favorite pastime

I have such a love affair with photography,

there's no end to what you can do!

Original

Convert to B&W

Increase contrast

Play with colored tints ~ crop

... and so much more!

pseudo-oil painting

more tricks

borders - zoom & crop

the choices are as varied

as your IMAGINATION (and your software)!

Authenticity

Truthfully, no two of us are alike!



Whether you've attended Art School, are self-taught or consider yourself an "outsider artist," each one of us has come from a very VERY different place. And because we come from totally different places it is natural to produce totally different art.



Creating art, in any form, is also an act of trust. It takes a "leap of faith" since making art is the act of BARING YOUR SOUL!

There truly are - NO RULES - that define where art can or should come from. The important part is that we express our own authentic individual experience.

Release the bird from your caged mind. Let your art (and your heart) S.O.A.R.

You have a story to tell!

You Are Special

"best friends forever"

3 weeks ago I made this ATC for a very special friend and, when I see her on Friday, I will finally be able to give it to her.

The backstory is that she came into my life under extremely trying circumstances. Raised by her single father and grandfather and at barely 9 years of age, her dad was tragically killed in a one-car accident. Yes, heartbreaking, but there is much more to this that I can't share. As a result, we have opened our hearts to each other and the healing process continues. Outside of immediate family, she has trusted only ME with her story and I am honored to be her friend. UPDATE 03/28/09: today will be our second "go" at altering her Poetry Journal together. We plan to add lots of secrets in magical little hiding places, so stay tuned!

The way we were brought together, and she agrees with me, proves that there is no such thing as coincidence. Especially when you realize that the root word is "coincide!" (For all you linguists, more here.)

Over many years we have developed a special bond that can NEVER be broken ~


...not in this world...


...or in the next...

art journey, refreshed

It wasn't until I heard myself saying.. out loud.. how much I missed making art, that I realized I needed an emergency ART INTERVENTION! So often we turn without for inspiration, but this time it felt different. It came from within.

My heart spoke ~ and I listened.

About 2.5 weeks ago, I was describing to a friend that not expressing myself through my art was making me feel all bottled up! Shocked to hear myself uttering those words, and I promise you it was TANGIBLE.. there was a connection taking place inside.. leaving no doubt, whatsover, that the time to "purge" was n.o.w.

The easy part was locating a few half-started projects to pick back up again - LOL - and (no surprise) I came up with some new ones, as well. I'll be busy posting and sharing them with you, but first, here's what I've been working on since March 3rd:

• blank card for someone to GIVE (below)
• 3 ATC's - 1 very special one for a special friend
• an altered book Poetry Journal with a teenage friend
• finished my first handbound journal (a la Kelly Kilmer) with 3, 20-page signatures
• started the cover design
• learned to use a Color Negative attachment to my scanner and retouched 2 of my all-time best photographs from two 26 year old negatives
• Book of Me journal
• Sentimental Journey journal

... happy arting!

every day is a new beginning

upland farm - sherman, CT 02.25.08

Let there be respect for the earth,

Peace for its people,

Love in our lives,

Delight in the good,

Forgiveness for past wrongs

And from now on, a new start.

millennium resolution - rev. peter trow - 1999