Aquarelle on Saunders Waterford 300gms hot press paper. This project emphazises the sheer physicality of watercolor as a medium. Each painting is made up of 16 stripes, horizontal or vertical across the paper. The premise for individual colour choice, placement of each stripe, and its with is based on a sequence of digits of hexadecimal pi. Image size 40x60cm on 57x76cm sheet.

Excerpt from scotiabankcontactphoto.com/2022/core/vid-ingelevics-ryan-...:

Since 2019, Toronto-based artists Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker have charted the progression of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project, one of the most ambitious civil works projects in North America. This third series of photographs, presented on wooden structures along the Villiers Street median, focuses on the extraordinary operation of building a new mouth for the Don River and the careful methodology employed in the naturalization of a massive industrial brownfield.

The first photographic series that Ingelevics and Walker produced about this site, titled Framework (2020), captured the buildings and structures demolished to make way for the river excavation. This demolition allowed for the massive movement of soil captured in the second series, A Mobile Landscape (2021). How to Build a River documents how this soil removal made way for the river to be constructed using bio-engineering practices. It reveals the innovative bioengineering techniques used to construct this complex ecology and its multiple engineering layers, which will soon be invisible—either submerged underwater or beneath park surfaces—when the project is finished.

As the excavation has proceeded and workers have brought materials to the site and carefully categorized, prepared, and positioned them, Ingelevics and Walker have witnessed the river’s path quickly taking shape. The images in this series follow the rigorous steps taken to protect the new riverbed and future ecosystem, with multiple layers of sand, charcoal, and impermeable geosynthetic clay liner added to block contaminants caused by almost a century of housing fuel storage tanks in the Port Lands. The photographs capture the ways in which the new riverbanks (known as “crib walls”) were stabilized with logs, tree trunks, rocks, and coconut fibre material, and track the meticulous creation of future habitats for fish and birds.

Fish Habitat (2019) shows the development of a new riparian habitat, which includes coloured streamers strung across the water to deter geese from landing and eating vegetation that will provide food for fish. In Stratified River Ingredients (2021) a worker strides past stepped blankets of biodegradable coconut fabric, which will help hold the riverbank soil together until plant root systems are in place. In this series the new river comes to life. Its plants and banks, its roots and rocks and sands can all be seen coming together in Meander (2021). All of these innovative bioengineering techniques have been employed in similar projects around the world where nature is fast-tracked, but it’s unusual to have so many techniques applied simultaneously, and on such a vast scale.

At times during this massive project, something as small as an unidentified plant can halt construction. Transplanting #1 and #2 (2021) show crews salvaging plants for storage after strange, bulrush-like plants sprouted unexpectedly after 100 years of dormancy underground. These were likely remnants of the site’s original wetlands, which germinated when sunlight hit the excavated mud. Some of the plants were taken to a greenhouse laboratory at the University of Toronto, and others were transplanted to the Leslie Street Spit, located nearby along the waterfront. Even with the most meticulously planned naturalization processes, nature can still surprise us.

Following their documentation of the processes of destruction and removal required to prepare the site, this third series of work in Ingelevics and Walker’s multi-year project allows viewers to witness the construction of these new, interconnected habitats and structures. Their photographs offer glimpses into the makings of a highly creative built ecology, one that has looked to nature in order to artificially recreate it.

While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.

Stephen R. Covey

color version:

www.facebook.com/kasia.derwinska.5/

IMPORTANT STATEMENT

THE LIMITS

To those looking to scrape, copy, or “borrow” my soul, read carefully:

ZERO TOLERANCE: Any use of my works in portfolios, commercial displays, or training data will be met with rigorous legal action.

NO SHARES: Do not share my work to platforms without my permission. Especially to Pinterest.

NO AI TRAINING: My images are strictly prohibited from being used for diffusion models or AI generators.

VISIBILITY IS NOT A LICENCE: Sharing my soul with the public does not grant you ownership. Using my images to feed an AI or build your portfolio is not “sharing” — it is theft.

ANTI-COPYIST STANCE: Technical mastery does not grant you the right to the soul of another’s work. To copy a composition simply because it is “beautiful” is to fail the fundamental test of artistry: having something original to say.

Situada no coração do Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, especificamente no concelho de Terras de Bouro, a Mata de Albergaria é considerada um dos mais importantes repositórios de biodiversidade vegetal em Portugal. A imagem ilustra o ecossistema característico de um carvalhal galaico-português durante o outono, dominado por espécies caducifólias seculares como o carvalho-negral (Quercus pyrenaica) e o carvalho-alvarinho (Quercus robur). A densa camada de folhada que cobre o solo e a presença de madeira morta, exemplificada pelo tronco caído sobre o curso de água, desempenham funções ecológicas vitais, promovendo a retenção de humidade e sustentando comunidades de fungos e insetos xilófagos essenciais para a regeneração do solo. Esta área, classificada com elevado estatuto de proteção (Zona de Proteção Total), possui também relevância arqueológica, sendo atravessada pela Geira Romana (Via Nova), a antiga estrada militar que ligava Bracara Augusta a Asturica Augusta. A preservação rigorosa deste habitat assegura a manutenção do equilíbrio hidrológico da bacia do Rio Homem e a sobrevivência de um cenário natural autóctone.

Located in the heart of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, specifically in the municipality of Terras de Bouro, the Albergaria Forest is considered one of the most important repositories of plant biodiversity in Portugal. The image illustrates the characteristic ecosystem of a Galician-Portuguese oak forest during autumn, dominated by secular deciduous species such as Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) and English oak (Quercus robur). The dense layer of leaf litter covering the ground and the presence of dead wood, exemplified by the fallen trunk over the watercourse, perform vital ecological functions, promoting moisture retention and sustaining communities of fungi and xylophagous insects essential for soil regeneration. This area, classified as having a high protection status (Total Protection Zone), is also of archaeological importance, as it is crossed by the Geira Romana (Via Nova), the ancient military road that connected Bracara Augusta to Asturica Augusta. The rigorous preservation of this habitat ensures the maintenance of the hydrological balance of the Homem River basin and the survival of an indigenous natural landscape.

Many cities are maintaining the fountain for beautification and it has its own DARK & BRIGHT side.

BRIGHT - Obviously, fountain makes a charming & attractive sight for visitors.

DARK - The maintenance cost is very high and the major part of it is electricity consumption. Conservationists are making rigorous effort to save energy for future and moving towards sustainable/ renewable energy.

Fuji X-Pro1 plus Fujinon XF 35/1.4. I am grateful to Ann because by commenting she triggered the idea in me to visualise the following: I have been using lead and zinc for quite a while now in order to make sculptures. These sculptures are rigorously temporary. They have a limited lifetime, mostly only a few minutes. Then I would take them apart and fully dismantle them. So, they are not even disposable because there is nothing to dispose of. I would keep the material and re-arrange it next time in different ways. If this is art, then it would be non-permanent art. The photo I take of it, therefore, adds a false or a fictitious attribute to the sculpture, namely permanence. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Il Chiostro del Bramante è uno straordinario esempio di architettura rinascimentale. È opera di Donato Bramante (1444-1515) che, trasferitosi da Milano a Roma dopo la caduta di Ludovico il Moro, diventerà qui primo architetto di Papa Giulio II e sarà grande rivale di Michelangelo. Fa parte del complesso che comprende anche l’attigua Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace in cui si trovano le famose Sibille di Raffaello.

Il Chiostro è una costruzione di raffinata linearità e rigorosa eleganza, che applica principi di armonia ed equilibrio in ogni elemento compositivo. L’architettura, come è tipico del Rinascimento, prende ispirazione dalla classicità, radicalmente riaffermata dal Bramante con il bando di ogni decorazione aggiuntiva, a favore della potenza degli elementi strutturali. In questo il Bramante si distacca dal suo stesso periodo milanese, più vicino alle influenze del precedente periodo gotico, diffuso soprattutto nel nord Europa.

The Chiostro del Bramante is an extraordinary example of Renaissance architecture. It is the work of Donato Bramante (1444-1515) who, having moved from Milan to Rome after the fall of Ludovico il Moro, will become here the first architect of Pope Julius II and will be Michelangelo's great rival. It is part of the complex which also includes the adjacent Church of Santa Maria della Pace where Raphael's famous Sibyls are located.

The Cloister is a building of refined linearity and rigorous elegance, which applies principles of harmony and balance in every compositional element. The architecture, as is typical of the Renaissance, takes inspiration from classicism, radically reaffirmed by Bramante with the ban on any additional decoration, in favor of the power of the structural elements. In this, Bramante distances himself from the Milanese period of himself, closer to the influences of the previous Gothic period, widespread above all in northern Europe.

Lismore, NSW 2017

Leica S

70mm f2.5 lens

At times we all struggle with feelings of disempowerment. Feelings of vulnerability or of being swept along by events outside of our control. Forces larger than ourselves and things we view as unfair, unjust or unreasonable.

The question is what we do with such feelings.

Some people become angry, while others turn to fear. Yet the subject of empowerment cuts to the heart of how we view ourselves relative to the world. It is a measure of how emotionally secure we feel within ourselves and how prepared we are to accept our personal limits.

The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius once made a list of all the things he personally had genuine control over and then, he made a second list of everything over which he had no control. The first list was very small and included only himself, while the second list comprised everything else in the world.

Given that during his lifetime, Marcus Aurelius was the most powerful person on the globe, his conclusion is very sobering – yet rigorously honest.

The truth is that most of us cannot control even ourselves on occasions, let alone anyone else! Our feelings of disempowerment are a product of our own denial, which we try to compensate for in all sorts of ways. The more we desire control, the more threatened we feel when others ignore or disagree with us.

The more threatened we feel, the more urgent our need to react.

So perhaps the key to feeling more empowered lies in letting go. Rather than feeling threatened by the differences in others, we can observe such differences while not allowing them to determine our own behaviour.

In some strange counter-intuitive way, we might realise true empowerment has more to do with ‘not needing’ to control in the first place!

After a summer of softer themes it became time to shift the gears into something a little more rigorous. I've sat on a huge pile of "street art" shots that I took a few years back and finally decided to take some of them out and manipulate them.

My bows of acknowledgement to the many nameless and faceless artists of Toronto's "Airbrush Alley". A remarkable sight to behold, without a doubt. Each year it's fun to see what stays, what stays but is altered and what disappears to make way for the new.

View Large on Black.

Excerpt from vangoghstudio.com:

Painted in 1888, Vincent Van Gogh delivers a heightened sense of inner vibrancy within his Willows at Sunset. The ability to create an energetic impact, while also being able to have a sense of subdued harmony, makes Mr. Van Gogh a true genius.

If you notice closely, Vincent Van Gogh employs the brushstrokes in a mostly vertical style. The sun, which is clearly revered in this painting, does not participate in this artistic technique.

Bringing darker tones from the ground towards a bright sun has deep meaning. One can interpret the Willows at Sunset as a person's journey through life. While a meandering darkness prevails from the ground, Mr. Van Gogh interweaves our joys through lighter colors in between. A sense of hope for a brighter ascension towards the sky ultimately decides this miraculous composition, but with his trademark hint of dark stems trying to cover the sun.

The trees depicted here look a bit sinister, as if they represent every person's mid-life crises, enforcing a blow towards a person through negativity. Vividly striking this attack towards the human heart through vertical means, a blue river horizontally passes through calmly. This water bridges a gap between the rigorous uneasiness of life with the sublime bright light of hope.

Vincent Van Gogh's palette is blatantly ferocious in this painting. He had an ability to create works in a short period of time, like a bolt of lightning. There is nothing more needed to be painted in the Willows at Sunset.

People who aim to attain enlightenment by retreating to the mountains and undergoing rigorous training.

It's the truck from set 60270, in space, with different color scheme because WAIT WHAT'S THIS

WAIT A FUCKING SECOND

"LEGO® bricks and pieces are put through rigorous tests to ensure every LEGO toy playset meets the highest global safety and quality standards."

Excerpt from scotiabankcontactphoto.com/2022/core/vid-ingelevics-ryan-...:

Since 2019, Toronto-based artists Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker have charted the progression of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project, one of the most ambitious civil works projects in North America. This third series of photographs, presented on wooden structures along the Villiers Street median, focuses on the extraordinary operation of building a new mouth for the Don River and the careful methodology employed in the naturalization of a massive industrial brownfield.

The first photographic series that Ingelevics and Walker produced about this site, titled Framework (2020), captured the buildings and structures demolished to make way for the river excavation. This demolition allowed for the massive movement of soil captured in the second series, A Mobile Landscape (2021). How to Build a River documents how this soil removal made way for the river to be constructed using bio-engineering practices. It reveals the innovative bioengineering techniques used to construct this complex ecology and its multiple engineering layers, which will soon be invisible—either submerged underwater or beneath park surfaces—when the project is finished.

As the excavation has proceeded and workers have brought materials to the site and carefully categorized, prepared, and positioned them, Ingelevics and Walker have witnessed the river’s path quickly taking shape. The images in this series follow the rigorous steps taken to protect the new riverbed and future ecosystem, with multiple layers of sand, charcoal, and impermeable geosynthetic clay liner added to block contaminants caused by almost a century of housing fuel storage tanks in the Port Lands. The photographs capture the ways in which the new riverbanks (known as “crib walls”) were stabilized with logs, tree trunks, rocks, and coconut fibre material, and track the meticulous creation of future habitats for fish and birds.

Fish Habitat (2019) shows the development of a new riparian habitat, which includes coloured streamers strung across the water to deter geese from landing and eating vegetation that will provide food for fish. In Stratified River Ingredients (2021) a worker strides past stepped blankets of biodegradable coconut fabric, which will help hold the riverbank soil together until plant root systems are in place. In this series the new river comes to life. Its plants and banks, its roots and rocks and sands can all be seen coming together in Meander (2021). All of these innovative bioengineering techniques have been employed in similar projects around the world where nature is fast-tracked, but it’s unusual to have so many techniques applied simultaneously, and on such a vast scale.

At times during this massive project, something as small as an unidentified plant can halt construction. Transplanting #1 and #2 (2021) show crews salvaging plants for storage after strange, bulrush-like plants sprouted unexpectedly after 100 years of dormancy underground. These were likely remnants of the site’s original wetlands, which germinated when sunlight hit the excavated mud. Some of the plants were taken to a greenhouse laboratory at the University of Toronto, and others were transplanted to the Leslie Street Spit, located nearby along the waterfront. Even with the most meticulously planned naturalization processes, nature can still surprise us.

Following their documentation of the processes of destruction and removal required to prepare the site, this third series of work in Ingelevics and Walker’s multi-year project allows viewers to witness the construction of these new, interconnected habitats and structures. Their photographs offer glimpses into the makings of a highly creative built ecology, one that has looked to nature in order to artificially recreate it.

The Birth of a Legend: Brief Background on the Shelby Cobra

In the early 1960s, automotive visionary Carroll Shelby envisioned a car that would combine American muscle with European agility. The result was the legendary Shelby Cobra —a fierce hybrid, born from coupling a potent American V8 engine with a lightweight British AC Ace chassis.

SIGNIFICANCE IN AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY

The Shelby Cobra stands as a monumental achievement in American automotive history. It broke the European stronghold on sports car racing and established the U.S. as a serious contender on the international stage. Winning the FIA World Sportscar Championship in 1965, the Cobra became the first American car to claim this prestigious title, sending shockwaves throughout the automotive world.

OVERVIEW OF ITS IMPACT ON RACING

But the Shelby Cobra’s legacy isn’t confined to its aluminum and steel composition. Its racing accomplishments are stuff of legend—from the rigorous 12 Hours of Sebring to the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans. Through these competitions, the Cobra didn’t just achieve victories; it became an enduring symbol of American grit, audacity, and innovation.

1963 – 12 Hours of Sebring: THE AUDACIOUS DEBUT

THE RACE

The 12 Hours of Sebring, a cornerstone in the American endurance racing calendar, is often cited as a rite of passage for new marques seeking international prestige. The Florida race is notorious for its grueling track, a blend of asphalt and concrete that wears both man and machine down to their breaking points. When the Shelby Cobra made its appearance at the Sebring track in 1963, the automotive world was watching with a blend of curiosity and skepticism. Could this American upstart hold its own against the likes of Porsche and Ferrari?

PERFORMANCE AND IMPACT

The Cobras faced a myriad of issues from the outset, including mechanical problems that kept them from clinching the top spot. Yet, despite these setbacks, their performance was revelatory. With blistering speed on the straights and remarkable agility, the Cobras held their ground and gave the European stalwarts a run for their money. Although they didn’t win, the cars demonstrated their considerable potential, setting the stage for their future domination.

KEY DRIVERS AND OUTCOMES

The 1963 Sebring race featured a talented roster of drivers behind the wheels of the Shelby Cobras, including the likes of Dan Gurney and Phil Hill, both of whom had already etched their names in motorsports history. While mechanical issues prevented the team from seizing victory, the experience and data gathered from this race were invaluable. It provided Shelby and his team the necessary insights to refine the Cobra, turning it into a more formidable contender in subsequent races.

The 1963 12 Hours of Sebring may not have been a crowning achievement for the Shelby Cobra, but it was a critical moment of validation. It showed that this audacious American experiment in high-speed engineering was more than just a novelty—it was a serious contender on the global motorsports stage. And it was only a hint of greater glories to come.

DOMESTIC SUCCESS: THE SHELBY COBRA REIGN SUPREME ON HOME TURF

Brief Overview of the SCCA

The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has long been a bastion for grassroots motorsport in the United States. Established in 1944, the SCCA organizes a wide array of racing events, from amateur autocross to high-level road racing championships. The SCCA National Championships serve as the pinnacle of this ecosystem, a stage where the best in American racing talent convenes to duke it out for domestic supremacy. Within this context, the Championships serve as an essential proving ground for American-made cars, and this is where the Shelby Cobra came to make yet another indelible mark.

How Shelby Cobras Performed in the Series

In the annals of SCCA history, few cars have made as resounding an impact as the Shelby Cobra. Its entrance into the series was akin to a hurricane hitting a placid coastline; it disrupted established norms and immediately set new standards. Cobras didn’t just participate in the SCCA—they dominated. Their combination of raw power, nimble handling, and superior engineering made them almost unbeatable in various classes.

Under the stewardship of experienced drivers and talented mechanics, the Cobras racked up victories and titles, sweeping aside more established names with seeming ease. The car became a staple at SCCA events, its unique roar echoing as both a siren song for enthusiasts and a harbinger of defeat for competitors.

LASTING IMPACT IN DOMESTIC RACING

The Shelby Cobra’s dominance in the SCCA wasn’t just a series of isolated victories; it was a seismic shift in American road racing. The car’s performance emboldened other American manufacturers to aim higher, to think beyond domestic markets, and to set their sights on international racing glory. In essence, the Cobra became the gold standard, the benchmark against which new entrants measured their mettle.

Moreover, the Cobra’s success created a ripple effect that transcended the racetrack. It influenced automotive design, spurring innovation in aerodynamics, engine efficiency, and materials science. Its success also led to a surge in interest in motorsports among the American public, transforming what had been a niche hobby into a mainstream cultural phenomenon.

SHELBY COBRA’S CONTINUED INFLUENCE IN THE RACING WORLD

Long after its initial heyday, the Shelby Cobra continues to resonate in the world of motorsports. The car’s design principles, focused on achieving a perfect balance between raw power and agile handling, have become a blueprint for sports car engineering. Subsequent generations of racers and automakers alike find themselves revisiting the Cobra’s playbook, keen on capturing even a fraction of its groundbreaking magic. Numerous racing events, including vintage and historic races, regularly feature Cobras—both original and replica—as testament to its everlasting appeal and effectiveness.

Source: CLASSIC RECREATIONS

* Car photographed at 2025 British Car Fest, Harper Junior College, Palatine, IL

Chassis No.:  CSX. 3033

>>> Only question (in my mind) is [should the Cobra emblem in the upper left corner remain............or be removed? Viewers can give your opinions if you so choose.]

Good morning, Herr Doktor.

Ah, there you are, my boy. I was looking for you. Have a seat in this chair.

Ok. Gee, you're strapping me in? And what's with the head phones?

I have a new study: the effect of country music on suicide. Interesting, eh?

I guess. I really don't have much use for country. Or western for that matter.

Perfect! Just relax while I tune to the right station.

This is terrible! How long do I have to listen to it?

Well, as long as it takes, I suppose.

Takes for what?

For you to beg me to kill you, of course. The scientific method is very rigorous.

Oh my god, not Roy Rogers!

Excellent! It's working already. Let's see if I can include his horse.

No!

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8D-ji:

Tō-ji Temple (東寺, Tō-ji, "East Temple"), also known as Kyō-ō-gokoku-ji (教王護国寺, The Temple for the Defense of the Nation by Means of the King of Doctrines) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan.

Founded in 796, it was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As such it has a long history, housing treasures and documents from the early Heian period and the Tang dynasty, and with buildings in its complex covering the Kamakura, Muromachi, Momoyama, and Edo periods. Five of these buildings have been designated National Treasures in two different categories: the Lotus Flower Gate (rengemon), the Miei Hall (mieidō), the Golden Hall (kondō) and the five-storied Pagoda (gojūnotō) (temple buildings) and the Kanchiin Guest Hall (kanchiin kyakuden) (residences).

Tō-ji was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

The five-storied Pagoda (五重塔, gojūnotō) of Tō-ji dates from 1643 (Edo period), when it was rebuilt by order of the third Tokugawa Shōgun, Iemitsu. The original pagoda was built in the 9th century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt four times before reaching its current state. It was designated a National Treasure in 1952.

The pagoda stands 54.8 meters (180 feet) high, and is the tallest wooden tower in Japan. Entrance into the pagoda itself is permitted only on special occasions, but it is usually open and the interior can be seen from the outside. It houses relics, sculptures, and paintings. At ground level, there are statues of four Buddhas facing different directions.

The Kondo or Golden Hall is the main hall of the temple and contains a statue of Yakushi from 1603.

The Miedo is dedicated to Kobo Daishi, also called Kukai, the temple's founder. It stands on the location of his original residence. The hall is opened on the 21st of each month when a memorial service is held for Kukai.

The grounds feature a garden and pond, in which turtles and koi swim. The grounds also house an academically rigorous private school, Rakunan, from which many students are sent to elite universities.

Lucky me.

"The only native deer species in Ireland, they are believed to have had a continuous presence in Ireland since the end of the last Ice Age (c. 10,000 BC). At this time they roamed freely through out Ireland, however as a result of deforestation, over hunting and the Great Famine (1845 – 1847) many populations became extinct. By the middle of the 19th century the last home of the Red deer was in the woodlands and mountains around Killarney, where their preservation was due to the strict protection of the two large estates of Herberts of Muckross and the Brownes, Earl of Kenmare. It is known that at the turn of the century there were in excess of 1500 Red deer in Killarney. This declined between 1900 and 1960 to as few as 60. As a result of rigorous protection and management they have increased to 690 in the early 1990’s within the National Park."

As a locally know term "Deep in the woods" to the University of Oregon athletics at the campus located roughly an hour north west from here in Eugene, Oregon, it is no misconception where the term came from. Once you leave Eugene in the Willamette Valley, you are truly deep in the woods of the Cascade Mountains. Surrounded by mostly lush Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Mountain Hemlock timber, it is truly easy to get lost in these mountains of greens. For me, it is a great scenic adventure along Union Pacific's Cascade Line towards Klamath Falls, Oregon. Once built by the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Cascade Line offers a rigorous long mountain climb from Eugene, Oregon to Cascade Summit near Odell Lake, Oregon and as the years have gone by, the overgrowth of nature has taken its toll along most of the route in the past decade. Though, if you know where to look, some great scenes can still come out regardless of the overgrowth of nature. Taken at the north end of the siding of Wicopee in the Willamette Nation Forest.

Excerpt from Wikipedia: From 1856 to 1860 the Legislature of the Colony of Vancouver Island met at Bachelor's Hall at Fort Victoria. From 1860 to 1898 it was housed in the first permanent building at Legislative Hall or Legislative Council Court, a two storey wooden building along with four other buildings (Land Office, Colonial Office, Supreme Court, and Treasury) known colloquially as "The Birdcages" because of their shape (burned 1957).

Construction of a new Parliament Building was first authorized by an act of the provincial legislature in 1893, the Parliament Buildings Construction Act. The province, anxious to commemorate its growing economic, social and political status, was engaged in an architectural competition to build a new legislative building in Victoria, after outgrowing "The Birdcages", which were notoriously drafty and leaked in wet weather. Francis Rattenbury, a recent English immigrant, 25 years old, entered the contest and signed his drawings with the pseudonym "A B.C. Architect". He progressed to the second round, signing his drawing "For Queen and Province" and eventually won the competition.

Despite many problems, including exceeding budget—the original budget was $500,000; the final amount was $923,000—the British Columbia Parliament Buildings began operation officially during 1898. The grand scale of its 500-ft (152-m) long andesite façade, central dome and two end pavilions, the richness of its white marble, and combination of Baroque rigorous symmetry, use of domes and sculptural massing with the rusticated surfaces of the currently popular Romanesque Revival style contributed to its being an innovative and impressive monument for the young province.

As monasticism in the form of the Rule of Saint Benedict spread across medieval Europe, ascetic religious life soon fell victim to its own success. In a deeply religious society that combined high mortality with great anxiety about the afterlife, both nobles and commoners sought whatever assistance they could find in achieving a better outcome, both in this life or the next. Seeing the virtuous lives of the monastic communities, and hoping to gain favor with God by giving to His devotees, they contributed land and wealth to the monasteries, for instance paying the monks to perform masses for their deceased souls. In short order, communities that had been founded on the principles of an ascetic life of prayer and labor grew immensely rich and powerful. Seeing this, nobles who did not wish to divide their estates sought to place their sons and daughters who would not inherit in positions of wealth and power, and so sent them into the monastic life. Monasteries, in turn, demanded that entrance into the community of monks required an endowment, and so grew richer still, while also becoming distinctly aristocratic. In theory, individual monks and even their abbots were poor, owning nothing as individuals. In practice, they became an allied branch of the nobility, collectively owning huge tracts of land worked by vast numbers of serfs and/or rent-paying peasants. Or in other words, far from pursuing a Christlike life of asceticism, the monks combined with the nobility--from whom they were now drawn--to exploit the remaining 90-95% of humanity.

Periodically, zealous reformers would seek to return monasticism to its ascetic roots by stamping out monastic excess and corruption and returning the monastic life to its original ideal. In the tenth century the Cluniacs in France won admiration and influence for their strict adherence to the Rule of Saint Benedict. They attempted to separate themselves from aristocratic influence by placing themselves directly under the government of the Pope, and soon they were sent out to reform other monasteries and establish new ones under strict observance of the Rule. But in a cycle that would be repeated again and again, the admiration these reformers won attracted generous donations, which soon translated into great wealth and power and a movement away from ascetic life, renewing the cycle of corruption.

At the beginning of the 12th century, the Cistercians, like the Cluniacs before them, sought a return to the Rule of Saint Benedict. But their initial strict observance won them, too, great wealth and power. Those who had sought a return to ora et labora, in fact, became mighty landowners. They recruited lay brothers, uneducated monks without equal rights and drawn from the commoners, to do the manual labor of the monastery. This may have been an attempt to prevent the order from becoming the lords of great serf populations and to create a system in which monks did, in fact, perform the labor required for their own support. But in practice, it merely reproduced the hierarchies of the greater society. Cistercian monasteries operated according to a class system in which educated "choir monks," drawn from the aristocracy, sat in the choir and sang the liturgy during services. They lived and prayed separately from the lay brothers, who performed the manual labor of the abbey's vast landed estates and could not participate in the government of the abbey.

In the 13th century the Franciscans attempted to break the cycle all together. They were a mendicant order who, rather than live a cloistered life, wandered among the towns and cities preaching to the common people, or even, famously, to the birds. Significantly, members owned nothing either individually or collectively. But their popularity with the common people, combined with their radical philosophy, eventually threatened the established order, both religious and economic. Because they embraced poverty as the Christian ideal, but lived in a world in which wealth and power were conjoined in both church and state, Franciscans were accused of heresy, and of promoting heresy and revolution. In the end, the Catholic hierarchy forced them into accepting provisions that their founder, Saint Francis, pretty clearly detested. They would not technically hold property, but the Pope would hold it for them and for their use. Much like the distinction between owning property individually vs collectively, this amounted to a distinction without a difference.

Predictably, in the 17th century, a branch of the Cistercians sought to reform the order after it grew rich and lax in its adherence to the Rule. These reformers, who came to be called Trappists, sought a return to the strict observance of the Rule of Saint Benedict, with the notable exception that they maintained the distinction between choir monks and lay brothers. Even so, they failed to persuade most Cistercian communities to return to more rigorous strictures, and in time they separated from the Cistercians. In 1965, after Vatican II, both the Cistercians of the Common Observance and the Trappists abolished the distinction between choir monks and lay brothers.

The choir of the 12th century Abbey Church of Heiligenkreuz, at Heiligenkreuz Abbey, the oldest continuously occupied Cistercian abbey in the world, near Vienna, Austria.

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

An abstract that really caught my eye while enjoying the 'Daks Over Prestwick' display at Prestwick International Airport, Scotland.

These stripes, designed for D-Day so that allied aircraft could be easily distinguished with so many aircraft in the air, are painted upon the Douglas C-47 "Betsy's Biscuit Bomber".

I loved the graphic of turning this into black and white while the rain droplets contrasted with the rivets.

75 years ago tonight, after a 24 hour stand-down, thousands upon thousands of airborne troops from Britain and America embarked C-47 Dakota's and Gliders towed by them for the imminent D-Day invasion of Normandy. Military brass expected an 85% casualty rate amongst their airborne troops and they therefore undertook more rigorous training than standard troops and were paid twice as much. They expected to be completely surrounded by the enemy wherever they landed.

Tomorrow, June 6th, marks the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8D-ji:

Tō-ji Temple (東寺, Tō-ji, "East Temple"), also known as Kyō-ō-gokoku-ji (教王護国寺, The Temple for the Defense of the Nation by Means of the King of Doctrines) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan.

Founded in 796, it was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As such it has a long history, housing treasures and documents from the early Heian period and the Tang dynasty, and with buildings in its complex covering the Kamakura, Muromachi, Momoyama, and Edo periods. Five of these buildings have been designated National Treasures in two different categories: the Lotus Flower Gate (rengemon), the Miei Hall (mieidō), the Golden Hall (kondō) and the five-storied Pagoda (gojūnotō) (temple buildings) and the Kanchiin Guest Hall (kanchiin kyakuden) (residences).

Tō-ji was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, as part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.

The five-storied Pagoda (五重塔, gojūnotō) of Tō-ji dates from 1643 (Edo period), when it was rebuilt by order of the third Tokugawa Shōgun, Iemitsu. The original pagoda was built in the 9th century, but it was destroyed and rebuilt four times before reaching its current state. It was designated a National Treasure in 1952.

The pagoda stands 54.8 meters (180 feet) high, and is the tallest wooden tower in Japan. Entrance into the pagoda itself is permitted only on special occasions, but it is usually open and the interior can be seen from the outside. It houses relics, sculptures, and paintings. At ground level, there are statues of four Buddhas facing different directions.

The Kondo or Golden Hall is the main hall of the temple and contains a statue of Yakushi from 1603.

The Miedo is dedicated to Kobo Daishi, also called Kukai, the temple's founder. It stands on the location of his original residence. The hall is opened on the 21st of each month when a memorial service is held for Kukai.

The grounds feature a garden and pond, in which turtles and koi swim. The grounds also house an academically rigorous private school, Rakunan, from which many students are sent to elite universities.

Excerpt from scotiabankcontactphoto.com/2022/core/vid-ingelevics-ryan-...:

Since 2019, Toronto-based artists Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker have charted the progression of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project, one of the most ambitious civil works projects in North America. This third series of photographs, presented on wooden structures along the Villiers Street median, focuses on the extraordinary operation of building a new mouth for the Don River and the careful methodology employed in the naturalization of a massive industrial brownfield.

The first photographic series that Ingelevics and Walker produced about this site, titled Framework (2020), captured the buildings and structures demolished to make way for the river excavation. This demolition allowed for the massive movement of soil captured in the second series, A Mobile Landscape (2021). How to Build a River documents how this soil removal made way for the river to be constructed using bio-engineering practices. It reveals the innovative bioengineering techniques used to construct this complex ecology and its multiple engineering layers, which will soon be invisible—either submerged underwater or beneath park surfaces—when the project is finished.

As the excavation has proceeded and workers have brought materials to the site and carefully categorized, prepared, and positioned them, Ingelevics and Walker have witnessed the river’s path quickly taking shape. The images in this series follow the rigorous steps taken to protect the new riverbed and future ecosystem, with multiple layers of sand, charcoal, and impermeable geosynthetic clay liner added to block contaminants caused by almost a century of housing fuel storage tanks in the Port Lands. The photographs capture the ways in which the new riverbanks (known as “crib walls”) were stabilized with logs, tree trunks, rocks, and coconut fibre material, and track the meticulous creation of future habitats for fish and birds.

Fish Habitat (2019) shows the development of a new riparian habitat, which includes coloured streamers strung across the water to deter geese from landing and eating vegetation that will provide food for fish. In Stratified River Ingredients (2021) a worker strides past stepped blankets of biodegradable coconut fabric, which will help hold the riverbank soil together until plant root systems are in place. In this series the new river comes to life. Its plants and banks, its roots and rocks and sands can all be seen coming together in Meander (2021). All of these innovative bioengineering techniques have been employed in similar projects around the world where nature is fast-tracked, but it’s unusual to have so many techniques applied simultaneously, and on such a vast scale.

At times during this massive project, something as small as an unidentified plant can halt construction. Transplanting #1 and #2 (2021) show crews salvaging plants for storage after strange, bulrush-like plants sprouted unexpectedly after 100 years of dormancy underground. These were likely remnants of the site’s original wetlands, which germinated when sunlight hit the excavated mud. Some of the plants were taken to a greenhouse laboratory at the University of Toronto, and others were transplanted to the Leslie Street Spit, located nearby along the waterfront. Even with the most meticulously planned naturalization processes, nature can still surprise us.

Following their documentation of the processes of destruction and removal required to prepare the site, this third series of work in Ingelevics and Walker’s multi-year project allows viewers to witness the construction of these new, interconnected habitats and structures. Their photographs offer glimpses into the makings of a highly creative built ecology, one that has looked to nature in order to artificially recreate it.

The Covid-19 pandemic is still in its climbing phase in Belgium, as the peak of the outbreak is only expected in the coming weeks, around the beginning of April the crisis center announced. Yesterday the government reported that 1,298 new people have tested positive for Covid-19. This brings the total number of cases to 6,235. The total number of people admitted to hospital is 2,652, this is an increase of 536 patients in one day! 42 new deaths have been reported, bringing the total number of deaths to 220. We rigorously follow the measures that have been implemented and hang in there hoping for better times. On another note, The Financial Times praised Belgium with its daily briefings by the Crisis Centre underlining the fact that in Belgium it are scientists rather than politicians speaking. It’s indeed the only way to debunk rumors and conspiracy theories. Stay Safe, Stay Healthy - Ghent, Belgium

This male kōlea in breeding plumage takes a bath before the long flight from the tropics to the nesting grounds on the Alaskan tundra. The next day, he somehow sensed it was time to congregate with other previously solitary kōlea and departed collectively. The trip spans 3,000 miles of open ocean requiring a rigorous, energy intensive effort of 3 to 4 days and nights of nonstop flight at elevation ranging from 3,000 to 16,000 feet. Superb navigators with territorial fidelity, kōlea, or Pacific golden plovers, use the stars and the earth’s magnetic field to find their way over the featureless ocean to the same small patch of territory every year. They may use the earth’s magnetic field visually with the magnetoreception molecules of cryptochrome in their retina.

Bartolomeo Cincani called "il Montagna" (Orzinuovi, 1449/1450 - Vicenza, 1523) - detail - Madonna and Child Enthroned between Saints Andrew, Monica, Ursula and Sigismund (1499) - oil on canvas 410 x 260 cm - Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan

La tela proviene dalla cappella di Santa Monica in San Michele a Vicenza, di proprietà della famiglia Squarzi, da dove giunse a Brera in seguito alle soppressioni napoleoniche. Le figure, rese monumentali da un punto di vista molto ribassato, abitano un’architettura solenne e colorata. Non si tratta però di uno spazio chiuso: oculi e arcate fanno entrare fiotti di luce che rendono l’atmosfera mobile, un cardellino si è posato sul tirante di un arco, gli alberi e il cielo fanno capolino tra i santi. Il rigore prospettico, le ombre portate, i panneggi complessi testimoniano un viaggio dell’autore in Lombardia e la suggestione esercitata su di lui dalle opere di Bramante.

The canvas comes from the chapel of Santa Monica in San Michele in Vicenza, owned by the Squarzi family, from where it arrived in Brera following the Napoleonic suppressions. The figures, made monumental by a very low point of view, inhabit a solemn and colorful architecture. It is not, however, a closed space: oculi and arches let in streams of light that make the atmosphere mobile, a goldfinch has settled on the tie rod of an arch, trees and the sky peep out between the saints. The rigorous perspective, the shadows and the complex drapery testify to the author's journey to Lombardy and the influence exerted on him by the works of Bramante.

Nightstar, the brand name of the proposed overnight sleeper service from various parts of United Kingdom to continental Europe via the Channel Tunnel was formally cancelled in 1999. Before that, the Channel Tunnel Night Stock (CTNS) built by Metro-Cammell (Alstom) (Birmingham) was rigorously tested in the relevant countries. (UK, France, Holland and Germany). In April 1996 SNCF engine Y.8323 performs coupling tests with one of the CTNS sleepers and SNCF BB26110 at the SNCF Technical Centre at Lille Hellemmes.

In Bhutan, many young boys become monks to ease the burden on their families. These boys often come from poor families and hope that by joining a monastery, they can receive food, religious education, and health services. Becoming a monk also helps secure their future and helps them spiritually. However, once they join the monastery, many lose out on the chance to play and enjoy their childhood. Despite this, their devotion to their faith and hope for a better future keeps them committed to their monastic lives. As a photographer, I was thrilled when I was given permission to photograph young monks at Paro Dzong, the administrative seat of Paro district in Bhutan. Together with some colleagues I spent the better part of the morning there, capturing images of the young monks as they went about their daily routines. To thank the young monks for their patience with us, we bought them juices and sweets. It was heartwarming to see the joy that such a small gesture brought to these young monks, who lead such disciplined and rigorous lives - Paro Dzong in Paro, Bhutan

A second variation of a shot of airbrushed Street Art, sometimes called Graffiti. This is more than that I think. These "Guerilla Artists" have a radical purpose and approach and their work is just as skilled and rigorous as anything hanging in a lot of galleries.

Because a lot of this art gets altered, boosted, even painted over, it seems to be part of the process to expect a certain ephemerality to it. However, repeated visits to Toronto's "Airbrush Alley", several blocks long, reveals that some pieces stay the course of time. The original of this image sits perfectly unchanged 2 years after I first took this shot.

View Large on Black.

View from the summit of Mt. Kearsarge. I don't usually like people in my photos but this hiker adds to the scale of the view that stretched out before us so I kept him. It was a rigorous hike up and down but well worth the views!

n. *Rippling

1. a small wave on the surface of a liquid.

Bluetiful Rippling, Mastigouche Wilderness Reserve, Québec, Canada.

PixQuote:

" For a subject to be strong enough to be worth photographing, the relationship of its forms must be rigorously established. Composition starts when you situate your camera in space in relation to the object."

-Henri Cartier Bresson

"There is an inherent, almost biological design in childhood that compels it toward the good, the beautiful, and the just. It is a state of being naturally aligned with the light. In this frame, the child doesn't just run; she gravitates toward the sun as the ultimate source of truth and wonder.In stark contrast, the figures in the background represent the adult condition. We have lost that compass. We stand at the edge of the same immense beauty, yet we choose to look elsewhere, distracted by the mundane or lost in the 'nothingness' of our own thoughts. We have turned our backs on the fundamental to stare into the periphery.

The composition relies on a rigorous use of backlighting, which strips the subjects of their individuality and transforms them into universal archetypes. The vast, underexposed foreground of the sand serves as a psychological buffer, emphasizing the widening gap between the two worlds. Technically, the brilliance of the sun acts as a gravitational center, yet the true power of the shot lies in the divergent gaze of the subjects. The silhouettes don't just divide the space; they define a choice: the instinct to seek the light versus the habit of ignoring it.

Very untypical image! The temple is really a metaphor for 'light' and 'lightness', but the geometry lends itself to strong contrasts. The expressionist architecture is so rigorous in its repetition that it does hint at the architect's oppressive vision. Architect: Sabha

Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) - Une photo prise sur le marché de Fort-Dauphin. Une scène parmi des dizaines, pour ne pas dire des centaines, stockées dans les archives et qui à part moi, ne sont vues par personne. Non que cette photo pêche par un défaut technique ou de composition, mais elle illustre la banalité de la vie. Trop peut-être ? Alors pourquoi l’avoir prise ? Il y a plusieurs raison. Elle résulte surtout d’une vieille habitude quand j’étais jeune pigiste pour des agences de presse. Plus on rapportait d’images, plus on avait de chance de vendre à des journaux ou des magazines. On disait à l'époque qu’avec 10.000 photos archivées en agence, rigoureusement sélectionnées, on générait environ 1.500 euros de revenus mensuels (conversion faire avec le franc de l’époque).

On faisait quasi systématiquement une horizontale pour espérer une double page et une verticale pour la pleine page. Il faut savoir qu’à l’époque ( aujourd’hui encore dans une moindre mesure) le tarif de la photo était calculé à la surface publiée. Une pleine page était payée 4 à 5 fois le prix d’un quart de page. Et la photo couleur était payée plus que le N&B.

Autre raison de la multiplication des vues, le tarif des duplicatas coûtaient très chers. On avait intérêt à doubler ou tripler à la prise de vue une photo qui nous semblait très bonne. On n’avait pas la possibilité de copier ses photos à l’infini comme on le fait avec le numérique.

Si on devait revenir à la photo argentique et aux coûts induits (un vrai appareil photo (pas de smartphone), films, développement, tirages, duplicatas etc. Le nombre de pratiquants ne se résumerait qu’aux véritables passionnés et on ne friserait pas quotidiennement l’overdose.

Autre raison pour avoir pris cette photo sans envisager de la publier, c’est une photo prise à la façon d’un musicien qui fait ses gammes pour se chauffer.

Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) - A photo taken in the Fort-Dauphin market. A scene among dozens, if not hundreds, stored in the archives and which, apart from me, are seen by no one. Not that this photo suffers from a technical or compositional defect, but it illustrates the banality of life. Too much perhaps? So why took it? There are many reasons. It mainly results from an old habit when I was a young freelancer for press agencies. The more images we brought back, the more chance we had of selling to newspapers or magazines. It was said that with 10,000 archived photos, rigorously selected, we generated around 1,500 euros in monthly income (conversion made with the franc of the time).

We almost always made a horizontal one to hope for a double page and a vertical one for the full page. You should know that at the time (still today to a lesser extent) the price of photography was calculated on the surface area published. A full page was paid 4 to 5 times the price of a quarter page. And color photography was paid more than B&W.

Another reason for the multiplication of views, the price of duplicates was very expensive. We had an interest in doubling or tripling a photo that seemed very good to us when shooting. We did not have the possibility of copying our photos endlessly as we do with digital technology.

If we were to return to film photography and the costs involved (a real camera (no smartphone), films, development, prints, duplicates, etc. The number of practitioners would only come down to real enthusiasts.

Another reason for taking this photo without planning to publish it is that it is a photo taken like a musician practicing his scales to warm up.

the rigorousness of music and the upside-down point of view..the quest for the overturn of the rules

The first committed self-portrait for professor Gualtiero Di Puccio.

The beginning of a visual obsession. During those years of study, I was searching for a way to strip the image bare, to rip the body away from the obviousness of the pose and force it to become a concept. This self-portrait was born from that very urgency: shutting out the superfluous in darkness to verify if the gaze, on its own, was capable of bearing the weight of presence and resisting the indifference of the frame. It was the instinctive yet rigorous attempt to take total control of my identity and to measure, for the first time, the strength of my capabilities.I started this work during my first year at the Academy of Fine Arts of Carrara 1991/92. As soon as Professor Gualtiero Di Puccio discovered that I was the daughter of a photographer, he immediately gave me this specific task. For this, I thank him deeply: although I already knew how to take photos and was already working for my father, he managed to give me something more, opening the way toward an independent and profound vision as an artist.

O Jardim de Santa Bárbara constitui um dos ex-líbris do património paisagístico e histórico da cidade de Braga, situado contiguamente à ala oriental do Paço Episcopal Bracarense. Este jardim público distingue-se pelo seu traçado formal, onde canteiros geométricos, rigorosamente delimitados por sebes de buxo, albergam uma densa variedade de flora sazonal que confere um vibrante cromatismo ao espaço. O cenário é dominado, em segundo plano, pelas ruínas da arcada medieval do Paço, uma estrutura de pedra que remonta aos séculos XIV e XV, exibindo arcos ogivais e ameias características do estilo gótico civil português. O nome do jardim deriva da fonte maneirista do século XVII localizada no seu centro, a qual é encimada por uma imagem de Santa Bárbara, padroeira contra trovoadas e morte repentina, originalmente proveniente do extinto Convento dos Remédios. A preservação deste local exemplifica a integração harmoniosa entre a arquitetura histórica e o urbanismo contemporâneo, servindo como um testemunho visual da importância eclesiástica de Braga ao longo dos séculos.

The Santa Bárbara Garden is one of the landmarks of the landscape and historical heritage of the city of Braga, located adjacent to the eastern wing of the Episcopal Palace of Braga. This public garden is distinguished by its formal layout, where geometric flower beds, rigorously delimited by boxwood hedges, house a dense variety of seasonal flora that gives the space a vibrant color scheme. The backdrop is dominated by the ruins of the palace's medieval arcade, a stone structure dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, featuring ogival arches and battlements characteristic of the Portuguese civil Gothic style. The garden's name derives from the 17th-century Mannerist fountain located in its center, which is topped by an image of Saint Barbara, patron saint against thunderstorms and sudden death, originally from the extinct Convento dos Remédios. The preservation of this site exemplifies the harmonious integration between historical architecture and contemporary urbanism, serving as a visual testimony to the ecclesiastical importance of Braga over the centuries.

i've become so hypercritical of my photography that I haven't been able to post any of my shots in ages. i literally have hundreds of shots that i've worked on and never put up because i don't think they are good enough.

i think rigorous editing of your photos is an important process in a photographer's journey, but becoming a stubborn perfectionist ultimately hinders growth.

Because of this unattainable need for technical perfection, my creativity has hit an all time low and I have lost confidence in my abilities. So, in an effort to jump start the process towards a more laissez-faire attitude in my artistic pursuits, i'm going to start sharing these imperfect shots, because if nothing else we can learn from my mistakes.

Maiko debut is the beginning of a rigorous artistic career in the Hanamachi district in Kyoto, Japan.

Second Life

From long ago, 4/28/2010, while on an ELCC Midweek Marauders field trip to the Walkin' N Circles Horse Rescue Ranch.

Walkin N Circles Ranch Inc. exists to rescue, rehabilitate, rehome and provide each rescued horse humane and caring attention in which fear and pain are left at the front gate. The Ranch provides proper treatment and humane care to unwanted, abandoned or abused horses. Following a thorough assessment, gentle rehabilitation and a rigorous screening process, they endeavor to give each horse a chance for a new start by finding permanent, loving adoptive homes.

http://www.wncr.org/

In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf argues that the creative process requires material and psychological independence. She insists that this is not a romantic defence of solitude but a concrete condition: a woman must have a room of her own to create.

The room Woolf describes is both literal and symbolic. It is an uninterrupted physical space, but it is also continuity of thought. Privacy protects extended reflection, which any serious creative work demands. Without control over one’s time and environment, intellectual work becomes fragmented and secondary.

Psychologically, the room functions as protection. Creative work requires freedom from imposed obligations, demanded behaviours, accusations, or expectations that invade the interior space of thought.

Privacy and independence allow the development of what Woolf calls an “androgynous mind”: a balanced and integrated consciousness capable of expansive imagination rather than reactive production.

Creativity does not emerge purely from innate talent; it depends on infrastructure: space, time, and security. Private space is not a luxury. It is a precondition.

A private room represents cognitive continuity, protection from interruption, and ownership of one’s intellectual life. Artists and highly creative individuals require private, self-controlled environments for cognitive, psychological, and practical reasons.

Creative work depends on sustained attention. Complex ideation activates distributed neural networks. The interruptions force cognitive switching, degrade working memory, and reduce coherence. Generating original material means allowing incomplete, imperfect, even unconventional ideas to exist long enough to develop.

When someone is constantly observing, questioning, demanding, or accusing, the mind turns toward self-monitoring instead of exploration. Even subtle evaluation anxiety increases risk aversion. The imagination begins to censor itself before it has time to expand.

Incubation requires psychological safety because creativity involves vulnerability. The process is nonlinear: doubt, confusion, emotional intensity, experimentation, even failure. When intimate environments are contaminated with tension or negative emotion, expression becomes regulated. The body anticipates interruption. The nervous system prepares for defence rather than creation.

Artists are often highly sensitive in how they organize their working space. They perceive small shifts in light, sound, and movement. Sensory calibration matters. Control over lighting, spatial arrangement, and objects preserves cognitive bandwidth. When that space is repeatedly touched, moved, entered, or emotionally destabilized, something subtle but essential is disturbed.

Creative work is intertwined with personal meaning. Private space forms a boundary between social identity; roles and expectations and creative identity; experimentation and self-definition. Without that boundary, creative output begins to align with external approval or defensive reaction rather than intrinsic vision.

Research in cognitive psychology, stress neuroscience, and creativity studies confirms if physical space and personal boundaries are repeatedly violated over a long period, creative capacities erode in their expression.

Chronic interruption prevents entry into flow states described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The brain requires uninterrupted time to integrate complex ideas. Constant disruption trains vigilance rather than immersion.

Prolonged stress activates the threat-response system. Chronically elevated stress hormones impair working memory, cognitive flexibility, and associative thinking, all these are essential for originality.

Under perceived threat, the brain prioritizes control over exploration. Creativity narrows. Loss of autonomy further diminishes intrinsic motivation.

When space is invaded or constantly monitored, creative activity shifts from self-directed expression to reactive coping. Persistent criticism or invalidation leads to self-censorship and learned inhibition. The process becomes associated with tension rather than safety and something as fundamental as creativity gift is lost.

But inhibition is not the same as structural destruction. The capacity itself does not disappear; access to it does.

What erodes is fluency, trust, and the sense that creation is allowed.

When autonomy and safety slowly return, the nervous system must relearn that imagination will not be punished. Recovery is uneven. It requires rebuilding the internal room before rebuilding the external one.

Prolonged violation of privacy can block creative functioning for as long as the adverse conditions persist but once the door closes again (not as exclusion, but as protection) creation begins to move back into the room that was once stolen.

IMPORTANT STATEMENT

THE LIMITS

To those looking to scrape, copy, or “borrow” my soul, read carefully:

ZERO TOLERANCE: Any use of my works in portfolios, commercial displays, or training data will be met with rigorous legal action.

NO SHARES: Do not share my work to platforms without my permission. Especially to Pinterest.

NO AI TRAINING: My images are strictly prohibited from being used for diffusion models or AI generators.

VISIBILITY IS NOT A LICENCE: Sharing my soul with the public does not grant you ownership. Using my images to feed an AI or build your portfolio is not “sharing” — it is theft.

ANTI-COPYIST STANCE: Technical mastery does not grant you the right to the soul of another’s work. To copy a composition simply because it is “beautiful” is to fail the fundamental test of artistry: having something original to say.

New Magic Art Photography website is now live! I hope you enjoy it.

Enjoyed a day at Ellicott City which I haven't seen since the big floods a few years ago. Jared and my friend Steve then had a rigorous hike and shoot at Patapsco State Park nearby. Pictures to follow.

This is the road to Painted Canyon, a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) tract near Mecca, California.

As a general rule, US Department of Interior road signs over estimate difficulty of roads. Unless the signs say, "deaths and serious injuries have occurred," you're probably ok. Driving skills matter. If you're comfortable on slippery road surfaces and taking a risk that you may "bury" your car in soft soil, you'll likely do fine. This road, in my opinion, needs ground clearance more than four wheel drive. If you drive a Jetta, Leaf, or Prius down here, you face significant risk. If you have a RAV4 or a two-wheel-drive Suburban, you'll probably do ok. Driving skills matter so you might do fine with a Prius while I would do $5,000 of damage by ripping the air dam off the car.

In the background you can see what I think is a 161 kilovolt wood pole transmission line that ties Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) federal power with Imperial Irrigation District's Niland Substation. This information is based on publicly-released Federal Energy Regulatory Commission documents.

At upper left, you can see snow-capped Mount San Jacinto which towers over Palm Springs.

I think part of being a participant in democracy is having a literacy in the work of government. That includes having a basic understanding of where the money goes. Federal spending requires rigorous study before legislation is passed. That means I have an interest in everything from healthcare to air-to-air missiles. It means you read a lot of Government Accountability Office reports and Inspector General reports from various agencies.

The waste places of the earth, the barren deserts, the tracts forsaken of men and given over to loneliness, have a peculiar attraction of their own. The weird solitude, the great silence, the grim desolation, are the very things which every desert wanderer eventually falls in love.

— John C. Van Dyke

Please do not copy this image.

Journalism Grade Image.

Source: 4,200x2800 16-bit TIF file.

“To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis.”

~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

(quote added on the anniversary of the birth of Henri Cartier-Bresson)

Manual of the Warrior of the Light

A warrior of the Light does not spend his days trying to play the role that others have chosen for him

A Warrior of the Light knows what he wants, and he has no need to waste time on explanations

A Warrior of the Light never resorts to trickery, even if he knows how to distract his opponent

A Warrior of the Light does not waste his time listening to provocations

A Warrior of the Light does not seek approval through explanation or justification, but through alignment between his actions and his truth

A Warrior of Light never fights with somebody who does not deserve the honour of combat

IMPORTANT STATEMENT

THE LIMITS

To those looking to scrape, copy, or “borrow” my soul, read carefully:

ZERO TOLERANCE: Any use of my works in portfolios, commercial displays, or training data will be met with rigorous legal action.

NO SHARES: Do not share my work to platforms without my permission. Especially to Pinterest.

NO AI TRAINING: My images are strictly prohibited from being used for diffusion models or AI generators.

VISIBILITY IS NOT A LICENCE: Sharing my soul with the public does not grant you ownership. Using my images to feed an AI or build your portfolio is not “sharing” — it is theft.

ANTI-COPYIST STANCE: Technical mastery does not grant you the right to the soul of another’s work. To copy a composition simply because it is “beautiful” is to fail the fundamental test of artistry: having something original to say.

A imagem detalha o tímpano e as arquivoltas do portal principal da Catedral de São Lourenço, em Génova, Itália. A estrutura destaca-se pela marcante bicromia de faixas alternadas de mármore branco e pedra escura, uma característica identitária da arquitetura românico-gótica da Ligúria, tradicionalmente associada ao prestígio urbano e mercantil de Génova. No centro do tímpano, o baixo-relevo exibe Cristo em Majestade (Pantocrator), ladeado pelo Tetramorfo — as representações simbólicas dos quatro evangelistas. No registo inferior, posicionado no lintel, figura a representação do martírio de São Lourenço, o padroeiro da catedral, supliciado sobre uma grelha. As múltiplas arquivoltas, profundamente recuadas e acompanhando o padrão listrado, criam um forte efeito de perspetiva que atrai o olhar para a mensagem teológica central. Este conjunto escultórico e arquitetónico, datado do século XIII, exemplifica a função didática da arte medieval, concebida para instruir visualmente os fiéis através de uma iconografia rigorosa e da notável mestria técnica dos canteiros da época.

The image shows the tympanum and archivolts of the main portal of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa, Italy. The structure stands out for its striking two-tone design of alternating bands of white marble and dark stone, a defining feature of Ligurian Romanesque-Gothic architecture, traditionally associated with Genoa’s urban and commercial prestige. In the center of the tympanum, the bas-relief depicts Christ in Majesty (Pantocrator), flanked by the Tetramorph—the symbolic representations of the four evangelists. In the lower register, positioned on the lintel, is a depiction of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, the cathedral’s patron saint, being tortured on a gridiron. The multiple archivolts, deeply recessed and following the striped pattern, create a strong perspective effect that draws the eye to the central theological message. This sculptural and architectural ensemble, dating from the 13th century, exemplifies the didactic function of medieval art, designed to visually instruct the faithful through rigorous iconography and the remarkable technical mastery of the stonemasons of the time.

The 5th and final image in the "Frame by Frame" Challenge initiated by Paul B0udreau. We each created pieces connected to the songs and instrumentals of the rather dark and powerful progressive rock band King Crimson. Then we posted them alternately back and forth, often not knowing which song the other was going to chose. There were a few synchronicities, which was fun.

At the outset Paul had suggested that the images be in the "portrait" format and I took that word a step further and decided to work with my own face ( for convenience mostly ) and created some "portraits" in the challenge. Working with "portraits" I then thought it fit if I wrapped them each in a picture frame, like formal salon paintings - "Frame by Frame".

King Crimson's music is NOT for everyone, not by a long shot and so I'm confident that not a lot of people were really keen on the music links. As an artist though, I find it periodically VERY beneficial to step off my main track and produce work that's, perhaps, a bit more rigorous, sometimes dark, or just plain right off the wall. It helps me to stretch my range.

The song, "Red", is dark and very heavy but I chose not to be so dark in the image. It is intense, as the original Crimson album cover ( the back ) from which this song hails, suggests - a meter going into the "red". But my image doesn't intend to be so "apocalyptic". It also frames the series, connecting back to the first submission, "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" both in format and in theme.

I want to thank Paul for coming up with this wonderful two-person challenge. His pieces in the series are beautifully composed and full of light, a wonderful counterpoint to mine.

Here's the link to Paul's wonderful work:

www.flickr.com/photos/41474913@N05/

_________________________________________________

Music Link: King Crimson, "Red", from a live performance in 1994.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpJaJt3NWsM

_________________________________________________

Click on image to Enlarge !

© Richard S Warner ( Visionheart ) - 2016. All Rights Reserved. This image is not for use in any form without explicit, express, written permission.

See My Website: visionheartblog.wordpress.com

In the early winter morning we realized that cubs are hiding in the grass near Padam talab. While we waited on the track for the cubs to appear in open, we felt that one of the alpha cubs of Arrowhead is getting interested in something opposite to our vehicle. In a fraction of second the cub got up and took the stance, started crouching and hiding in grass and steadily approached the deer. We took hardly any time to realized that it has actually thought of hiding behind our vehicle to ambush the deer.

Our driver (had earlier bad experience with famous tiger called Sultan charged his vehicle rigorously) got scared and took the vehicle ahead. The cub's cover got blown and had no chance but to attack the deer, nevertheless it did not lose the steam and approached the deer steadily but deer saw her in time and bang... alarm calls back to back, whole jungle became alive!! Sight one can not miss for life... Cub stood there dejected and probably thinking about the next strategy but definitely not disappointed!

Some animals like tigers do the crouching action before attacking their prey suddenly and unexpectedly. In fact they seem waiting insidiously until the appropriate moment for attacking and (usually) the poor prey is not aware of their presence.

Crouching is an essential hunting skill, it keeps tiger hidden under the grass and shrub till very last moment before the final ambush attack. While crouching tiger takes aggressive but very slow and extremely cautious forward movement. Sometimes it moves fast, sometimes it takes almost a minute before moving even one step. Cubs practice crouching the most with all the animals and siblings they get during their free time and when mother is not around, this helps them honing the predatory skills, which then becomes the single most essential survival skill throughout the life.