway Patrol, so I deleted.
I guess you saw my "Look Ma no hands" comment?
And the "who was steering" one. No worries. I don't do anything dangerous behind the wheel. I abhor phone usage while driving, drinking and driving... just about anything other than taking a quick sip of coffee while behind the wheel. People have forgotten what it's like to just drive. Considering I drive a manual, not like I really have much opportunity to do anything else.
Oh yeah. That one, too.
I've spent 40 years representing people badly injured in automobile accidents, and their families when they are killed. Serious stuff.
Shoot! I had a hard time smoking a cigarette when driving a manual. I waited until I got out on the hwy before I lit one
Looks like we have more than just photography in common; I represented workers in adverse actions brought against them by their employers for 30+ years.
That's interesting. Standing up for the little guy! I occasionally get employment law and wrongful termination referrals, but I refer them on to attorneys I know who handle those type of cases.
I think I remember from comments you wrote before that you also have a background in art history. My undergraduate degree was in history, primarily focused on intellectual history, and I studied art history quite extensively.
I have a Degree in Biology, a Masters in Fine Art/Art History …
… and I once read a book.*
* With no pictures.
Well, at least you're a pretty far distance from the car in front of you.
I could count on my fingers the times I've represented anyone in court.
I have represented clients in hundreds of trials, arbitrations, mediations and other court appearances. I have been involved in thousands of depositions. I have appeared in courts and have taken depositions all over California. I have traveled to other states for depositions including Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas. Practicing law in California, I have also taken many depositions in languages other than English, with the use of interpreters of course, including dozens in Spanish, Russian and Armenian as well as Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, French, Polish and Italian, and probably other languages that I don't remember right now. I even attended a mediation in Brisbane, Australia a few years ago. It's been interesting.
Well I only handled two criminal cases in my whole career, and at least I prevented the accused from having to serve jail time or pay fines, and all other court appearances were normal estate matters such as passing of accounts. I have been a mediator, but that was not a court procedure, it was in my offices. However, my one time robed in Ontario's Supreme Court was for the purpose of my being "called before the bar" as a Queen's Counsel.
I represented a worker who technically died on an operating table, but, who fortunately was revived and who eventually fully recovered and returned to his job. The state system under which his pension was administered, had a policy of paying a triple-indemnity to survivors of workers who died while in service.
I actually had to explain to him that, although he had technically beed dead momentarily, that in order to be eligible for the triple indemnity, he had to remain dead.
True story.
I did not have to take law boards, nor even attain a law degree to be what probably was defined as an ombudsman (an official appointed to investigate individuals' complaints against maladministration, especially that of public authorities). I not only represented workers, I also was involved in negotiating collective bargain agreements and enforcing those agreements. Labor Law and legislative areas defined my work generally.
I have never represented any clients in criminal cases, only civil law matters, almost 100% personal injury and wrongful death, and not just automobile accidents. Most of the arbitrations and mediations I participated in where held in private offices, either the office of the arbitrator or mediator, or at offices of arbitration and mediation services. Some were conducted at the courthouse. I also participated in many settlement conferences at court. The depositions are not conducted at court.
That's a pretty wild story. He was very lucky.
I have been involved in a few contract negotiations over the years for musician friends. One of my friends, one of the world's greatest musicians, who I met within months after I became a lawyer, and who passed away last year at age 90, wrote his autobiography with a co-author in 1990, and asked me to negotiate the contract with the publisher. Fortunately, I was able to see him one last time, at his 90th birthday party, which was just a month before he died. It was at a well known club in L.A. that was closed to the public that night for the party. There were many great musicians there. He even got behind the drums and played on a few songs, at age 90. They were performing songs all night that he had recorded during his career. It was the last time he played. A leading studio player, he may have been the most recorded musician of all time, playing on hundreds of hit records by dozens of recording artists, including 6 Grammy Records of the Year in a row. He had an amazing career.
A random piece of art that I picked up at a flea market for two bucks, with my signature style photo edits.
Interesting folk art carving.
Very impressive Hal. Well done!
Good one, both the item and your photo-editing.
This is one of my favorite photos of my daughter. This was taken a few years ago. Her and her best friend got all muddy and were just being silly. I loved it.
Yes, looks like she was really having fun.
At the entrance to the Long Son Pagoda, Nha Trang, Vietnam. About as far away from Kansas as you can get!
Great artistry, and a great photo, G. Such intricate details are fascinating.
Thanks Raven Wing
You just gave me the idea of posting drags this time - mine are pretty far from Kansas as well.
I was kind of expecting that.
I don’t mean to get political on creative arts but I just have to share.
What's so political about those?
Lol. It was just a little joke.
We're off to a great start!
Much thanks for that … and keep it going.
A little something for Thursday. An oldie but goodie.
A sensational image!
Thank very much Mac.
yup
Very impressive, and uncanny how much the framing enhances the image.
Thanks Buzz.
Another very powerful image.
Thank you G.
Taking it Into Friday
©A. Mac/A.G.
Frank Sinatra singing Fly Me To The Moon.
Both mysterious and fun. Love the array of color combinations. Great artwork, Mac.
Definitely great artwork.
Dragons I have known - very far from Kansas
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Very beautiful and impressive Dragons Buzz.
The photos remind me of the ''Dragon Boat'' races in Hong Kong. Our company sponsored a boat every year.
I would have liked to see those.
Those are great photos.
Here it is, Friday once again. Hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend.
A very lovely image.
Thank you Buzz. Something a little different in the framing.
Yes, it definitely guides the focus towards the image.
I chose to use the combination of round corners of the outer frame with the square to also bring attention to the sun behind the primary image.
Good thinking. I believe you were successful with that idea.
Thanks Buzz. Not all of my ideas work, but, I get lucky most of the time. But, it takes trial and error to find just the right mix to make it all come together.
Beautiful
Thanks G.
Well so much for all the snow we were supposed to get. It was just warm enough to keep it to rain and not really change over to snow until you get to the higher elevations away from the lake. So no new snow pics for today... Instead the new fish came on Tuesday! I got a trio (2 females and 1 male) of albino blue tail guppies for the new 6 gallon tank.
Lovely shade of blue. Have you named your guppies? You could call the male "Mormon".
No, I've not named them. LOL. In the right conditions they breed too fast. I was hoping for a long time I'd be able to rehome the platties and put the guppies in the 29 gallon... I might see if I can just "donate" them to Petco.
Beautiful little guppies, EG. And they have a very lovely home in which to roam.
You could name it, BB for beautiful blue.
Cool fish!
Checkin' in before heading to the woods.
© A. Mac/A.G.
Amazing piece
An amazing shot, with a falling star.
For the Record, the scene is an amalgamation, comprised of 5 separate images, 4 of which are my originals, albeit 2 taken at different times and locations, 1 added digitally, and 1, from a source other than me, used with permission of that source.
Photography, in and of itself, is both a finished image potentially, and, the start of potentially endless other images (amalgamations, digital, and, at times, combinations of all-in-one).
My favorite artist of all time, 19th Century Hudson River School painter, Frederick Edwin Church, created great landscape paintings, that, often, were of places that did not exist as painted, rather, as amalgamations of his oil sketches of different scenes, combined!
I guess that's where I got the inspiration, and, in the digital age, there's no end to it.
Thank you for the information about that wonderful piece.
Church was very great artist. I am a huge fan of the Hudson River School, and Church was the leading artist of the group.
Have you visited Church's home, Olana, which is now a museum? It is in a beautiful location looking out over the Hudson River Valley. It is a fascinating place and well-worth a visit.
I can see how Frederick Edwin Church influenced your style. These are a couple of his paintings.
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Having just looked through a number of Church's paintings, I can understand why you consider him your favourite artist. I'm very impressed by and almost as enanoured of his work myself, although J.M.W.Turner remains my favourite painter.
Olana is on my list … some personal "bumps-in-the-road" in recent years have put it on hold … maybe post-pandemic.
Turner is a favorite of mine as well, but there was "An American Turner" - Thomas Moran; check him out if you. haven't seen his work.
HIs home, the museum, is a magnificent structure.
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Beautiful examples of Church's work.
Yes, of course. When you can I think you would really enjoy it.
Turner was a fantastic artist. Moran was also a great painter and part of the Hudson River School.
Olana is a beautiful place.
Yes, I just checked Thomas Moran out. He was born in England, but his family moved to Philadelphia when he was 7. This is the first sentence in the biography I read - bolding is mine.
Turner's influence can be seen in this, among many other of his paintings.
Beautiful Buzz. Thanks for sharing.
I do understand where you get your inspiration for your various techniques for creating your artwork. Some of mine are very similar to your amalgamations. I have various images that I create digitally and join them together with other images to create the primary image, with some editing here and there to get the desired image I want. Can add various effects to the images, such as enhancing various parts of the images to compliment the overall primary image.
Then I use various shapes and digital effects to create the frames. I enjoy stretching my imagination in creating the frames that will enhance not only the primary image, but, the effect of the image as a whole.
It's indeed a lot of work, but, it fills my heart with joy to be able to create artwork that my NT family might enjoy. As well as give them an idea of the Native American artistry and way of life. I am just an amature being self taught, and try my best to learn from others here as well to improve my abilities. I appreciate the feedback comments and suggestions, and that is what helps me grow. (smile)
As you say, with the digital age we enjoy today, the possibilities are endless.
That looks very Spiritual. Beautiful colors, effects, lighting, somewhat other worldly. Awesome. Thank you for sharing this wonderful work of art.
When I think back the time I spent in my darkroom, processing my B&W film, enlarging the photos from 35mm to 8 X 10 or 11 X 14 and then the immersing of the prints in the 3 baths to develop the prints, and then drying them on my drum dryer, and the many hours all of that took, compared to transferring a photo from my camera to my computer, doing the editing with so many variations, framing, etc. and then printing them out on my HP 1510 printer/copier/scanner all in colour in a tiny fraction of the time it used to take, it's like comparing a model T Ford to a brand new Corvette.
The only thing is that back then I loved doing that processing, and I still post examples of my efforts from back then on this group, like the sailboat on the Ottawa River behind Canada's Parliament Buildings, or the train tracks behind the Dundurn Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, where I was born and grew up, both taken from hillsides above. When I was a little kid, and spending time at my grandfather's dry goods store, I used to walk down the street to the museum and sit on the hillside watching the trains, and then in my 30s I drove back there from Toronto (40 miles away) to take the photo of the tracks - making a permanent record of a childhood memory.
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Both of those photos were taken with my Canon F1 35mm SLR film camera.
Beautiful photos Buzz. I had never done anything like what I have and am doing. Art was never my forte, although I had always wanted to be able to create art, I just didn't have the talent that my Father and Brother were born with.
So when I started to play around with some ideas and wanted to see what I could do on the computer, I was really surprised how workable it was to put my ideas together in something sort of nice looking. And...off I went! And I love doing it. As you must have in the vast work that you did. as they are so awesome.
Golden snake, Cambodia
Snake or dragon?
Those are awesome photos G. Whatever they are, they are beautiful.
Thanks Raven Wing. I thought they were pretty unusual.
If that's an apple on the right edge of the first photo, DON'T EAT IT!!!
street light globe...
Street light globe, as SP said, is what it is. You can see others in the second photo. Not on my diet.
LOL
Snake!
Garter Snake
© A. Mac/A.G.
I have eaten snake a few times before.
When we lived in Pawhuska OK, I lived with the Grandparents of the Cherokee children who lived behind us with their grandchildren during the summer breaks. The lived on the Cherokee Reservation, and one of the things we did was go snake hunting with their older Uncles who still lived on the Rez. Poison or not, we collected them.
The Uncles would skin the snakes, and the women would cook them. I don't remember what kind they all were, but, they all more of less tasted the same. The Uncles would then take the snake skins and sell them to the Native boot maker in town. The skins that were too small to use for boot making were used to make other things. Then they were sold at the monthly gathering of dancers from the local Tribes. The money from the sales of the snake skin goods was then used to help the poorer members of the local Tribes.
Sounds like a good plan.
A very nice looking snake Mac.
Heres and older one...
Another stunning image.
Thank you Buzz.
Great image Raven Wing
Thank you very much G.
Spaceship Fantasy
© A. Mac/A.G.
Take it into Saturday!
Beautiful Mac. Sailing through the sea of another plane.
"Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship" (Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan)
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Chengdu - a city in the mist.
Beautiful shot of the city in Mist.
Well, it's Saturday … but let's keep it going. Here's a picture I took yesterday. I am very happy I took it.
Got a bunch of shots at this spot yesterday … going back there later today.
© A. Mac/A.G.
That is a very beautiful photo.
Keeping things in perspective, God/Nature/the Cosmos has created the beauty … I just take its picture.
Your artwork is truly inspired.
And inspiring.
The winding leading line truly makes that photo special.
Sunrise, Stone Creek, Ocala FL.
WOW!!!
What a beautiful sunrise, Kavika. Father Sky has a way of gifting us with such beauty, and Mother Earth loves to share in it.
Thanks RW, we get some spectacular sunrises and sunset's here.
On my few visits to Ft Myers FL there was always a beautiful sunrise and sunset. Reminded me of So Cal. Watching the sunrise over the tops of the mountains is very inspiring.
OMG. That is FANTASTIC!!!
Another creation for Saturday....
There are no limits to your ability to create magnificent images (and with burled wood frames, LOL)
LOL! Thanks Buzz. I have to get my wood burl fix in now and then. And I know you like them too. (grin)
Nice!
Thank you G.
My wife/s birthday was a couple of days ago.
The lunch: Starting with the fish and going clockwise, tender savoury pork slices, snow peas in a dark sauce, chunky vegetable chicken soup, sliced raw carrot (and I don't know what), and the piece de resistance - a kind of sticky chewy sweet pastry that I couldn't stop eating.
The cake, covered with fruit slices and Oreo cookies - I'm surprised they did "Happy Birthday" in English.
Blowing out the candles.
It all looks like a wonderful Birthday for her. All the food looks delicious. I love Chinese food, the real stuff, as well as the Americanized stuff. My two other favs are Japanese and Thai food.
Happy Birthday to your sweet Bride.
Thank you.
Happy Birthday to your beautiful bride!
As one use to say...Hippo bird eggs to ewe.
LOL. Thanks, Ender.
One more oldie to take us to Sunday.......
Have to tell you that when I first glanced at that "oldie", the word that instantly came into my mind was "island". Can you follow my thought? Anyway, is that a pink face that the birds are looking at, or is it something they intend to eat?
It's a fish they are going to eat. About the 'island' part, I am not sure. But, that is why artwork is so great, as it gives each one who looks at it a chance to see what their minds' eye sees.
That is a very interesting piece.
Thanks G.
Thanks A.Mac, and thumb-uppers.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
A beautiful shot G. Rainbows are so awesome to see.
Thanks Raven Wing. They really are so awesome. We are talking about Dorothy and not being in Kansas any more. And, of course, Somewhere Over the Rainbow was Dorothy's song.
Have you ever seen a moonbow? I saw one in Hawaii one night and it was amazing. The same arc but instead of colors, it was white against the dark background.
No I haven't G. I bet they are a beautiful and amazing sight to see. I was a very young girl when I first saw the Wizard of Oz, and Judy Garland singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" has been one of my very favorite songs all my life. Many other people have sung the song, but, somehow, it just does not have the same heart to it that Judy put in it.
I was thrilled to see a moonbow because I had read about them many years before.
The one other version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that I truly love is by the late, great Hawaiian musician, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, known as Bruddah Iz, who sang it so beautifully while accompanying himself with his wonderful ukulele playing. His version gets a lot of airplay and you may have heard it on TV. He was also a member of a great, great group called the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau. I have some of their CDs. Tragically, he died in 1997 at age 38. Way too young.
Truly I don't remember the names of all the other people I heard sing that classic song, and the gentleman you speak of could have been one of them.
Perhaps I might get a chance to see a 'moonbow'. That would really be great.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful information.
Always love to see a rainbow. What is that line angling upwards from the lower right?
There are a couple of lines, but one is less visible. They are power lines. Most of the power lines around here are underground, however, that is an older neighborhood, and their lines are above ground. I could not get photos of the rainbow from where I was located that did not include the lines.
Can we make it to Monday?
Red-tailed Hawk
©A. Mac/A.G.
Very interesting markings on the underside of the wings - it's the first time I've ever seen them.
A beautiful photo Mac.
Something for Monday.....
Birch trees and Egrets in breeding plumage … I'm going to see if there's any iconographic significance. Beautiful image.
When I first created the image I didn't put the Egrets in it. I tried a few other thoughts, but, they just did not seem to fit with the image I wanted. When I tried with the Egrets, they just seemed to make the image come to life.
The young Indian girl sitting next to the loving pair of Egrets just brought the reality of the respect and understanding of Native Americans for all of Mother Nature and Mother Earth. The animals seem to understand this as well, so they can rest peacefully next to the young girl with no fear.
Thanks Mac. Please do share what significance you find in it.
That is very beautiful.
Thank you very much G.
Love, contentment, togetherness - all personified.
Indeed Buzz, and thank you. It really plays into the Native American belief that, 'We are all related'.
Monday, Monday - fortunately I never again have to think or say "I hate Monday".
My friend and client that I mentioned in comment 4.3.16 above was the drummer on The Mamas and the Papas records. "Monday, Monday" was one of his songs.
Beautiful photo Buzz. Lots of bright colors against a bed of green. Nicely done.
The video ends showing the Hawaiian people gathered to celebrate Iz's passing.
The original version of this video has almost 1 billion views on Youtube, but it does show his ashes being scattered at sea which may not be to everyone's sensibilities. It is available on Youtube, also.
Some of my neighbors here in Philly "waiting" in line to cast their votes!
If I have to wait in line to vote, I want it to be with them!
Way ta go!! Great way to celebrate exercising one of our important rights as Americans.