Китайские Фонарики

Chinese Lanterns

Rediscovering The Familiar Streets

Earlier today I came across a post suggesting 30 photographic goals for 2010. One of the goals calls for taking a photo walk at least once a month - “through a new town, trail, or area and find inspiration. Your eyes will be opened in a new way, and you will remember the euphoria of creative discovery.” It seems to imply that a new town/trail/area equals new discoveries/new outlook/new perspective, which very well can be so, however… What if we take a walk - say, once a week - through the town we’ve lived our entire life in; the town that is no different from any town that have Main street and Church street parallel to one another and that appears to be no than a blip on a map? What can we see? What will we see? Is there a room left for new discoveries on the streets we have taken for years? Are new discoveries bound by new locations, or does our capacity to see beyond familiar and through habitual reside within every one of us? What is that exactly that we are looking for? What makes us see things in a new light, in a new way? And when and if we find it, what is being revealed, unveiled, re-discovered? What is it? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All of these are valid questions - each and every one of them… If I answer some of them, I would have a key that unlocks the part within me that is speechless, and yet present enough to guide me when I look through the viewfinder walking down the streets of the small town I live in… I am looking for something… I know when the essence of that ‘something’ is in the air, I generally have a feel looking at the negatives of whether or not it has been captured and to what degree. I cannot express - yet - as to what I am looking for, as to what I am seeing, as to what I am striving to discover, capture, share with others… What is there to see? What is there that to discover? What is there so powerful that has the capacity to take hold of other people’s attention and make them look closely? What am I after?

Окно и Ворота

The Gate and The Winodow

Сад Зимой

Winter Garden

Следы На Снегу

Frog Level

Back Doors and Shop Windows

Неоновый Свет

Tungsten Lighting

On The Terrace

Why Would I Not Do It?

An exercise in self-observation and in being honest with myself. Have had the notion to actually get serious about creating an artist statement for months… Numerous attempts; taking notes on scrap paper, sometimes in a specially designated notebook if it happens to be within a reach… Nothing on a more or less regular basis… Finally, have committed myself to the process, opened Ariane Goodwin’s book once again and started from the beginning – again. Now have been reading it for a few days. Reading and observing myself… Reading and reminding myself – ‘Knowing is not enough – you must apply. Willing is not enough – you must do’… And still avoiding the actual getting down to business, at least putting in writing the thoughts and feeling that have been forming in my head and haven’t made to the scrap paper yet… Why? I have asked myself. Why? And not as one of the exercises provided in Goodwin’s book, but rather as being simply curious to see what roadblocks I am against, I have typed the answers as they were rushing through my head… And they looked like these ( I did correct the grammar and punctuation after the fact): Don’t trust my capacity to express how I feel… I know there is something specific I am drawn to yet don’t trust my capacity to express, relate it (the essence of it) via words. What if it is nothing? It is such a vast subject matter... If I go back to the origins I would lose myself in childhood memories. Who is interested in reading about another person’s childhood? And whether or not it is relevant. How I am to know? I am sabotaging myself. It is easier to read the book, take notes in a format that works best for me than to actually start writing. What if I have nothing of importance to say? So I do everything, hold on to every bit of excuse (don’t have a portable timer at home, have to bring it from work next week. Mind you I have a timer on the stove in the kitchen as well as little desk there perfectly suitable for writing and doing all the exercises, the Christmas tree needs to be taken down - finally, yet another cup of tea, I need more time to think and form my ideas… etc, etc, etc…). It seems that everyone else knows what they are doing… I am the only one who hasn’t figured it out… So, perhaps, if I keep being vague and avoid subject matter all together I can fake it until I make it (except that if I keep avoiding it, how I am planning to make it)… At this point I stopped, went to the kitchen for another cup of coffee, came back and re-read the passage… Then in blue I have written my responses as if I were talking to someone else… Don’t trust my capacity to express how I feel… and yet I know for effect, from practice and experience, that ”not having capacity” has nothing to do with the truth of the matter, which has to do with actually developing it, growing my own endurance to whatever, practicing it, refining, polishing it… So there is no truth to “not having a capacity to express myself” at all. I know there is something specific I am drawn to yet don’t trust my capacity to express, relate it (the essence of it) via words. See above: just begin - all what you are looking for is authenticity, a door through which you can enter into another level of self-understanding and self-knowledge. That in its turn is supposed to reflect in your work. What if it is nothing? And who will be the judge of that? You are looking to better understand yourself for your own sake, not anybody else’s…It is the next step – you have been aware of it for month. You work is pending upon you actually getting to the bottom of what is it that is feeding you, so to speak; what is that inspires you; why this and not that? etc… It is such a vast subject matter... If I go back to the origins I would lose myself in childhood memories. Who is interested in reading about another person’s childhood? You are not doing it for anybody but yourself. You, yourself, are thirsty for more comprehensive knowingness about the inner working of you-who-looks-at-the-world-through-the-viewfinder. And whether or not it is relevant. You will know after you write it down: if not relevant - it can be tossed. I am sabotaging myself. It is easier to read the book, take notes in a format that works best for me than to actually start writing. What if I have nothing of importance to say? So I do everything, hold on to every bit of excuse (don’t have a portable timer at home, have to bring it from work next week. Mind you I have a timer on the stove in the kitchen as well as little desk there perfectly suitable for writing and doing all the exercises, the Christmas tree needs to be taken down - finally, yet another cup of tea, I need more time to think and form my ideas… etc, etc, etc…). It seems that everyone else knows what is it that they are doing… I am the only one who hasn’t figured it out… So, perhaps, if I keep being vague and avoid subject matter all together I can fake it until I make it (except that if I keep avoiding it, how I am planning to make it)… Exactly, my point… If you keep avoiding it, you would never make it. “Knowing is not enough – you must apply; willing is not enough – you must do”

Hot-Air Balloon Exercise

Imagine your resistance as a tangled mess of musty, torn, rough cloth spread around you. Gather it up and deposit it in the basket of hot-air balloon. Tuck in every edge that tries to sneak out. Give the high sign to the navigator, then watch the balloon rise up into the sky, with all of your resistance crumpled in the bottom of the basket. Watch as the balloon becomes smaller and smaller, a mere speck of the horizon. Watch and notice how you become lighter and lighter, until the balloon and your resistance disappear altogether. When you look back on the ground, there is a luscious length of silk in your favorite color, the color of self-trust. Pick it up. It smells like spring, like apple blossoms. Wrap yourself in it, hold your head high and walk straight to your private waiting room. Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

Why Write An Artist Statement - II

1. Because an artist statement affirms what you do, and by extension affirms you. And none of us can ever have too much affirmation. 2. Because an artist statement calls out for you to recognize the true faces or your deepest self: truth, beauty and goodness. 3. Because an artist statement invites you to experience another level of awareness about yourself and your art. 4. Because an artist statement strengthens the relationship you have with your work. 5. Because an artist statement builds a compelling bridge between your audience and your art. 6. Because an artist statement enriches the connection between the artist and the art. 7. Because it makes a deeper statement about self-trust, that you trust yourself enough to flow into another dimension of expression. 8. Because it is a powerful experience to use the tool of language to support what you love. 9. Because you can.  Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

Why Write An Artist Statement - I

Personal Power The Andean mystics have a theory about personal power: that every being, including each blade of grass, each mountain, each human, has the life-given right to develop to its fullest potential, and that we accomplish this most easily when we recognize the blessings of our personal power as it enriches us within a living bubble of life energy. But access to our personal power depends upon our ability to be deeply hones about what we know, and what we have yet to learn. (…) The only way to expand out personal power is to embrace ourselves exactly as we are neither more nor less but as someone in a state of constantly changing grace. This is a very challenging idea in our Western culture, where power is primarily experienced as the power over, to manipulate, dominate, rule, and control others; or, conversely, as the power to be independent, isolated from, separated from, to be on one’s own. The power of isolation, of control is driven by fear. It is a power that thrives on the distance we put between others, and ourselves rather that on our own connection to the web of life, which draws us together. The power over is the power of exclusion. Personal power, on the other hand, is the power emerging from our deepest connection to life. It is the power of feeling, embacing, creating, and celebrating. It is the power that comes when we open up the connection between others, ourselves, and the life-giving energy that surrounds us all. It is the power of inclusion. The power of life. Making art is a strong way to exercise personal power. So is writing an artist statement, which is an act of self-definition where words, instead of images, draw a clearer portrait of who you wish to be". Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

What You Resist Persist

“There is a deep mistrust of language that shows up as “My art says it all,” or “I have nothing to say.” Which really translates into “I have nothing of importance to say,” as we cannot face the authority of words that might end up belittling us through misunderstanding or sheer inaccuracy. It is a good exercise to challenge this assumption of “I have nothing to say” by trying on the opposite response, just for fun. Pretend that you do have something to say, that you already have a treasure chest full of valid comments about your art. Because the fact is, you do. (…) Release your resistance and trust that you have something of value to say about your work (Hot-air ballon exercise). Pay attention to every single though or comment related to your work, before the “throw away” machine kicks in. Start with making the declaration that you will do this, out loud. To yourself. To your loved ones. Ask those around you to point out when you are talking about your work. When you catch yourself saying something, take notice. If you wish dig for more by asking yourself, “What did I just mean by X?” The nature of paying attention gathers speed of its own accord. Before long, and with little of no effort, you will become acutely aware of each thought and comment as it rises out of the swamp of your neglect. Begin to establish credibility, for yourself, by jotting down every thought and comment in a notebook, unedited. Since the nature of resistance is to push back, the more you resist writing your artist statement, the more you empower it to be an immovable object of imponderable proportions. Give yourself permission to write, warts and all, and you will have broken the spell of persistent resistance.” Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

On Format and Essence of An Artist Statement

"The next question is, how you go about revealing the true spirit of your work? Hands down, first-person prose is the most effective form - (…) - it is simple, direct, and the most personal voice you can use. Even though some artist statements written in the third-person, this is never a good idea. Usually, an artist does this fearing that the statement, and by implication the art, doesn’t have enough authority to be believed, respected or taken seriously. Because authorities write about others in the third person, the artist tries to make it sound as if an authority is doing the writing. But a third-person artist statement becomes easily confused with a critique, and (…) an artist statement is not a critique. It also drops an artist statement squarely into a li, since the artist purposefully sets the reader up to believe that someone else, besides the artist, is doing the writing. (…) The most important thing is what hums beneath the words of an artist statement, which is the relationship you have with your art. This relationship affects what you write, and frames your writing tone of voice. If you connect to the spirit inherent in your relationship to your art, the words you use in your artist statement will dance at your next opening. (…) It is a personal revelation, a reflection on you work, a distilled essence of what you do. It is designed to increase people’s engagement with your work by building a psychological bridge between you and your audience. An artist statement tells people what, how and why you do what you do. That is it." Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

Benefits of Writing An Artist Statement

"Writing an artist statement benefits you in many, many ways. For one, it strengthens your bond to your work by actively validating and affirming what you do. For another, the process of writing about your art increases your awareness. When it is working well, an artist statement has the ability to make you sit up and take notice of your own work in a new light. It may even be influential in pushing you through a transition , or giving you the language foothold you need to swing up to the next level. It may even stimulate a desire in you to play with the words in the same way you play with the medium of your art. The artist statement is also a place where connections can emerge between unconscious symbolism and conscious living. (…) Since an artist statement doesn’t have to be a definite, intellectual comment of your work, but a reflection about your relationship to your art, you can speak about the mysterious and unknowable element with the same authority, and authenticity that you use to speak about your choice of materials. At its best, an artist statement celebrates your work, (…) your relationship to your creativity and passion. (…) An artist statement creates a connection, a bond between art, artistic, and audience, historically created by proximity and familiarity. (…) We have created a very different social structure in the 21st century, one of disconnection, fragmentation, and dislocation. Yet our desire to know our neighbor has not changed. An artist statement is simply, elegantly, another way to know our neighbor." Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

The Purpose of An Artist Statement

“Don’t you have anything by the artist about her work?” “ I ask,” he said, “but it is like pulling teeth to get artists to give me material about themselves or their work.” I left, rounded-shouldered with disappointed. The paintings had connected me to a sense of beauty and wildness inside myself, which opened a desire for more connection. I wanted the peak behind the canvas. Compelling art will do this, and it is what artists should reverently hope for an encourage in any way they can. “The purpose of an artist statement is to create an emotional bridge between the person who views a work of art and the artist who did it the work. (…) We are magnets for each other’s stories and how they connect to our own lives, hopes and dreams. Connection is the web of life, and none of us want to be left out. What inspired this artist? How did she work? Why did she choose this set of images? (…) (…) The first thing to remember is that the self-reflection of an artist statement is not an evaluation of your work, but a personal revelation about your relationship to your work and its process. It is a statement deeply related to the essence of the artist in relationship to the essence and process of the artwork. (…) Once you grasp the purpose of an artist statement, what it does for you and your viewers, it is only a few more steps to understanding how to write a statement that will represent you well, and honor your work. If you dig deep enough, you find that an artist statement is an act of self-definition, bound only in the moment that you, the artist, choose. Like your art (…) an artist statement is also bound by the construction of specific words in a moment in time. And like the art it represents, an artist statement can always be unbound, or re-bound again and again. Or deleted. Tossed. Re-written. And all by the artist exercising her personal power of choice. (…)" Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

В Сумерки

At Dusk

Наше Кафе

Our Coffee Shop

Ночью

At Night

An Artist Statement Is...

An Artist Statement Is Not...

"One of the greatest frustrations about an artist statement is deciding what, exactly, it is. To some extent, it depends on who you are. ... Your part is to exercise your fertile, artistic imagination and create a convincing world for yourself where there are no galleries, no art dealers, no collectors, no critics. Right now, right here, there is only you, your art and the bridge of personal power between the two. ... An artist statement is not a resume. ... An artist statement is not a biographical summary of your work. An artist statement is not a critique. ... An artist statement is not a list of accomplishments. ... An artist statement is not a marketing tool! ... The point of an artist statement is to be in service to your art, not the marketplace. Identifying an artist statement as something immediately and primarily for marketing - Do not pass go! Do not collect artistic integrity! diminishes the spirit behind your work. Like art which is created with the pocketbook in mind, artist statements that focus on the shallow "point of purchase" technique lose their authenticity, their authorship, and their unique reflections. Marketing strategies, by their very nature, are designed to be manipulative, while the power of an artist statement lies in the authenticity of its authorship. When you define an artist statement as a marketing ploy, ti effectively undermines the sincerity needed for a convincing compelling statement. We humans instinctively know when something is done with care or not. There is a resonance of the cared for that is unmistakable. We may not be able to say exactly why, or what, we are responding to, but when something is done with respect to authenticity and the spirit, respond we do. ... It is true that your artist statement may end up being used as a marketing tool - only one of several possible applications - but that is not what it is. ... Like the art that it reflects, an artist statement uses its sincerity of purpose and its purity of intent to create a powerful word-reflection of the art and the artist. Once that has been accomplished, and only then, will your artist statement have a fighting chance of becoming an effective marketing tool. What the artist statement asks is that you reveal your soul. Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

Revealing 'What', 'How' and 'Why'...

"Revealing what, how and why you do your art does not dismantle either the beauty or mystery of it. Quite the opposite. Your effort to reach out invites others to participate in the mystery and to share the beauty." Ariane Goodwin "Writing the Artist Statement"

Идеальный Mомент

"Об идеале мечтают многие, стремятся к нему, но потом как-то догадываются, что вещь эта – недостижимая и, в общем-то, невозможная в мире людей. Тогда «нигде и никогда» – становится приговором, лишающим жизнь ее ценности. Но все же возможно иногда заметить, проходя тысячный раз по старой обшарпанной лестнице своего дома, как оживает старая краска от прикосновения преломленного солнечного луча. Или что-то другое. Это происходит незамеченным сознанием – где-то на уровне интуиции, и непонятно вдруг, отчего так стало хорошо. Наверное, в такой момент душа, как раз, и входит в гармонию с окружающим миром – идеальный момент. Идеальный мир (чаще всего – совсем не тот, который ожидали) является на мгновение, «нигде и никогда» исчезает, проявив свою противоположность – «здесь и сейчас», чтобы снова продолжить свой путь, оставляя, впрочем, о себе воспоминание." Николай Богомолов «Здесь и сейчас»

Зимняя Сказка - II

Winter Fairy Tale - II

Зимняя Сказка

Winter Fairy Tale

Весь День Шёл Дождь...

Rainy Day

Дверь

The Door

Стена и Разбитые Окна

The Wall and Broken Windows

How We See

"Seeing is an act of perception. It helps us to ascertain, experience, learn, and understand. It is an individual experience that is conditioned by the traditions and standards of the culture in which we live. Our western culture has always been dependent upon literacy to function. It is necessary to be able to read in order to decipher messages that have been put into a written code or language. When one begins to deal with pictures, another set of skills is needed to interpret the coded information. One must learn to become visually literate. All literacy is based upon the quality of the reader's stored information. The more accessible information a person has on file, the wider the range of possible responses that the person has to any situation that arises. ... ... What we don't know or recognize tends to make us nervous and uneasy. The hostility manifests itself in the form of rejection, not only of the work, but of any new ideas as well. Looking at a picture is not the same as looking out a window. It requires thinking, sorting, analyzing, and decision making. It is a developed system of thought that can be taught and learned. Western society has not placed a high value upon learning the visual language. For many people art is simply something that is supposed to be pretty and recognizable. ... The value system of our culture reflects the scientific mode of thought; achievements have to be measured in terms of words and numbers. The educational system has been primarily interested in teaching the twenty-six symbols of our alphabet and the numerals 0 through 9... Education should be a process, not a product. ... Public education has ignored visual literacy and the price that has been paid is that many people do not have the skills necessary to understand all the messages that surround them in their environment. They lack the necessary data to go through a visual decision-making process. They have become "objects" that can easily be manipulated. They simply react to situation by either accepting them or rejecting them. They don't question anything. They have been removed from the process. The picture maker is an active participant in this decision-making process. ... As both a photographer and viewer of photographs, it is important to know that there is not fixed way of perceiving a subject, only different ways that a subject can be experienced. ... When looking at other photographs, especially ones that are unfamiliar or that you don't understand, attempt to envision the mental process that the photographer used to arrive at the final image." Exploring Color Photography by Robert Hirsch

Открытка Пятая

Postcards From The Snowed In Town: #5

Открытка Четвёртая

Postcards From The Snowed In Town: #4