View allAll Photos Tagged reality...set
After a record-setting summer for heat here in Canada, reality sets in... Is it any coincidence that the name of the next four months ends in "BRRRRR!"
Nature can surprise you. After spending most of the afternoon photographing gators, it was starting to get dark. I thought that my photography window was quickly ending. Then I passed this fenced off field of sunflowers with several deer standing beside it. One was looking through the fence and staring at the sunflowers. I'm sure it was dreaming of having a tasty snack. But then reality set in. The deer and its friend settled on eating some nearby grass instead.
Donnelley WMA
Green Pond, South Carolina
This abandoned farmstead outside Shabbona,IL. has all the classic elements-decaying farmhouse,collapsing barn,and bladeless windmill-all nestled in falling down trees down a dead end road.Satellite views from the past show it has been abandoned for a long time,with the old barn beginning its descent this past year...
Amazing statistic of the New York City is that in Manhattan alone there are an estimated 280,000 dogs residing on the island and double that quantity in the outer boros of Queens and Brooklyn. Being smitten by dog love myself the proud owner of the two sweet mixed breed pooches, I often find my ‘street’ photography is of lovable canines. In the largely concrete jungle that is Manhattan, it’s amazing to see dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds being walked. In the few green spaces on the island, many include dog parks within their confines. I seen dogs in the dogs as early as 5 AM (I walk my guys that early if I have to go into the office early or drive my youngest daughter to the train station) and in Washington Square Park after mid-night. Manhattan in particular poses challenges because a larger portion of the population relies primarily on public transportation, unlike us NY suburbanites in northern Jersey, north New York counties (Rockland and Orange) and Long Island, many don’t own motor vehicles. Owning a canine is a wonderful rewarding experience, but also is a large responsibility that requires forethought . My kids and I having moved in the last year, number 1 on the list is, places that will accept pets, then the question is how big. Well Manhattan those queries resonate even more, even if you find a dog friendly building, the bathroom situation, how do you walk the dog? Full time job? Going to be difficult. That’s why budgeted into the care and upkeep of a pooch dog walkers are a must. Added cost is also a factor, the vets, the groomers, tend to charge a bit more. That why it’s important when considering a dog, that a lot of consideration is taken with all the factors that play into having a loyal four legged companion. This consideration and calculation does not happen some times and the city sponsored and private animal shelters in New York City are full of dogs who at first seemed like a good idea, but then reality set in and became sadly expendable. Dogs are loyal, full of love and always happy to see you, I’ve had my two for 8 and 7 years and adore them. They require attention and time, they are living creatures and if they don’t get a decent amount of attention, they will act up.
I love capturing dogs living and interacting in the city. This dog was a bit tired and was on the lap of his female caretaker happy as could be in Washington Square Park people watching; totally cool.
Captured on an Olympus E-5 with an Olympus Zuiko 70-300mm F4.0-5.6 zoom lens processed in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Zan's
e d w a r d i a n
s u i t +
d o t s & s t r i p e s
princess skirt
" Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Every so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And heaven knows
I'm not that girl "
The beautiful and versatile Princess skirt is now also available in a shorter version!! The skirt comes with a separate color - changing HUD with 5 patterns to choose from :D The Edwardian suit comes with two lengths for you to mix&match.
:D :D :D
@ Angel Manor Estate
It was a long night, driving out of Sydney on a Friday night. The weather promised much and the rich agricultural areas of the deep south beckoned. Despite steam almost being extinct there were still many interesting workings down in the South. We passed the Southbound Mail train on our way with a 42 class class leading and several Up freight trains as we went. Daybreak saw us in the rich heartland of the deep south and as we entered Flat Rock there was the wonderful sight of a 41 class idling on a ballast ready to work out on the branch. The CPH would soon be 'fired up' for the run into town for the locals to do their shopping, indeed it was such alovely dream as reality set in as I was passing through the model railway exhibition in Liverpool during my recent trip there.
Photo By Steve Bromley
In July, officials counted 1,162 people living outdoors in downtown San Diego — a 43 percent increase in a single year. Across the county, volunteers found 4,940 such people in January, up 19 percent. It is a very sad situation and coming from suburbia, these scenes are very disturbing to me. Reality sets in fast. Government passes the problem of dealing with the homeless to the non-profits, and they are failing. Something needs to be done and quickly, but no one seems to have the answer. This is a very depressing and disturbing scene along the roads and sidewalks here in downtown San Diego, but an everyday sight for me, unfortunately.
Dreamworld - St Leonard's churchyard in Downham on a summer's day rendered in infrared creating a dreamworld illusion of reality.
Set at the foot of Pendle Hill, in the picturesque Ribble Valley and part of the Forest of Bowland AONB, the village of Downham is often described as the most beautiful village in England. The Gothic architecture of the local parish church of St Leonard’s takes on a whole new dimension when imaged in infrared.
Downham, Ribble Valley, Lancashire
still a stunning sight, especially on such a wonderful (no Phooey) day, but once the wheels hit the ground and the magic of flight ceases, reality sets back in :(
“I'm only human
I bleed and I breathe
the passion that flows through me
like the wind through the trees
takes hold of my senses
fills up my mind
drives me to paradise
loving and kind.” - AP
Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=HydvceA1PAI
THE AIR THAT I BREATHE – THE HOLLIES
Breathe in
Breathe out
it's as easy as that
to love
or love not
petals fall; raindrops splat
big fat heavy tears
wish on rainbows; stem the fears
for love is a gift
that can heal any rift
and it's free
and it's we
who can love or can drift
like the white snow in Winter
so cold on the tongue
like the pain of a splinter
when love has begun
little by little
small steps … one, two, three
knocked down like a skittle
I long to be free
but you captured my heart
I knew right from the start
that all that I need
is not to be freed
but to be a part of you
walk in your shoes
stand by your side
enjoy the thrill of the ride
arms linked together
brave the storms; any weather
the lightning that struck
brought me love; lots of luck
the twists and the turns
your touch thrills and it burns
warms my heart and caresses
tender kisses; sweet confesses
subtle whispers and looks
it's not like in books
the romance that we live
the love that we give
reality sets in
we feel comfortable and serene
our heads full of dreams
it is more than it seems
we burst at the seams
the pastels and creams
romance and love
gifts from above
but never take for granted
the gifts that we're given
for they come and they go
and may we be driven
to accept what we have
to welcome love in
for to turn it away
would be such a mortal sin
sometimes I'm afraid
and I put up a wall
feel like running away
scared of it all
before I get hurt
and never give it a chance
but now I am learning
love's a beautiful dance.
- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author
Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission
My artwork is a compilation of 2 of my photographs
This beautiful rose was found on my little island beach by my friend and held up by him for me to photograph. Later we were having lunch and behind him was the picture of this little bunny rabbit and he ducked while I took it's photograph. Memories are made in our photographs, but most of all they are preserved in our hearts and when I look at this artwork of mine, I smile and remember a very nice day. May we all treasure what we have in front of us and beside us. Time is short and we should make the most of every moment. Good friends are so very hard to find and I am blessed x
Great Egret in tree top, calling out. I could not hear it...being very far away.
Please, please, PLEASE click on the comment box photo to see the value of pricey long lens and pricey teleconverter. Reality sets in. Most won't bother looking. You can be one who does.
In 410 A.D., Roman Emperor Honorius decided to abandon the province of Britannia that made up both England and Wales. The reason for this was that the province, which was already operating on a deficit, became too costly to maintain. This was at a time when the Roman Empire was facing numerous Germanic invasions and the Huns on continental Europe. The province of Britannia was also facing civil strife and invasions from the Gaels in Ireland, the Picts from Scotland, and the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes from Denmark. When the order was given, all government officials, and military personnel left the island, leaving the Romano-British populace to their own devices.
Britain was in total chaos and without any organized government, warlords soon took over to maintain order. Some of these men were either ex-legionaries or Germanic tribal chiefs. The major cities in Britain such as London were completely abandoned. Some buildings would be stripped of valuable materials such as wood and nails. A majority of people soon moved into the ancient hillforts in the countryside that their ancestors once lived in before Roman rule. There were some wealthy aristocrats who continued a "Roman way of life" in their private villas, but this would soon end once reality set in that there was no going back.
Military installations like Hadrian's Wall would be abandoned, except for the forts along the walls. Some of the forts would be occupied by warlords and ex-legionaries up until the 6th century A.D. It's not exactly known when people started to chip away at the wall for building materials, but it would have likely begun around this time. Afterall, the wall was now useless as Britain was being invaded from the south when it was made to prevent invasions from the north.
The chaos would eventually end in the 7th century A.D. when the various Anglo-Saxon and Briton kingdoms would begin to consolidate. The Anglo-Saxons would convert to Christianity, but this would not stop the fighting between them and the Britons, who felt that their homeland was slipping away.
For a while I wanted to do something related to the fall of Rome in Britain, especially after listening to a Fall of Civilizations episode about it. Also, special thank you to Noah for his help with the sky, I could not have done it without him.
My entry to Bricks Calibur's "The Frozen Wilds" category and the CCCs “Forest Fort” category.
Homily021824_1SundayofLent
The Spirit Drove Jesus
“The Spirit drove Jesus into the desert.” HE was to confront evil head on and that was his mission. The Kingdom of God, as represented by his very presence was a lightning rod for evil. Jesus would conquer this evil in the desert, but as we know, evil would be his constant and violent companion all the way to the cross. In our short reading from the Gospel of John, Jesus is struggling against two powerful currents or forces. One is on a universal level, God’s plan (our Salvation History) is rolling forth and the second involves Jesus’s choice on whether to participate in this plan or not. Since we feel helpless against the larger forces in our lives, I want on focus on Jesus’ personal denial to temptation-because HIS example is our example… where we make an intimate connection to the unfolding story of our salvation.
The next question would be what compels us to make such a choice? The Holy Spirit drives us to!
Lent is where the Church creates an opportunity for each of us (like Jesus) to enter a space… a wilderness or desert (a quiet place where the only distractions are our thoughts and feelings.) Not a place outside of us, but one within us…where we humbly go and confront who we really are. Where we have a dialogue with the good and bad tendencies within us. Where we can freely choose to offer up our spiritual sacrifices…a weakness, a temptation, or habit that permanently changes us in the course of forty days. It is moving past these internal voices and whispers that we encounter our God.
Because the Holy Spirit is our constant companion, evil is conquered and replaced by something good like praying a daily rosary, reading scripture or helping someone. The end result is that “I” decrease…so Jesus shines through what I do and say.
Something I want to stress though, is that even when we say yes to God, bad things will still happen to us. Whether on a global level or on an individual level…evil will affect us…the difference for a believer is that we are not orphaned, and we still have peace in our suffering.
My mother and I have been reading Dante’s Divine Comedy for many years now. We have spent a lot of time in purgatory (what Dante called Purgatorio.) I must admit purgatory seems like a perilous place especially when the images are taken from Dante. We don’t give the subject of purgatory much attention these days. However, I must admit, that it does seem like a very long lent-taken seriously. Then a reality sets in… that life on earth gives us the same opportunity to purge those defects that we stubbornly cling too. The goal of Lent and Purgatory seems to have the same purpose. We are struggling to be that person created in the image of God, that very image that God sees in us, but our false self to often gets in the way.
In another book that I have been reading Dante’s Divine Comedy, a guide for a spiritual journey by Mark Vernon, he says:
“The Desert Fathers and Mothers of the early Christian centuries did something similar when they entered the wilderness and simultaneously entered an inner landscape, to discover their own torments, frailty, temptations, demons. Like Dante, they needed to travel not so as to escape themselves but to encounter themselves. Without the distractions of the world, the contents of their minds became clearer. It was a necessary preparation for catching sight of God.”
Isn’t it interesting, that contemporary culture is also sending the message that participating in religion is unhealthy-we shouldn’t be saddled with guilt and shame. We are encouraged to walk away and forget about sin. Their message is clear, our ego should be given free reign to seek out its own truth and happiness…unhinged from church institutions and their traditions -to float about in the myriad of choices that fail to satisfy. The result is that we seem to be “strangers in a strange land.”
In summary, one truth we cannot deny is that each of us will “pass away” one day. What we take with us is what we love, whether it be good or bad. Our “active participation” in Lent intensifies our efforts to live a holy life, and with the companionship of the Spirit we realize Jesus is with us to lighten the load. Jesus does not leave us alone, in addition he’s given us a model to follow in observing lent (a going into the desert experience)...the Holy Spirit drives us towards HIM. Let us turn our hearts to HIM now.
It's been a whole year Dad....
Do you think about me? I think about you, a lot.
Do you visit me? I think you do, you are in my dreams from time to time when my heart is hurting. I wake up feeling so torn. Happy, sad, angry, excited...all at one time. For those split seconds in my dream I felt you, heard you...was just like when you last stood in my living room smiling and laughing at the kids. But then reality sets in again and I know you aren't physically here anymore and I get upset again. I know you hate it when I cry but I can't stop them. I miss your voice, I miss your hugs and I miss your lessons in life. You know, the ones that would nearly break me but ultimately mold me into a stronger and better person. Yea, those. I miss those. But it's okay Dad, it's okay. I remember what you've taught me and I can keep growing from that. Passing it down to your grand-daughters, who by the way, are growing so fast. To fast. Please watch over them and help me. I'm raising 3 girls to be like me, the woman you wanted me to be and I'm gonna need all the help I can get! Even though now it's spiritually. Keep visiting Dad. I need you still. My babies need you. And don't worry about Mom, we got her covered. She's good Dad, she's strong. I'm a daughter of fighters. I love you Daddy. I love you so much.
“I’d really like to meet her and ask her why we’re who we are” (Dishwalla)
As I compose this shot; I look all around me for the best perspective I can capture. I want to express the beauty and emotions that I’m experiencing at that moment. Capture the clarity and pureness of the water, the color, height and contrast of these magnificent trees, the majestic mountains that surround me, the stillness and calm that overwhelm me. I must be in Heaven.
As I gather my gear and break down my tripod, reality sets in. I’m in Yosemite National Park; where Gang Stalking, Community Based Stalking and Workplace Mobbing are allowed. This is America today.
•The truth about Yosemite: www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sexual-Harassment-Common-in...
Please help stop and expose Gang Stalking, Community Based Stalking and Workplace Mobbing by signing the following petitions. These immoral acts are allowed in Yosemite National Park by Law Enforcement and its Contractors. Thank you for taking the time to visit my photostream.
www.change.org/petitions/attorney-general-kamala-d-harris...
www.change.org/petitions/u-s-congress-outlaw-organized-ga...
www.change.org/petitions/taps-petition-to-investigate-org...
You Lost me
It all started with a simple hello and I fell madly in love. I knew my world would never be the same again. I thought you were the best thing that ever happened to me. You said all of the right things and made all the right moves. You said you have never felt this way about anyone before and maybe for some time it was true, but with hindsight, you’re everything I thought you never were. For some reason I thought I knew what real pain felt like, but no amount of time could prepare me for the excruciating pain I feel because of you. Now I finally know what it feels like when a person means everything to you but you mean absolutely nothing to them. I guess I was the fool for allowing you this close to me.
Getting to know your hearts desires and your fears, was just a few of the exciting times we shared together. There was so many moments I thought to myself…is this really happening? Is it possible to feel this happy with someone? In return I showed you a piece of me that I’ve never showed to anyone before, because I trusted you completely. In my mind I finally found true love…the kind that would last forever and a day. Now all I can think about is everything I gave to you, and that I’ll never get that back.
All the unanswered questions left me paralyzed with fear and uncontrollable tears. Now I’m at a place I thought I’d never be. I am somebody I would have never imagined. The truth is you wanted the best of both worlds, and for some time you had it your way, but making promises you can’t keep is worse than not making promises at all. Someone once said “Sometimes people don’t understand the promises they’re making, when they make them”. Yes, nobody said it will be easy and no one ever said it would be this difficult either, but when you said forever, I guess you meant until you find someone new.
I am trying to figure out exactly where things went wrong. I’m questioning everything you ever told me. You lied over and over again, even when you told me I was perfect. So many times you said you are so happy and because I was happy, I thought it must be true, but maybe a happy ever after was never meant to be.
I guess the worst part is knowing now that I was just someone that filled an empty space in time, while you were searching for another. I guess I was just a footnote in your life story, while you were a chapter in mine. An entire chapter on heartache, deception, betrayal and love lost. You never truly loved me, you just didn’t want to be alone and for a while, it felt like love. In retrospect it was just a huge misunderstanding that led to a shattered heart.
In the end you took more than you deserve. I’m absorbing on how to heal myself and I will be stronger than ever before. Someday I will be happy and in love again with the right person who will love me more than I’ve ever imagined. I will look back at us and realize that in the end the pain was such an emotional metamorphous and worth suffering for because I found someone who cares for me, loves me unconditionally in a way that I never experienced before and treasure the feeling of togetherness and true commitment. At this moment in time I still get sad about everything that happened. Every now and then reality sets in and hits me unexpectedly, then I realize everything was true and real for me at least, but that my life is better without you.
Now I’ll erase the messages, delete the numbers, and move on. I’ll have to accept that you are not the person I once thought you were. Yes, it’s hard to forget someone who has given you so much to remember, but every story has an end and in life every ending is just a new beginning.
Sometimes, there's more to an image than simple surface appearance ...
This set is about observations, ideas, concepts or comments expressed in images.
Visit my Beyond/Behind Reality set:
www.flickr.com/photos/t_schnitzlein/sets/1486953/
Mosaic compiled for the "Set Announcements" group.
Created with fd's Flickr Toys
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon,
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Hey!! this is Nebraska!!! Reality sets in here!! Bad economy and all!! I can guarantee you that The cow did NOT jump over any Moon, there is no laughing dog, and no dish ran away with no damn spoon!!!
lol!!! sometimes you have to have a little fun!!
Texture by Skeletal Mess
Was selected for Front Page Feature for "Select Best: Favorites"
Alternate Reality, Part I
In the USA, the first Monday in September is Labor Day, the last chance of the summer to get out and away from home, to hit the road for a new experience, to seek an alternate version of reality from the dreary, stressful hours and days of work.
Labor Day began over 100 years ago as a tribute to the American Labor Movement. This fact is often unknown and at any rate unhonored among the millions of capitalist pawns who hit the highways every September. For many, by the end of the weekend, it surely seems a creation of the Devil himself.
It starts by Mom dropping Dad off at the storage lot, cranking up the motor home and taking it to the gas station for a hundred gallons of the Jurassic’s finest. Then it’s back home to hook the Prius to the towbar. The family loads up and off they go down Eisenhower’s best gift to the nation, the Interstate Highway System. It's off to experience the relaxing freedom and glory of one of our National Parks, a few days of relaxation and indulgence under the bright sun and blue sky, breathing the fresh, clean air.
The bliss soon experiences a minor setback when the kids find that the wifi doesn’t work and they can’t play their games on the DS. But then they switch to 3G and order is restored. While Mom and Dad sit up front, talking about the things to do at the National Park, the kids have their heads and minds buried in their devices.
As they approach the backcountry park, the road narrows and they see more and more copies of themselves. It becomes a virtual conga line of bouncing RVs slowly traversing the curves and bounding over the dips in the pavement.
Finally, after a long and tiring day (Wasn’t this what we were escaping from?), they see the rustic entrance sign to the park. After another interminable interval (SPEED LIMIT 15), they arrive at the campground sign and below it see the dreaded message “CAMPGROUND FULL”. The idea that they are self-sufficient, at least for one night, draws some comfort, and they drive on looking for a place to pull over. Each place they see hopefully from a distance turns out, as they approach, to bear a “No Camping” sign, which, for those who can’t read English, has an iconic shaped teepee with a bold red slash through it. They pass multiple others in their expensive home-away-from-homes, each driving around looking for a place to land like the lakeside gnats flying aimlessly.
It’s getting dark and if they head for the nearest town, they can get there before bedtime. When they arrive, the motels are playing the same old “No Vacancy” song. All the restaurants are closed. The kids cycle through the stages of whining, screaming, and fighting. The adults are beginning to see some perverse merit to this strategy. Two thousand dollars a month loan payment on the RV, five hundred dollars for gas, tired bones and frayed nerves, and all for this?
Alternate reality sets in. The old reality starts to look way better.
Part II tomorrow.
I set out this afternoon with the rather specific intention of making a self-portrait photograph in a very precise composition with a particular shade of red light. I had thought about it for a while; it was intended to have symbolic resonance, etc. And the image I had imagined looked compelling...
But then reality set in. I had a hard time getting the focus right (since I couldn't see the viewfinder), and the problem seemed to be exacerbated because I was shooting in red light; not only did the red wash throw off contrast settings, it also seemed to throw off the macro autofocus. (I have no idea why red light seemed to complicate the focusing. Any insights from the flickersphere?)
So -- after a "failed" set of self-portraits (which I'll optimistically chalk up to "a learning experience"), I decided to turn the camera back on my glasses to capture a different take on the red light (and a distanced self-portrait).
I chose this plane to model for a few reasons:
1) it exists to this day and I have seen it in Dayton at the museum
2) it has a Vargas girl which I knew would look cool recreated in Lego form
3) In addition to the girl it has some great artwork on the left side. Vasilije worked his magic so that the skull, bones, and prop are all the outline of their Lego counterparts.
4) The color, desert pink in reality, sets it apart. Most of the bombers that get put into the public consciousness are either early war green/brown in Europe or late war bare metal in Europe or Japan. The story of the B-24s based in Benghazi is lesser known.
I changed the name because I do occasionally display publicly where there are younger children about. I'm impressed with the number of adults that knew the plane by name even before I had the decals on. Credit to Vasilije for recommending the name "Brick" instead of "Belle". I think it was the right choice.
Received a reminder today that both of our kids will be in high school next year. It is so hard to believe that the last year of high school is right around the corner for Ben. Seeing a graduation date on paper really drives that home. And my baby girl will be a freshman. Where did the time go? I'm going to do my best to savor every day of this upcoming year, because I know it will be over in a flash.
New Reality sets in for many fastfood restaurants. And that means less foot traffic, customers and consequently, sales.
Lately I get this gnawing sense of time slipping away. It seems to get worse each year, as days blend into weeks, and entire months fall by the wayside. It feels as if one big blur. I try to grab meaning out of each day, and for as many moments of this days. It helps to know time is not being wasted, but does nothing to stem the tide. Change of season hasten the feeling. Summer seems like it will last forever in June. But reality sets in by August, and transforms into a dull feeling of panic and loss as September morphs into October. Daylight is decreasing at an alarming rate. The places I visited all summer seem somehow different now; they just don't feel the same. Sunlight does not look the same. The weather is shifting. It is all quite destabilizing and will continue to be as we settle back into winter. I'm struck now by how quickly things change, light, shadow, weather, clouds. There's a sense of rapidity to things that I didn't really notice back in June. I think the sense sharpen a bit as a result. These thoughts and many more swirled in my mind as I stood beneath a giant maple tree in this old cemetery. Gale force winds were lashing the burial ground, causing the tree limbs to bend and sway before me. It seemed the perfect metaphor for what I was feeling. I loved the juxtaposition of solidarity in the old stones (death) with the fluidity of the leaves (life).
Inyo National Forest on the east side of Yosemite. 9 images, 1 stop increments, layered in Photmatix Pro 5 (default format), final editing Lightroom CC.
Over Labor Day weekend I posted about working in Yosemite National Park (Disillusioned), now I’d like to let you know what it’s like to live in Yosemite housing. Before I start I’d like to give a little history on myself.
I started working as a paperboy at around 7 years old. My brothers, mom and I would get up before school wrap the newspapers, mom would drive us around in the station wagon. My older brother and I would walk from block to block and mom kept us resupplied. She had my younger brother with her in the car, driving from block to block. Not long after that we moved into the country. I bailed hay, plowed and sprayed fields for farmers. At 12, I started bussing tables and doing dishes, 3rd shift on weekends. At 13. I was pumping gas, fixing tires, then repairing automobiles. I did a little factory work last year of high school and graduated early. After graduation I moved to Texas and did road service. From there I joined the Army to see the world. I entered into a Cohort unit, assigned to US Joint Service Special Operations Command (big title). I did live reconnaissance and loved it. Here I was; young, doing some balls to the walls shit and on top of the world. Then, I met this woman that took my breath away, I know cliché. We got married, had a little girl, then came back to the states. I switched over to animal medicine in order to spend more time with my family. I had to trace across the country to go from one school to another, then advanced schooling. We finally ended in Colorado, and then another school. Once I had that finished I enrolled in night college classes. Then again; not much time for the family. My wife wasn’t happy, she wanted to go home to her native country, we discussed what was best for our daughter and she stayed in the states with me. She was 3 at the time. My ex and I are still friends, keep in touch and our daughter visits her often.
Where was I, oh, sadness, my wife left. Anyway, my daughter was devastated, her and her mother were close. In the many challenges in life; watching my daughter suffer through this, was the one of the most difficult. So, dad hunkered down, story time every night, McD’s on Fridays and Pizza Pizza on Saturdays. I was doing ok, but my daughter wasn’t. I still had a lot of obligations; I was running the US Air Force Academy Veterinary Clinic and a volunteer program for Vet Thechs, at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs. It soon came time to reenlist, my daughter was 5 at the time and she needed me more, so I left the Army. It was a great run, got a butt load of medals, was awarded Non-commissioned Officer of the Year and I was privileged to serve with some of the best men and women from around the world.
So, here we are; my daughter and I, heading back to the Midwest, two dachshunds, a betta fish and a big rental truck, driving across America once again. We had a blast, until Ernie (one of the dachshunds) ate the betta fish along the way. I made good money selling my house in Colorado, took that money and started a business, did very well, got very sick, sold my business and bounced back. Became a manager for a company, got promoted to district manager along the way. The recession hit us hard in 2008, with cut backs I got laid-off, my daughter all grown, I headed back out west. I took my time looking for work, made it to Washington state and headed down the coast.
I found this job in Yosemite online, applied and was hired on the spot. Now, I’ll start letting you know what it’s like to live in Yosemite’s housing. I first moved into a housing unit very close to where I worked. It was a nice building and had to share a room with a person. It was no biggie, did it I the Army. One of the housing managers let me in the room, the guy that lived there was not there at the time and the room looked as if it had not been cleaned in years. The housing manger didn’t say a word, gave me the keys and left. I had to clean everything on my side of the room before unpacking. While doing so, my new roommate came in, didn’t say a word, went to his computer and played games all night, way into the night.
As the days went by my roommate was becoming a real dick. He would stay up late playing games, I had to get up at 4:30 am for work. Also, would make as much noise as possible to wake me, at all hours of the night and morning. I caught him holding a large key chain full of keys, raise it above his head and drop it on his nightstand until I woke up. This guy was vulgar, extremely poor hygiene and down-right nasty. I complained to housing and was ridiculed by housing management. There was an older gentleman that I worked with; told me to be careful and don’t piss off curtain people or they will get you fired. He told me my roommate and others make it difficult for their roommates, so they don’t have to share a room. The person will get tired of the harassment and request another roommate.
I’m the type of person that stands up for myself and it didn’t take long for my roommate to rally a few friends to make my life difficult. That was almost 10 years ago and over the years many in the Yosemite community have perfected Workplace Mobbing and Community Stalking. You can call it what you want; but it’s conspired mobbing and harassment, here in Yosemite National Park there are no boundaries.
I eventually moved into another housing area. The day I moved in, I was being blocked in the hallway as I would bring my belongings in. Several people in my building would step out of their rooms, directly in front of me as I brought things in. Then, there was one woman that would rush into the building and crowd me in the hall on every trip. The effort and assertion these people would put into their skits was remarkable and sometimes quite hilarious. Watching grown men and women act like adolescent children was mind-blowing. I lived there for many years, being harassed daily. These people will wait around for hours for me to step out of my room, go to the bathroom, do laundry or use the kitchen; so, they will have an opportunity to harass me. If I didn’t leave my room (say I was sick), they would harass me in my room. My neighbors would stomp pass my room, pound on walls, floors anything to generate continuous noise. These people love to hate, enjoy harassing people and will go to almost any length to do so, and no one is holding them accountable. I lived in that building for over 7 years.
Now let’s move to the current building I’m in. I moved into this building in December of this year, because the other housing area is being closed and cleared. When I moved into this building I received the same treatment, just more intensified. As I brought my belongings in, there were several people in the hallway, then stepping from rooms and around the corners. I’m not exaggerating folks, it was like dodging tennis balls shot from a soda pop canon (got a little board, so just threw that in). Here I am, a big man, 200 lbs, bringing in my frig, shelves, all kinds of things. I’m thinking to myself, what happen to common courtesy?
I get moved in, am kinda excited because it’s one of the nicer buildings, nice size private room, with an attached bathroom. I had to share the bathroom with the guy in the next room; we had private and locked entrances, so thought it wasn’t too bad. My excitement was short lived, as I knew it would be (remember I’ve been here a while). About two weeks in; I came home from a long day at the Fresno VA, did my grocery shopping (so much cheaper out of the park) and no one was in the hallway. I thought it odd, because it’s usually crowded when I have groceries. I get half way down the hall and I’m overwhelmed from the smell of feces. I open the door to my room and the smell was worse. I sat my groceries down, looked around trying to find out where the smell was coming from. I opened the bathroom door, the floors, four walls, the fixtures, threshold to the tub area, the tub, my rug under the sink, were all covered with splattered feces. My rug was covered in liquid feces, my neighbor was in his room with the TV on. I have a strong stomach, but this was BAD. I knew better than blow my top (that’s exactly what these sickos want), so I called to try and contact the night housing manager. The young woman at the switchboard was great; she made several attempts to get him to show up, explained in detail what had happened. He was too busy to even show up at all, maybe had too much shit to do. She did manage to get a young member of our Elite Security Force to show up, just kidding about the Elite part. This young man took pictures, said he would fill out a report, then asked me if I had cleaning supplies. He is standing in this filth, my neighbor in his room TV on, and this guy is expecting me to clean this. Am I the only one that’s thinking this is way beyond OVER THE TOP? My neighbor, an elf or maybe a bear came into the bathroom, covered it in shit and he’s expecting me to clean it. My neighbor is setting in his room, so you know it wasn’t him. It was him, I’m trying to add a little humor to the Bat-Shit-Stupid, I live in every day. Well, I tell the Elite Security guy; that I wasn’t going to clean that mess. He looks kind of puzzled, then says “we can have housing clean it tomorrow”. It just keeps getting stupider, doesn’t it, but no kidding, it’s the truth. I said “my neighbor is in his room have him clean it up, I need to clean up myself and get ready for work in the morning”. He went over, talked to him, told me he would clean it, said he would file a report and left. My neighbor was in there maybe 15 minutes, then all lights out. It was still filthy; my rug covered in feces was turned around under the sink, the walls, floors and fixtures still covered in areas. I ended cleaning the rest myself after many complaints to housing. After this he would continue to leave feces on fixtures and floors, to which I cleaned. After many more complaints to housing and senior Elite management; my neighbor remained for four more months. He would make a mess, then disappear for weeks, leaving me to clean it. I wish I had a job I could just disappear from for weeks, repeatedly. Still scratching my head on that one, not really, I know better. It wasn’t until a week before my daughter came out to visit, that he moved. Again, am I the only one thinking; WHAT A COENCIDENCE! Don’t worry, we have more, so much more, but first I have to pee. You know, all the talk about my bathroom. I’m back. People using feces and urine to harass someone here in Yosemite is not new; look through my photostream, you can see it impacted feces in my Jeep door handle. I have thousands of other pictures, but will spare the public from this madness for now.
Now, I’d like to cover other daily niceties of living in this building, with my current and rotating neighbors. Each and every day I get the stomping down the hall, with an emphasis at my door and you can throw in a loud cough at my door too. Then, there’s my neighbors setting in their rooms for hours, for a chance to step out and block me in the hall. One neighbor two doors down; 6 times in one day. I know, I know, it was just a coincidence. But, this person did the same thing in the previous building we lived in. That person also rallies my neighbors right outside my room; 5-6 of them, talking and laughing loudly, to the point I can’t watch TV with headphones on. Because I asked them if they could move into the kitchen or TV room; I was called a Dick, or maybe she slurred my name (Rick). That was it, no one in Yosemite would call me a Dick for asking them to be courteous, I mean no one…. Well, that caused hissy-fits, retaliation and vilified their misguided notions of me. Yes, Rick is a Dick, we know this now, we have the justification to make his life a living hell. So, they got to it. I get mobbed every time I go to use the kitchen or the laundry room. I’ve picked random times and it’s the same, the same people over and over. They will get right in my face, block me at every turn, turn burners and ovens off, pour filthy water or something onto your washed dishes or in your dishwater. Again, same acts following from building to building and some of the same people too. When I go to do laundry; the person two rooms down and the guy that cleans the building, will wait in the small bathroom in the hallway, so they can fling the door open at me, as I walk pass to put clothes in dryers or collect. Recently, I had someone put a freshly broken chocolate bar under the agitator, in the washer I was about to use. It could have been a coincidence, you think?
This person living two doors down started setting against my wall, in the hallway. She would talk with the people directly across the hall from me, they played loud music with their door open. This gave the person setting against my wall justification to start hitting my wall with a foot or elbow (in their minds). Again, I asked if they could keep it down and not to pound on the floor or my wall. I was met with a “this is a public area and I can be here if I want”. Here we go again, Rick’s a Dick, hissy-fits, retaliation, stomping, coughing, blocking and someone waiting for me when I come home from a hard day at work; to blow smoke in my face, from a nonsmoking area. Cough, cough. With many complaints to housing and senior management the same harassers and harassment continues day after day, year after year. You thought I was about to finish, no not yet.
A few weeks ago, I come home and find a note on my door to call management. I called and was told; there’s a senior employee that is interested in moving into the room next to you, sharing the bathroom. I was told again it was a senior employee with inflection on senior. Well, great as long as it wasn’t an Elite employee. Then I was told this was a female and she didn’t have problems sharing the bathroom with me. I thought to myself; no woman would have a problem sharing a bathroom with me. Then reality set in, Toxic Yosemite, sharing a bathroom with a woman, what can go wrong. Really, I said “I have a problem with it, as Toxic as this place is and you want me to share a bathroom with a woman, yes I have a big problem with it”. I was told, “well she doesn’t have a problem with it”, that was the end of our conversation.
I’ve led a very full and rewarding life. My proudest, most fulfilling and rewarding accomplishment was raising my daughter. Tears fill my eyes as think of how proud I am of her. She’s had her struggles through life and has become a beautiful, compassionate, considerate, woman. I was both mom and dad,
so, what I’m about to say is not meant to be mean in anyway.
Last week a woman moved into the room next to me. I don’t know this woman and am not faulting her and will refrain from making judgement. I was setting on the toilet, my nice clean toilet, and there was a knock on the bathroom door. I heard a woman’s voice, I asked if she was moving in, she said yes, so I finished and unlocked the door, hoping it didn’t smell like man poop. She had someone help her move things in, stayed a few days then gone for 3. She came back the other night had a couple visitors, that I do know. I don’t have a problem with visitors, but I went to take a shower and the feminine odor was unbearable. Again, not trying to be mean, but it was bad. I had to take my shower because I leave for work early, so I took my shower, then settled into my room. Before I went to bed I needed to use the bathroom, but had to wait for two women to use it before I could. That was a couple nights ago, there’s still an odor in the bathroom and slightly in my room. I haven’t seen here sense, sound familiar? I’m being honest by saying; I’m very uncomfortable with this. This building has about 40 residents and I think only three of us men. What I do know is; having a woman sharing a bathroom with me, is a vindictive act of retaliation from management.
Now as far as my neighbors harassing me day after day; they have no concerns of punishment. They prove this every day. Tuesday, my day off; I was woke at 5:50 am, by someone stomping down the hall and right at my door. I couldn’t go back to sleep, someone was clanging dishes in the kitchen, so I decided to do laundry. I gathered my clothes and headed to the laundry room. The kitchen door was open, another neighbor from across the hall was the one doing dishes, so I closed the kitchen door as I waked by. I put my clothes in the washers and headed back to my room. The kitchen door was open again, so I went to close it. The woman started yelling molester, molester, in Spanish. It didn’t faze me, who knows what kind of crap these people are told. I said people are sleeping, pulled the door stop out and went to my room. As I do my laundry, one of the housing staff keeps walking pass referencing the name of the guy who cleans our building, 4 times. That’s what they do; try to get under your skin. I get my laundry done, set in my room with the door open so my neighbors don’t stomp by and edit photos.
As I edit this image; one of the women from across the hall, stomps up to my room, starts stomping in place, right in front of my door, then starts doing this over the top fake cough. She does this in place stomping, throwing her head back and forth like a two-year-old having a fit. This woman is probably in her mid-forties, but this is acceptable behavior here in Yosemite. Nothing will happen to this woman, or the many that harass me in Yosemite. They will not lose their housing privileges, or jobs, some may even be rewarded. They will continue to harass whomever they are told to, or feel like, year after year.
I’m only midway through the day and decide to gather my camera bag, pack a late lunch and head out. I step out the door, there are 3 housing staff members, 2 neighbors from across the hall and 2 new girls that recently moved in. They were all surrounding my room and I could barely make it through the crowd. One of the new girls rushed ahead of me, one of the housing staff breathing down the back of my neck as I walk down the hall. The girl ahead of me stepped into her room, spun around, stepped right back out and into me. This was an intentional skit, in hopes I would act out in anger and be surrounded by witnesses. These are witnesses that will lie.
What I’ve told you is true; it is based on years of collecting evidence, military training (I didn’t receive 12 medals for smelling flowers), life’s experiences and the illegal and unethical actions of the people here in Yosemite National Park. I’ve tried to add a little humor to the Very Toxic living and working conditions in Yosemite. Over the years I’ve seen many good people come, then go, because of this Toxic place. Because of the stigma, retaliation and overwhelming harassment in the workplace; many are terrified to say a word. Look at what we are doing to each other America; this mobbing and hate needs to stop and it will destroy us all. It will not stop until people are held accountable. Will Yosemite’s Superintendent hold these people accountable?
You can hate me, try to discredit me, but you cannot deny the truth.
What is happening in Yosemite is WRONG!
Yosemite’s current Superintendent is: Michael T Reynolds
Nominated Director National Parks Services is: David Vela
• The truth about Yosemite 2016 to current: www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Yosemite-Chief-Retiring-Ami...
Here is an audio example of Yosemite's Mobbing Community at work: flic.kr/p/2hJ7Rye
Update 4-30-19; after 2 recent detailed letters to Yosemite's Superintendent, the harassment, mobbing, waist, fraud, cover-up and retaliation continues.....
On 6-2-19, the San Fransisco Chronicle published a scathing article about Yosemite; giving insight to how toxic and unethical this place really is.
12-1-19 Update: the harassment and retaliation continues and has increased. The noise campaigns at work and in housing are off the charts. I left work this morning (12-1-19) because of extreme loud music. The lobby music systems was turned way up and on top of that; an employee that also harasses me in housing, along with her husband, had her boom box blaring on top of the Holiday music blaring. You would think it was Military PSYOPS (Psychological Operations). Speaking of; on 11-29-19, I greeted 3 guest and asked how they were doing. The woman looked totally surprised, then a big smile popped on her face. She said Sir, may I ask you a question, I said sure. She asked who ran the operations here? I told her. She then asked; what’s the matter with the employees here? I told her the truth and said nobody here cares. She went on to tell me; yesterday they witnessed employees being rude to guest at one of our other facilities, one even belittling a German couple because of their limited English. She then said; the people here ignored us this morning, one employee just stood there with earphones in his ears, listening to music. She had other complaints that I can’t mention because I will be terminated.
I asked where they were from and found out that all 3 were active duty Marines. They couldn’t get over the behavior of our employees. I apologized again and thanked them for their service. We went on to briefly discuss the continued decline of common courtesy and ethics in America. Is this why we serve today; so Americans and Corporate America can have the right to treat human-beings, worse than their own pets?
6-4-20, Update; Yosemite's leaders continue to allow the hate, mobbing and whistleblower retaliation to flourish.
Thank you for visiting my photostream
J. H. Clarke, Photo, Selkirk, Manitoba.
Manitoba Photographer, John Henry Clarke (1860-1923)
J. H. Clarke was born in England August 6, 1860. He was married and had one son. They came to Winnipeg to partake in the booming city and he was immediately hired as a photographer by a local firm. Some years later, he joined a group of Manitobans going west to find their fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush. He got as far as Victoria B.C. Then reality set in and he returned to Winnipeg. Many believe he had wisely taken his camera with him. On the way home he took a number of photographs later made into very collectible postcards. He did not number his cards, so we have to guess how many he made into postcards. Mr. Clarke prospered in Winnipeg and then moved to Selkirk in 1903. The back of his cards always say “J.H.Clarke Selkirk, Man.” He died of pneumonia at the Winnipeg General Hospital February 14, 1923 and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg. LINK to the complete article - www.memoriesfromthelake.net/jhclarke
Cathedral Mountain is a 3,189-metre (10,463-foot) complex massif located six kilometres northwest of Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. Its shape and structure conjures up a resemblance to a gothic cathedral that has inspired many artists, including Group of Seven's Arthur Lismer, to paint it back in 1928. This picturesque mountain is visible from Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway near Kicking Horse Pass. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Stephen, 3.0 km (1.9 mi) to the west. The name Cathedral Mountain was in use as early as 1884 and appeared on George Dawson's 1886 map. The first ascent of Cathedral Mountain was made in 1901 by James Outram, with guides Joseph Bossoney, and Christian Klucker.
My heart is breaking as reality sets in - I'm leaving Israel in less than 10 days. During my two months stay here I've been working hard on a series I photographed during my time in India and Southeast Asia. This is another photo from the series, Love spirit magic adventure .
It was photographed in Dharamsala with a beautiful Californian couple named Mariah and Jahsiah.
The series so far can be viewed here
I shoot the majority of what you see on a camera with a timer. Its not that I don't enjoy my photographers but I want the viewer to see me as I am. I don't retouch these pictures. If I am wearing wig I say it and so on. This is who I am. This is how I look at almost 65. Its not magic and any woman can look like me if not better. Its hard work and there are days I want to say "I Love Ben and Jerry's" three times fast and click my heels with my eyes closed. What fun! But then reality sets in. What helps any woman who wants this is the person behind her. I am talking about Gurls too. Its that special person who keeps telling you how proud they are of you and they acknowledge how hard you are working. I get e-mails all day long and I answer all of them myself. It isn't easy but I do it and I enjoy it very much. This is the question I am often asked and this is the answer I give. There is nothing special about me and I am truly the original girl next door. You want it? You got to go get it and that is the true beauty of it all. It is achievable at any age and at any time in your life.
Left: [Ligeia]
Right: Me
I was super excited to work with Eva this week, because she is awesome. We worked together on She's a Rainbow as well, so we've gotten to know each other even better over the past few weeks/months. :)
The themes were announced and we got "orange". At first, I thought "Ooh! Fun!" Until reality set in and I realized that I own NOTHING orange. I was thinking about 2 possibilities.. either orange make-up or paint, or orange tights. Eva sent me her image and I peeked at it, which led me to pursue my plan of orange tights. This is the first week that I saw my partner's image before shooting my own, but I am glad this time because I was so stumped! Nothing was clicking in my brain for orange! (By the way, yes, my image is a complete fake color-wise. As I said, I own nothing orange. My carpet is light tan, my dress is grey, and the tights are actually pink. So yeah.. I cheated. :P)
See all of the Divine Diptychs on the blog: divinediptychproject.blogspot.com/
J. H. Clarke, Photo, Selkirk, Manitoba.
Manitoba Photographer, John Henry Clarke (1860-1923)
J. H. Clarke was born in England August 6, 1860. He was married and had one son. They came to Winnipeg to partake in the booming city and he was immediately hired as a photographer by a local firm. Some years later, he joined a group of Manitobans going west to find their fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush. He got as far as Victoria B.C. Then reality set in and he returned to Winnipeg. Many believe he had wisely taken his camera with him. On the way home he took a number of photographs later made into very collectible postcards. He did not number his cards, so we have to guess how many he made into postcards. Mr. Clarke prospered in Winnipeg and then moved to Selkirk in 1903. The back of his cards always say “J.H.Clarke Selkirk, Man.” He died of pneumonia at the Winnipeg General Hospital February 14, 1923 and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg. LINK to the complete article - www.memoriesfromthelake.net/jhclarke
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Frank Rock Slide, Alberta - Nestled into the side of Turtle Mountain in the Crowsnest Pass area of the Albert District of the Northwest Territories of Canada, the small town of Frank, Alberta was established to support the miners who came to work in the Frank Mine. After the Canadian-American Coal and Coke Company opened the Frank Mine in September 1901, the small community of Frank began to grow around it as cottages for the miners and their families were built, a school was established, and four hotels were erected. Named after Henry Frank, one of the founders of the company, by 1903 the town was home to six hundred people. April 1903, most of the residents of Frank were sleeping. Just after 4 am, the quiet of the cold spring morning was shattered by a deafening rumbling sound. Within 100 seconds, 82 million tonnes of limestone broke off the top of the mountain and thundered down the east face at 70 miles per hour, crushing everything in it’s path, and burying everything under dozens of feet of rock. The slide narrowly missed hitting the town of Frank head on, just clipping the eastern end of the community. When Turtle Mountain came down in what would come to be called the Frank Rock Slide, there were twenty miners working at the mine. Three were topside and were killed instantly by falling rock. The remaining seventeen found themselves trapped underground, buried under tons of rock. The river, dammed by the slide had risen and was pouring into the mine through a secondary tunnel. LINK to the complete article - www.thesocialhistorian.com/frank-rock-slide/
As I was processing this photo I started to think back about my life in Las Vegas before I recently moved to the greater Phoenix area. I knew so many people and built so many relationships over the years. I was very comfortable with life in Las Vegas. Life in Las Vegas was good!
That was my life before I got laid off from my old job. After I got laid off from my old job, I had to scramble to find a good paying job because my wife was 7 ½ months pregnant with our first child. Luckily, I found a good job but it was in Phoenix. So, I moved from Las Vegas with my wife and young infant daughter and started a new journey in an unfamiliar place. It was exciting at first but then reality set in and I thought of all the people and places I already missed. Furthermore, my family and I knew no one in Arizona. It was tough to leave my native hometown of Las Vegas.
My relocating experience made me think of a talk given by LDS General Authority Edward Dube. It was titled “Look Ahead and Believe.” www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/look-ahead-and-bel... I started to think about how much I was living in the past. The talk made me realize that I wasn't optimistic or even grateful about my family's new life in Arizona. Yes. Life was good but life can be better here in Arizona. I just need to look ahead and have faith!
This image is copyrighted. Please don't use my images in any way without my permission.
Casa de Chá da Boa Nova (Boa Nova Tea House) is a restaurant designed by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. Situated on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, it is in the Leça da Palmeira parish in the municipality of Matosinhos in the Porto District. The building is close to the Tidal pools of Leça da Palmeira designed by the same architect, and the Leça Lighthouse, another local landmark. It has been classified as a national monument since 2011.[1]
History
The building was designed following a competition held by Matosinhos in 1956, which was won by architect Fernando Távora. After choosing the site on the rocks overlooking the sea, Távora handed over the project to one of his juniors, Álvaro Siza, who was taking the first steps in his career. It was one of his first works, implemented between 1958 and 1963.[1][2][3][4]
The building originally functioned as a tea room. It was remodelled in 1991 after a strong storm hit the building. In 2011 it was vacated by the company running it, on the termination of its contract, was allowed to rapidly become run down and was subject to vandalism, despite its classification as a National Monument.[5]
In 2014 the Tea House was reopened as a restaurant. The renovation was carried out under the supervision of Siza, in accordance with the original drawings and specifications. As of mid-2023 the building functioned as a Michelin-starred restaurant. This necessitated a change to the original layout in order to fit more dining tables.[1][2]
Description
According to Siza, “architects do not invent anything, they transform reality.” Set in an area of rocks, the building is an example of the relation of architecture with an active interpretation of the landscape. The Casa de Chá is accessed from a parking lot, which is about 300 meters away. Access is via a stepped pathway integrated into the rocks, which alternately reveals and hides the sea. On reaching the building, the low eaves of the roof direct the visitor's gaze to the sea. The interior is designed to frame the landscape, utilising large glass panels that blur the boundaries between the building and its surroundings. The presence of wood on the floors, walls and ceilings highlights Siza's admiration for the work of the Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto.[2][3][4]
I was waiting for a bus in a village near Bangalore when I saw something like a 2 headed Velvet Ant moving very fast on the ground. Took a closer look and realized it was very beautiful spider !!! The front pair of legs had beautiful velvet like tufts which it held out with pride while moving about.
Now the harsh reality set in. The bus i was waiting for would reach any minute. If i miss it, i would have to wait for at least 3 hours for the next one. With this in mind I quickly got my camera out and started photographing this fast little spider from every angle possible. Initially i thought it was a Salticidae. Eye arrangement which i observed in the zoomed in picture proved me wrong.
This spider was a nightmare to photograph. Continuously moving in an erratic manner and turning away from the direction of the camera. I was on the ground struggling for a satisfactory shot when an audience started gathering around me.
I had to take the Spider in my hand so that it wouldn't escape among the many pairs of legs all around me :-D
I had to answer all the curious questions from the watching audience while holding my breath, trying to get the focus right and frame well.
i had to make sure the spider didn't escape among the bushes in a split second while i was reviewing a shot. (Not answering them would be considered rude and I didn't want that).
After a few minutes of epic struggle with this beautiful creature the bus arrived. The spider was now safely among the grass and I clumsily boarded the bus with my tripod in one hand , camera in the other and a half open bag on my back :-D
The bus journey turned into a Q&A session. The interested students and local people taking a closer look at the pictures, asking all kinda questions, narrating their version of spider stories etc.
This is a high ISO shot, didn't have time to set up the lighting.... Not much info is available about this spider, its behavior, feeding and breeding habits.
Any info would be appreciated.
Spider on Steroids : www.youtube.com/watch?v=feXAaGfrrEg
Close-up: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9exsBvhZCCo
If one were stumbling through in the dark, you would think they might get a bit of a sudden scare by these black bears. That is until reality sets in, given the telltale wear and tear these amazing sculpted figures hold.
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This is another from my industrial night series. These steps were welded to one of the silos. Would be just perfect if a worker was walking up the steps, alas reality sets in and the realization that who in the right frame of mind would be out there at 1am in the cold...other than myself. The shadows casted here really caught my attention. More to come...
Reality sets in and the soul wonders aimlessly...
Every day passes by, the soul loses track of time. Where will it start, where will it end, what would happen? Too many questions go unanswered. And the only voice in this desolate place is the sound of one's soul.
And so aimlessly, one finally stumbles on this enchanted gate, and sees the gate is closed. On the other side is the gate keeper and a view of shadowy figures, of angels but one cannot utter the words or shout from the mouth. Even when the aimless soul scream the loudest, none of these shadowy fairies or angels answer back. One now knows one cannot cross between the world one is in and the enchanted world on the other side of this gate. One realizes that all at the other end seem to be enchanting, dancing, living in harmony, living in joy but while one senses all of this, one cannot hear any sound, or sees beyond the light at the end of the stairs. One now realizes the emptiness, the void, the loneliness, and the vacuum one is in. And one realizes one is imprisoned in one's soul and in silence.
One is now thinking this is hell and beyond the gate is the stairway to heaven!
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Angel Brush By Brenda found at Deviant Arts
Wing Brush by Stephanie Shimerdla
Lost Soul Brush by Unknown from Deviant Art - I performed some paint brush coloring
Gate Brush by Angela3D Brushes - I performed some layer painting to give a real gate color and look to blend with the side rails
I was wishing for colder weather as it is extremely hot outside today and I thought of a barren tree in the winter. I created this papercut using multiple layers of colored cardstock. Looking at this papercut made me feel a little cooler but reality set in rather quickly.
ghost surfers on a shingle beach......the other side of the menu, when I saw these I thought all manner of things, but then reality sets in, I am human and very much a subscriber to the human condition, we are what we eat and love it or hate it, we eat all sorts of things, some more selective than others in their consumption......but that too is a part of the human condition, so really this image is all about reality and not to everyone's taste......so if you view and think yuk......pick the bones out of that.
I dreamed so hard and spent so long working on it wanting to get there as the perfect transgendered girl and the more beautiful and feminine the better. Then cancer came along to potentially blow a hole in it all and then being so very lucky made me realise how fortunate I am and how we should appreciate the now and what we have. I'm sure it's only human but we are never totally satisfied or quite content with what we have. Here am I wishing I was twenty again and famous as the most amazing and charismatic trans porn star ever, whilst some of you just wish you hadn't got two left feet were not hairy or built like a gorilla and others just wish they had the chance to put a dress on for the first time. I think we should all take comfort in the fact that dreaming makes things more wonderful and your cup of tea is always sweeter till you sip it. I live a normal life as Jojo but I have a very lively sexual imagination so I need constant stimulation. I'm not gay as such so in a way I've built a high wall around my garden of transgendered delights to keep out all the related things that don't appeal to me keeping my vision pure. Before you all start thinking I'm a 'bit sad' I've over-simplified it just so to explain and I try to be inclusive but in my imagination at least I've chosen the sexual world I want to live in. And yes I'm sure many of you will agree that the favorite girls I choose and the delicously sensual sexual scenes I use in my images conjure up a Jojo sexual paradise. I'm sure that should reality set in and I was to swop places with them much of it would not be as good as it appears to be, a bit live driving needing to entertain and having sex for fun is quite different to doing it every day for a living.
For a while, I have been dumbfounded by this dumpster aside the regular Burrtec dumpsters. I first thought this was a Athens organics dumpster, which would explain those photos from a while back. However, when my mother let me take this photo, reality sets in.
This is a grease dumpster owned by a company named "Darpro". This dumpster isn't compatible with any FL or RL truck, though I think it is collected by a pump truck.
And with advance to REALITY COPY there’s certainly no way of changing this perception only enforcing it, nothing in reality is good enough for “REALITY COPY” that is just another paradox that is not futuristic.
We might be still skeptical about the arrival of REALITY COPY, but its only before its sold at the supermarkets.
What would happen after “Reality Copy” when the progress of all possible levels of true “reality copy” (in technical sense, not psychologically-philosophical) are achieved. The reality hence is copied and sealed.
Technology won’t stop there… one wonders. What is next.
In political sense when reality in representation is something embraced by conservative social power than with “reality copy” the conservative power is the dominating from the social point of view having new level of reality and it’s copy to be controlled.
*seems like the only possibly alternative to REALITY COPY could be ultra radical Invisibility)
In principle the artist aims to deform the reality subjectively to create not the “reality copy” lacking such skills but to convey the artistic poetic goal of expressing whatever given artist wants to express.
In a matter of “reality copy” what is left for the artist to argue with and deform… to question and test… Nothing really changes socially except for more pressure applied to the issue of dealing with self-image and tools to “sell” When a person changes the image the higher the technology the more transformed is the final product.
The progress of mental growth is just as conservative as control on the “visual image of reality” and its copy.
The ongoing technological progress is irreversible as it carries percent of good with bad,
It is common knowledge how for instance internet is benefit and at the same time does damage. A person who knows about the addiction and suffers would acquire the knowledge and hope from the place the person suffers the internet of course.
Same thing is with photography and video. Reality copy would add more psychological problems to the present but create more visual attraction of true-life experience with whatever could be rediscovered in Lifecopy style. Probably is benefits pornography since it will continue same as consumption of food. The basic things… Consumerism benefits since it is super-trained for “instant reach” affect and will commercially exploit the “reality copy” to sell more of “reality copy” gadgets the phones, screens, etc.
New generation of people will repeat the cycle in new technological means of having “reality copy” as nothing new but similar to any visual information currently available.
The creative people are the ones BEHIND the time it seems in a matter of “reality copy” and being unable to have anything is an alternative.
The Invisible alternative is the ONLY ONE to question “reality copy”
That is the power of UNKNOWN.
Techno progress can deal in “reality” bringing higher resolution to the fore to sell new generation of phones and gadgets.
But it really doesn’t change the philosophical issue of questions asked by philosophers, what is life, what is art, why do we live. Questions remain unanswered when techno progress veils those questions with the promise that higher technology would bring the end to all unanswered questions and answer them for people.
So far the techno advance puts the artistic, literary and philosophical field out of business. As when people get the toys (gadgets) and the playground (the podium of internet) the art is irrelevant and completely disconnected from the social phenomenon of self-representation. Art is not interested to question something with no philosophical substance to it.
The commercial art is willing to supply more stuff for consumerism. If its reality-copy than someone empowered by financial wealth (born rich) would come up with more decorative solutions that could serve REALITY COPY in needed fashion, add more details to the “reality set” to those who can afford it.
Same way it is now when people with means live with more things.
“Reality Copy” of people without means would look just as it is in reality, gray and unexciting. To help people without means the software would offer “decoration” solutions to add the faux details able to transform the surroundings to less depressing. It would enter the person into “life copy” of vacation at Caribbean resorts… etc.
What in such situation could be philosophically questioned, if nothing changed in human morality, but techno advance manage to involve people into self-entertainment to such degree that a person is no longer interested to read books about other people or watch movies and hear news. Self-promotion is the ongoing and time-consuming thing. One has to research the “popular” topics.
As to participating in reality activities, there’s the issue of not having time for anything that doesn’t deal with self-promotion and earning a living.
ART commerce is growing commercially going Industrial since supplying consumer goods is always rewarding in sales. On the other hand this and techno revolution reduces interest of writers and philosophers to dig in depths where there is no depth. It makes such people disengaged with the process. When there are no critical voices to the established situation or some few art critics pretend to do what is expected of them – know about current situation not only on the art scene but at large - socially, and have strong voice against the trends that contribute to the lowering of culture. There’s no more liberal freedom since nobody reads the newspapers. Even if the working critics were principal enough to write articles and books they know their voice would not be heard. They are not vociferous about anything at all because there’s a concept of supporting and art endavour since art is in decline and anything that relates to art needs their support.
There are no voices to oppose the current situation for many reasons such as no younger people would be interested in such undertaking also for many reasons of being disoriented in expectation of techno changes or living their me-life.
The young ones are the invisibility movers, every day someone who is young, information and internet savvy adds the invisibility statement to their online identity. I saw it on tumblr and Iheart. (samples year web address – source)
Art consumer goods sell and make the seller get the goods since sale is the rule.
Art critics silently agree and actually it seems if they even try to disagree there is nothing in art that presently shows any direction against the established art situation.
There isn’t anything not saying a serious claim to deny aesthetic values of the art present and past, to turn away from any influence and history by the fashion avant-garde to question than resuscitate (bring back from death) art that lost vitality and practically is a dead art of dominating taste in an authoritarian culture and conformity.
Bring new blood to reinvent the art into weapon against the outlived old and positioning itself as direct opposition AGAINST art that represents culture of the present time.
Culture of consumerism that turned into visual consumerism with the help of internet is hard to oppose and challenge in any attempt of making bid public art spectacle, won’t challenge any concept but serve certain need for entertainment.
Invisible art of Paul Jaisini stands against all that is dominating and culturally regressive in the present, false visual multiplicity that imply democracy and absence of segregation in visual sphere, all inclusiveness.
On so many levels Paul Jaisini brings knowledge of how the present condition reflect on a mind. (non-linear thinking, information processing, constant analysis is the advanced state of high analytical creative mind /osd, adad is the side effect but there are more worse side effects) Shows the burst to create in manifestation of genius mind (can do any task without training) but unable to maintain the creative process as wholesome, bored with the immediate results. Invisibility is theoretical stability and result of high impact activity that gives fast result of creativity and genius realized in art. Then instability in the fact of the created art un--preserved and lost, destroyed.
On a lower level of people who start building some blog with enthusiasm dedicating time, research than abandoning it to become digital graveyard demonstrates inability to continue and search for new. Inability to face what yesterday seemed interesting and capture someone’s mind to give the creative boost.
(fast life, no sleep, high tech knowledge, constant search for new, unsatisfied… new is old – altogether supports “CONSUMERISM” when buying is haul more than physically needed, quantity is the need for new.
Invisible art as a concept seem to attract wide public and elite in such diametrically opposed combination, of people without high aesthetics in mind or the complete opposite illuminati-culturati. People with average or below average taste and aesthetic requirements are as interested and supportive as the elite. When it comes to someone in the middle- another phenomena, quite often those who are educated and intelligent take a stand against even one mention of the art being possibly somehow invisible.
These people respond very well and willing to agree with the concept as Invisible art is brought to them by mass media. In the beginning I was using internet to send out essays and saw the proof that as avant-garde wanted to reach people who never acquired artistically developed taste the invisible art was and now is more than ever suits their taste even to degree of obsession.
That’s adds insult to injury when nobody even pay attention and there’s nothing to offer as the alternative.
They want something tangible as the alternative, the grown philosophy to brew in the minds of people and artists as the sign of time.
The invisibility is the idea that has the power to antagonize the “reality copy” but not in a sense that is widely used in the present time. To express social isolation in case of the teens as seen on tumblr. (examples and variations of Invisibility trend in primitive pictures shared every day in such huge quantities no art publication ever knew, teens and pre-teens are those with passion among the rest of us, when they spread the word it goes far, same as the early internet time, when the word would go far distances to large number of people)
Historically known of the episodes when many artists tried to create the so-called invis art but it really didn’t involve much creativity except for the concepts they came up with, but in reality it involved the reduction of visual means and performance art when the audience came up with more ideas acting around the non-existent artwork than the artist.
Personally I discovered high interactive value of the “PRESUMED” invisible painting when I was getting a lot of responses with very interesting commentaries from the people who actually insisted I was sending them info about the invisible artworks. I never made any claims when sending written essays. People decided for me and probably this is the best way for the interactive dialogue to let people decide.
The only known versions of invisible artworks would be not something that can turn into a philosophical school of thought but random reductions of visual means of various artists. It all came to same MOA that involved frames etc., not the process of creativity or life long creativity that would show how such artistic philosophy develops and what various periods of the artist’s life produce by his belief in his artistic style.
The known precedents of exhibiting so-called invisible art were always random statements that never continued to develop in a distinct style.
What one usually expects is a blank canvas, a picture with some written ideas which is more a topography art, a picture that is in a wrapping of covered up and is a found object art. The only known artists who continued wrapping is Christo but his art is not considered invisible even though he hides or attempts to hide what is inside the wrapping….
Recently same as in more distant periods in time many artists are trying to reduce their visual means. There’s a difference though. In previous times artists ventured into reduction of visual means with more ease. The artworks from older times with reduced visual means had much less labor and look less worked on.
Now the reduction of visual means is something that doesn’t fall under the artistic philosophy when an artists trying to prevent an overkill of the visual imagery.
If Rothko worked on his abstract painting laboriously than in current standards his work would be considered not sale’s worthy. Now to be sale-worthy the abstraction is worked to show a lot of workmanship. Surely Rothko doesn’t want anyone to see a lot of workmanship quite the opposite, he wanted his paintings to look fresh and not overdone. And in current standards he would have to toil on every dot in his painting to perfect it.
Today’s abstract paintings look like very hard-worked on simulations of surfaces that look like some textures (varieties of plain or distressed surfaces /stone and whatever is the decorative surfaces of abstracts, patterns that are used in interior design.
Overworked, machine-like is expensive looking enough to sell in the gallery but it creates a certain amount of fatigue in time. The commerce knows about it, the fatigue would bring the art buyer to buy more to add some new life to the art collection ed infinitum.
Art commerce wants more art collectors in the times when art is selling and makes money and should be called what it is – decorative luxury items.
Art or luxury decorative items was always meant for people with wealth and they always wanted to get their money worth.
When abstract painting is done in a manner to be worthy of selling price it is not creativity of conceptual thought and has no abstracted meaning. The craft of simulating surfaces is widely known and is used in interior design. When it is unique that no other craftsman can repeat it is recognized nearly as jewelry and rag-making, etc. All the items that cost money due to the high workmanship and hours, months and sometimes years of creation. Same way was built the historical hand-made furniture. Same way the current abstract decorations will hold in time. It is made for someone as rich as royalties but it doesn’t mean that it has anything to do with artistic creativity, the most mysterious and unexplained human phenomenon.
So anyone who is interested to earn money as a maker of such luxury items and be able to place them in the store for sale – the art gallery, can come up with own recipe for surface replica and start working will find a paying job on the art scene nowadays...
It doesn’t involve questioning of morals, times and life. It involves many hours of working and ability to produce varieties of the same surfaces in good taste. Instead of questioning human spirituality, or questioning art means that someone considers irrelevant and outdated, not for any breakthrough to create something revolutionary new.
And with advance to REALITY COPY there’s certainly no way of changing this perception only enforcing it, nothing in reality is good enough for “REALITY COPY” that is just another paradox that is not futuristic.
We might be still skeptical about the arrival of REALITY COPY, but its only before its sold at the supermarkets.
What would happen after “Reality Copy” when the progress of all possible levels of true “reality copy” (in technical sense, not psychologically-philosophical) are achieved. The reality hence is copied and sealed.
Technology won’t stop there… one wonders. What is next.
In political sense when reality in representation is something embraced by conservative social power than with “reality copy” the conservative power is the dominating from the social point of view having new level of reality and it’s copy to be controlled.
*seems like the only possibly alternative to REALITY COPY could be ultra radical Invisibility)
In principle the artist aims to deform the reality subjectively to create not the “reality copy” lacking such skills but to convey the artistic poetic goal of expressing whatever given artist wants to express.
In a matter of “reality copy” what is left for the artist to argue with and deform… to question and test… Nothing really changes socially except for more pressure applied to the issue of dealing with self-image and tools to “sell” When a person changes the image the higher the technology the more transformed is the final product.
The progress of mental growth is just as conservative as control on the “visual image of reality” and its copy.
The ongoing technological progress is irreversible as it carries percent of good with bad,
It is common knowledge how for instance internet is benefit and at the same time does damage. A person who knows about the addiction and suffers would acquire the knowledge and hope from the place the person suffers the internet of course.
Same thing is with photography and video. Reality copy would add more psychological problems to the present but create more visual attraction of true-life experience with whatever could be rediscovered in Lifecopy style. Probably is benefits pornography since it will continue same as consumption of food. The basic things… Consumerism benefits since it is super-trained for “instant reach” affect and will commercially exploit the “reality copy” to sell more of “reality copy” gadgets the phones, screens, etc.
New generation of people will repeat the cycle in new technological means of having “reality copy” as nothing new but similar to any visual information currently available.
The creative people are the ones BEHIND the time it seems in a matter of “reality copy” and being unable to have anything is an alternative.
The Invisible alternative is the ONLY ONE to question “reality copy”
That is the power of UNKNOWN.
Techno progress can deal in “reality” bringing higher resolution to the fore to sell new generation of phones and gadgets.
But it really doesn’t change the philosophical issue of questions asked by philosophers, what is life, what is art, why do we live. Questions remain unanswered when techno progress veils those questions with the promise that higher technology would bring the end to all unanswered questions and answer them for people.
So far the techno advance puts the artistic, literary and philosophical field out of business. As when people get the toys (gadgets) and the playground (the podium of internet) the art is irrelevant and completely disconnected from the social phenomenon of self-representation. Art is not interested to question something with no philosophical substance to it.
The commercial art is willing to supply more stuff for consumerism. If its reality-copy than someone empowered by financial wealth (born rich) would come up with more decorative solutions that could serve REALITY COPY in needed fashion, add more details to the “reality set” to those who can afford it.
Same way it is now when people with means live with more things.
“Reality Copy” of people without means would look just as it is in reality, gray and unexciting. To help people without means the software would offer “decoration” solutions to add the faux details able to transform the surroundings to less depressing. It would enter the person into “life copy” of vacation at Caribbean resorts… etc.
What in such situation could be philosophically questioned, if nothing changed in human morality, but techno advance manage to involve people into self-entertainment to such degree that a person is no longer interested to read books about other people or watch movies and hear news. Self-promotion is the ongoing and time-consuming thing. One has to research the “popular” topics.
As to participating in reality activities, there’s the issue of not having time for anything that doesn’t deal with self-promotion and earning a living.
ART commerce is growing commercially going Industrial since supplying consumer goods is always rewarding in sales. On the other hand this and techno revolution reduces interest of writers and philosophers to dig in depths where there is no depth. It makes such people disengaged with the process. When there are no critical voices to the established situation or some few art critics pretend to do what is expected of them – know about current situation not only on the art scene but at large - socially, and have strong voice against the trends that contribute to the lowering of culture. There’s no more liberal freedom since nobody reads the newspapers. Even if the working critics were principal enough to write articles and books they know their voice would not be heard. They are not vociferous about anything at all because there’s a concept of supporting and art endavour since art is in decline and anything that relates to art needs their support.
There are no voices to oppose the current situation for many reasons such as no younger people would be interested in such undertaking also for many reasons of being disoriented in expectation of techno changes or living their me-life.
The young ones are the invisibility movers, every day someone who is young, information and internet savvy adds the invisibility statement to their online identity. I saw it on tumblr and Iheart. (samples year web address – source)
Art consumer goods sell and make the seller get the goods since sale is the rule.
Art critics silently agree and actually it seems if they even try to disagree there is nothing in art that presently shows any direction against the established art situation.
There isn’t anything not saying a serious claim to deny aesthetic values of the art present and past, to turn away from any influence and history by the fashion avant-garde to question than resuscitate (bring back from death) art that lost vitality and practically is a dead art of dominating taste in an authoritarian culture and conformity.
Bring new blood to reinvent the art into weapon against the outlived old and positioning itself as direct opposition AGAINST art that represents culture of the present time.
Culture of consumerism that turned into visual consumerism with the help of internet is hard to oppose and challenge in any attempt of making bid public art spectacle, won’t challenge any concept but serve certain need for entertainment.
Invisible art of Paul Jaisini stands against all that is dominating and culturally regressive in the present, false visual multiplicity that imply democracy and absence of segregation in visual sphere, all inclusiveness.
On so many levels Paul Jaisini brings knowledge of how the present condition reflect on a mind. (non-linear thinking, information processing, constant analysis is the advanced state of high analytical creative mind /osd, adad is the side effect but there are more worse side effects) Shows the burst to create in manifestation of genius mind (can do any task without training) but unable to maintain the creative process as wholesome, bored with the immediate results. Invisibility is theoretical stability and result of high impact activity that gives fast result of creativity and genius realized in art. Then instability in the fact of the created art un--preserved and lost, destroyed.
On a lower level of people who start building some blog with enthusiasm dedicating time, research than abandoning it to become digital graveyard demonstrates inability to continue and search for new. Inability to face what yesterday seemed interesting and capture someone’s mind to give the creative boost.
(fast life, no sleep, high tech knowledge, constant search for new, unsatisfied… new is old – altogether supports “CONSUMERISM” when buying is haul more than physically needed, quantity is the need for new.
Invisible art as a concept seem to attract wide public and elite in such diametrically opposed combination, of people without high aesthetics in mind or the complete opposite illuminati-culturati. People with average or below average taste and aesthetic requirements are as interested and supportive as the elite. When it comes to someone in the middle- another phenomena, quite often those who are educated and intelligent take a stand against even one mention of the art being possibly somehow invisible.
These people respond very well and willing to agree with the concept as Invisible art is brought to them by mass media. In the beginning I was using internet to send out essays and saw the proof that as avant-garde wanted to reach people who never acquired artistically developed taste the invisible art was and now is more than ever suits their taste even to degree of obsession.
That’s adds insult to injury when nobody even pay attention and there’s nothing to offer as the alternative.
They want something tangible as the alternative, the grown philosophy to brew in the minds of people and artists as the sign of time.
The invisibility is the idea that has the power to antagonize the “reality copy” but not in a sense that is widely used in the present time. To express social isolation in case of the teens as seen on tumblr. (examples and variations of Invisibility trend in primitive pictures shared every day in such huge quantities no art publication ever knew, teens and pre-teens are those with passion among the rest of us, when they spread the word it goes far, same as the early internet time, when the word would go far distances to large number of people)
Historically known of the episodes when many artists tried to create the so-called invis art but it really didn’t involve much creativity except for the concepts they came up with, but in reality it involved the reduction of visual means and performance art when the audience came up with more ideas acting around the non-existent artwork than the artist.
Personally I discovered high interactive value of the “PRESUMED” invisible painting when I was getting a lot of responses with very interesting commentaries from the people who actually insisted I was sending them info about the invisible artworks. I never made any claims when sending written essays. People decided for me and probably this is the best way for the interactive dialogue to let people decide.
The only known versions of invisible artworks would be not something that can turn into a philosophical school of thought but random reductions of visual means of various artists. It all came to same MOA that involved frames etc., not the process of creativity or life long creativity that would show how such artistic philosophy develops and what various periods of the artist’s life produce by his belief in his artistic style.
The known precedents of exhibiting so-called invisible art were always random statements that never continued to develop in a distinct style.
What one usually expects is a blank canvas, a picture with some written ideas which is more a topography art, a picture that is in a wrapping of covered up and is a found object art. The only known artists who continued wrapping is Christo but his art is not considered invisible even though he hides or attempts to hide what is inside the wrapping….
Recently same as in more distant periods in time many artists are trying to reduce their visual means. There’s a difference though. In previous times artists ventured into reduction of visual means with more ease. The artworks from older times with reduced visual means had much less labor and look less worked on.
Now the reduction of visual means is something that doesn’t fall under the artistic philosophy when an artists trying to prevent an overkill of the visual imagery.
If Rothko worked on his abstract painting laboriously than in current standards his work would be considered not sale’s worthy. Now to be sale-worthy the abstraction is worked to show a lot of workmanship. Surely Rothko doesn’t want anyone to see a lot of workmanship quite the opposite, he wanted his paintings to look fresh and not overdone. And in current standards he would have to toil on every dot in his painting to perfect it.
Today’s abstract paintings look like very hard-worked on simulations of surfaces that look like some textures (varieties of plain or distressed surfaces /stone and whatever is the decorative surfaces of abstracts, patterns that are used in interior design.
Overworked, machine-like is expensive looking enough to sell in the gallery but it creates a certain amount of fatigue in time. The commerce knows about it, the fatigue would bring the art buyer to buy more to add some new life to the art collection ed infinitum.
Art commerce wants more art collectors in the times when art is selling and makes money and should be called what it is – decorative luxury items.
Art or luxury decorative items was always meant for people with wealth and they always wanted to get their money worth.
When abstract painting is done in a manner to be worthy of selling price it is not creativity of conceptual thought and has no abstracted meaning. The craft of simulating surfaces is widely known and is used in interior design. When it is unique that no other craftsman can repeat it is recognized nearly as jewelry and rag-making, etc. All the items that cost money due to the high workmanship and hours, months and sometimes years of creation. Same way was built the historical hand-made furniture. Same way the current abstract decorations will hold in time. It is made for someone as rich as royalties but it doesn’t mean that it has anything to do with artistic creativity, the most mysterious and unexplained human phenomenon.
So anyone who is interested to earn money as a maker of such luxury items and be able to place them in the store for sale – the art gallery, can come up with own recipe for surface replica and start working will find a paying job on the art scene nowadays...
It doesn’t involve questioning of morals, times and life. It involves many hours of working and ability to produce varieties of the same surfaces in good taste. Instead of questioning human spirituality, or questioning art means that someone considers irrelevant and outdated, not for any breakthrough to create something revolutionary new.