Making the slightest contact, separate masses tend to “pull” to one another Reflecting upon these raindrops, I’m drawn more to their journey than to my usual inclination to trace subject matter back to its origins—perhaps because the first appearance of water on Earth has not yet been ascertained. Water known however, that gravity keeps it […]
“Exquisite” happens when parts unite to form a greater whole Aside from the beauty of the reflections, the image of this motorcycle encourages several lines of contemplation. The first is a deep appreciation for the human capacity to extract elements from the earth and shape them into virtually unlimited forms. Size, shape and surface, even […]
The random arrangement of visual elements juxtaposing lights and darks in this image comes near to creating abstraction because the subject matter is easily “read.” Another aesthetic feature here is the number of visual elements, each tonal change representing one of them. The more there are, the more complex the image, so there’s increased potential […]
High in the field of frigid darkness The place where potentials reside, Atoms rise, congregate and coalesce. I am born, a vaporous singularity. Wandering there, I reach out to the closest being A speck of dust carried in an atmospheric wave, Clinging, descending. The order within expresses symmetry, six arms. Growing, gaining […]
This image resulted from inspiration I received many years ago after seeing the work of Jerry Uelsmann, a master of the multiple printing technique. His work caught my attention because he was a graduate of R.I.T.. Although the word inspiration derives from inspiratio, which is Latin for “divine guidance,” a modern dictionary renders it a […]
The Japanese way of seeing beauty in entropy We tend to think of entropy as something “bad,” the inevitable tendency for matter to dissipate, for all living things to die. As embodied creatures, we naturally would prefer to avoid this downward spiral—for ourselves, loved ones, pets, creations, cherished objects and the systems we use in […]
A creative act that makes a powerful statement Ethan Miller, my grandson, when he was four Wouldn’t we all like to get this kind of response from those we deeply care about—at any age? Gifting is a critically significant form of communication, extending as far back as one Neanderthal offering a cherished stone or bone […]
A deeper perspective Philosopher Ken Wilber’s perspective on art in The Eye of Spirit: An Integral Vision For a World Gone Slightly Mad beautifully expresses what I believe is its highest potential—that everything is art. My philosopher friend, Beatrice Bruteau, made it explicit. “Since the divine Artist has chosen to create, we cannot love the […]
“Fall,” yes. Also a demonstration of Nature’s color palette—and more. The coming of Fall triggers my appreciation of the things that make the season delectable—sweater weather, yellow, orange and red trees, cider, pumpkin pie, apple farms and Thanksgiving. When the leaves begin to fall and the temperature dips, my thoughts turn to the possibility of […]
An art style that sheds light on the value of choice In a dream, I walked around an art gallery where all the large black and white photographs were made in “high key”—white subjects on white backgrounds with some grey values but no blacks. Attempting to achieve this with film was challenging because it required […]
Contemplative Photography 