Serendipity and Sunflowers!

What a fabulous coincidence! Serendipity! Fate!

As I was driving with Karl to the store at Moose Lake, I impulsively asked to be dropped off at the Moose Lake Flea Market and look for some fresh local flower bouquets.

I casually commented that I wondered if T.J.'s daughter was selling her home grown sunflowers up at his store, T. J.'s Country Store (Home of the Best Wurst)  in Mahtowa, MN.  But, no, we didn't have to drive up there today.  I was thinking that we'd go up there next weekend and buy some brats and bacon.

I got out of the car and walked through the row of vendors outside the Flea Market warehouse.  At the very last tent there was a family of three selling beautiful sunflower bouquets in glass jars. I commented to the group that I had wondered if T.J's daughter was selling sunflowers today, but we didn't drive up there, so how lucky I was to come across their sunflowers.

They all made eye contact with each other and the women said  "I am T.J.'s daughter, Sarah, and this is T.J.'s  granddaughter." Not wanting to be ignored the man jumped up and said "I'm T.J.'s son-in-law, Dave.
We all laughed at that one. They talked about their sunflower business, "Sunflower Sisters" and their  farm.  I relayed several compliments about their delicious brats, sausage, bacon and their sunflowers. Can you imagine that the next person who joined our friendly conversation was none other than the "J" in the name T.J., the wife of the owner.

I recounted my story of being held "hostage" by their bouquet of sunflowers I bought last year (August 2014). I must have taken 30+ pictures over three days up at the cabin. I kept making minor variations on the angle of the light, fruit, vegetables, serving platter, etc.

Still Life: Sunflowers in August,  2014  (available for purchase)

Sara said "Come up to the farm sometime and you can see all the sunflowers in the field."  Hopefully that will happen someday.

We drove home and Karl went to his easel, canvas and paint brushes to "work."  I went into the cabin aka my Studio Up North and set up a still life portrait commemorating our upcoming 16th Wedding Anniversary with today's sunflower bouquet and the wine bottle given by Betsy & Jack Doyle at  our 1999 wedding celebration. I'll be creating this into one of several different  wedding anniversary cards  for Karl.

Still Life: Sunflowers, Aug 15, 2015  (available for purchase)

I am very pleased with the simple composition and rich saturation in the colors, especially the flowers, of course.

But, tomorrow is another day and quite possibly, if the sun comes out for me, I'll be held "hostage" once again creating a new still life portrait being kissed by the morning light.

Still Life: August Birthday Bouquet

Well,  what do you plan  for your Birthday Eve day?
I had two totally different mind sets depending on our lovely, unpredictable,  Minnesota weather.

Nice, sunny day,  do the Walk For Scleroderma with my friends and then go bicycle riding. Or rainy day, who knows?  Come up with Plan B.

Well, I kept going back to sleep and just couldn't get up early to join the walkers. Sorry, friends.  I was exhausted and needed to sleep in.

When I finally got up, I had a slow morning of coffee and sorting through the Plan B options because it didn't look all that nice outside.

Eventually, around 12 noon I suggested we drive over to the neighborhood Farmer's Market on Lake Street and buy some fresh flowers for my birthday bouquet.  I bought two bouquets and then started the process of sorting, cutting, arranging, posing and photographing my birthday bouquet still life photo portrait.

I knew that whenever the next still life occurred I was going to use my set of three vases that I bought at a shop in Ouray,  Colorado.  The nicest gal, Nancy talked me into all three vases and of course, I couldn't resist them.  I'm so glad that I bought all three. 

Test shot early in the afternoon on my mobile device resulted in the basic layout.

Test shots early in the afternoon

I really wish I had an endless supply of wrinkle free fabrics.  I tried to use a solid purple background that I had purchased from a craft store but it was going to take an act of God to iron out all those creases.  And I tried, really.  But they were too visible in the test shots.

After a dozen or two different photos based on the changing light in the late afternoon, I decided this one was my favorite because of the light that was cast on both the sunflower and on the vases.

Still Life: August  Bouquet (available for purchase)

For those interested, I've found that I prefer an  ISO 400 or ISO 650 so there is high contrast and then a depth of field like F11 or F16 depending on how much of the background I want sharp.

I have natural harsh light coming from the west so I put up a white lace curtain to diffuse the west light while simultaneously setting up a white reflector on the opposite side (propped on a painting easel I don't use for painting) to bounce the light back into the side of the set.

This portrait is a bit busy with the patterned shawl as my background and my pink scarf as the table covering but it's got the right colors and textures so it works for me.

Hope it does for you, too.

Canvas Enlargements

Canvas Enlargements Arrived Today

What a relief! The photographs reproduced as canvas enlargements arrived via FedEx  today.  I was a little nervous because the vendor hadn't updated the production/shipping log earlier in the week so it didn't look like it was in production.  But no worries.  Here's all six as they appeared upon arrival.

I am very proud of the work and love the way the still life portraits look on canvas.  For those interested in my vendor of choice, I purchased these through Canvas On Demand www.canvasondemand.com
an online company that is easy to work with. You simply upload the images, make your selections, process your credit card and you get your finished product in about 2 - 3 weeks but order a couple of weeks earlier than your deadline (like I did) to spare your nerves.

Canvas On Demand, like many canvas reproduction companies, now have two different styles of canvas wrap presentation styles: traditional which wraps around a wood frame and the newest type "Premium" that wraps around basically, what I'd call a mat board box.  The wood style has a one year guarantee and the mat board box has a two year guarantee. You'd think it would be the other way around, wouldn't you?

Canvas Enlargements Arrived - Favorite Shown Here

The unexpected snafu is, for art exhibitions the installers require that you have traditional wire hanging hardware installed on the frame for safer hanging.  I don't think you can perform that type of installation procedure on mat board boxes.

So I'll have to do a "work-around" for that. Maybe pound two small nails in the gallery wall so it has a more secure base from which to hang.

This link below is to a different vendor but it's worth sharing so you see that typical wire hanging requirements for an art gallery installation.
http://www.cgproprints.com/wire-hanging-hardware   

Well, I'm set with all my still life portraits reproduced on canvas now.  Unless of course tomorrow's trip to buy flowers at the Farmers Market results in gorgeous flowers that would look picture perfect in one of the new vases I purchased in Ouray, CO.

Just sayin...

Duo Life: Business Professional and Photographer

7:02a.m. Business Professional Networking Meeting

Well, I said that my intention for the blog is to share my work/life balance challenges of being a full time business professional 8 - 5 Monday-Friday and photographer/artist on my personal time.  If I'm authentic to myself and you,  I best share that as well.


No whining.  No complaints (at least not often).  Just the facts ma'am.

This morning's work schedule started at 7:02a.m. at the Professional Sales Association, Minnesota
www.PSA_MN.org  monthly gathering out at St. Louis Park, MN. They are one of the best organizations for sales reps, sales managers and marketing representatives and I am proud to be a member.

I was dressed to the nine's with my best business attire because I want my "brand" to be highly visible, professional, recognized, informative, helpful, friendly and looking my best.  I made lots of connections, talked to friends I know and  met some new ones.  My intention is to connect with prospects and existing customers of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.  That's the business gig.

Because I felt "safe" in this group, at the appropriate time, I went around to a small, select group of individuals and shared my art postcard to The Space Between The Words art exhibit.  I didn't approach anyone I didn't already know unless one of my friends encouraged the connection.

Fortunately, the invite was welcomed and people seemed interested in my artistic endeavors.  The remainder of the day was being the MSPBJ sales person and working to sell new subscriptions.

The careful balance for me, I think, is to be authentic to both my pursuits but always keep in mind the full time gig that pays the bills and provides fabulous benefits, especially health care benefits.  I am not delusional to think the artists' life is going to ever be my main income.

Your results may be different.

When Did It All Begin, This Still Life Theme?

Daffodils, circa 2004

When did it all begin, this still life theme?
Actually I wanted to know, too, so I rolled through my archives and estimated that this image of the Daffodils was my first "serious" fine art still life portrait for me, not for a client.  I can remember sitting on my front porch and doing the art work but I'd have to guess the actual year as 2004 or earlier. 

You know what is crazy?

This daffodil portrait was photographed on medium format black and white film, hand printed on special cotton fiber photography paper and treated so it would be receptive to my (hours and hours) of hand coloring with photo oils.  I say hours and hours because I cautiously applied minimal color one layer at a time because I was scared (you know what) that I would mess up.

At the time, we were professional wedding photographers who shot with medium format and 35 mm film, both color and black and white. I was crazy enough to hand print all the black and white reprints in our home darkroom as well as offer specialty hand-colored enlargements.  It was the "thing" to do and I'm sure I didn't charge enough money for all the hand work required.

Since that first serious fine art still life portrait in 2004 I've probably created 1,000s of still life images. Some more or less serious, but all with deep love for the subject being photographed and what it represented to me at that significant moment in time.

Ten years later I was able to articulate in a short poem that the viewer was seeing a still life portrait. But I wasn't "seeing" as much as I was feeling the emotion of that day and that time as well as acknowledging the person or occasion that the portrait represented.

So what have I been creating since 2004? That's too long of a story to tell here.  Suffice to say, I'll share more current work with just a light dusting of images from the archives that are priceless emotive moments that I think you may appreciate.

Art Exhibition Journey: Selling Art on Instagram

"Focus On Things You Love" shared on @wendywalks Instagram account

On my journey of being the art exhibit director for a group art show, I research ways to promote the Art Salon For Fertile Minds' upcoming exhibit: "The Space Between The Words." 

I found this article regarding

"How to Use Instagram to Invest in Art"  by James Tarmy

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-12/how-to-use-instagram-to-invest-in-art

Actually I read  it, as I often do, with my own personal magnifying glass on it with the questions:

"How am I going to sell my art and make new customer connections on Instagram."

"How can we promote the upcoming group art show on Instagram."

My takeaway from the article was to do the following:

(1) I opened up my Instagram account alongside the article. I connected with every one of the galleries and artists mentioned.

(2) When Instagram offered up similar accounts of  galleries and individual artists I perused their offerings and reached out to most, but not all of them.

(3) Within hours several of them connected back to me and followed my Instagram feed.

It seemed like baby steps in the right direction.

(4) I will continue to research additional galleries and artists to "listen/watch" their activity and learn from their marketing tactics.

(5) Now, going forward, I intend to be more strategic about the images I share as well as the new contacts I connect with.  I'm going to do a little more research about the types of images that artists share and when they post prices and "how to purchase" instructions.

Wendy the life-long learner continues to learn.

*Focus on Things You Love
text layout created in Studio image software and shared on @wendywalks Instagram account
https://instagram.com/p/4__qh-Lipq/?taken-by=wendywalks
    

Aribert Munzner's Painting Tools

Painter's Palette - August 2015

https://instagram.com/p/58h5T-Live/?taken-by=wendywalks

Last night I had the honor to visit the studio of renown artist, Aribert Munzner, life long painter, retired art professor from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), member of the Vine Arts Center and more recently, participant in the group art show "The Space Between The Words."

Just walking into his studio was a visual delight with a considerable number of large paintings 6' x 5' and countless smaller ones.  I found it easy to be drawn into the large ones that felt  like you're going into outer space or even into a storybook land.

It suddenly strikes  me now that someone could write a sci-fi version of Alice In Wonderland with the main character(s) walking into Aribert's painting that landed you on a planet in outer space. I'll have to mention it to him when I see him next.

Back to the studio; I love documenting artists tools, especially their painters palette.  To me, the above image resembles fish swimming in a very colorful body of water. When I showed the image I create to Aribert, he was delighted and shocked that something he passed by everyday could, on it's own, because a work of art. I must admit, I  love it when he's happy and admiring my creativity.

Approximately two years I visited Aribert's studio and created my very first "painters' palette" image from his tools. I didn't realize it at the time but it became the first of a repetitive photographic theme that I create whenever the opportunity arises.

Painters' Tools - August 2015

https://instagram.com/p/58hnfcriu2/?taken-by=wendywalks

This photograph didn't want to be left behind because it wanted to show off Aribert's brushes and jars with a kiss of a digital manipulation for artistic effect.  Again, my attraction to artists' tools.

One More Still Life ... before I depart

One More Still Life... before I depart

Click here to view a slideshow made on the new Steller app. When it opens up, click on the individual arrow to turn the page.

https://steller.co/s/4d4MzjgnLc3

I'm hoping you can view the slideshow. It's a quick story about my love for creating still life portraits.  It's kind of a quirky drive that keeps me wanting to create new still life's. But it's who I am right now, what I can do with what I have and a challenge to keep it fresh.

Moments In My Urban Garden

Here's a short quick slide show from the new Steller app with a short story about how the seasons turn, especially in Minnesota, when we plant our seeds, when the flowers start to sprout and when they can be cut and placed on display in a vase.

https://steller.co/s/4Zh62vE9SBR   


With these slideshows I don't feel there is a need for a lot of talk here.  But if I'm missing something, please let me know.

Patience, kind reader

Patience, Kind Reader.

My goal initially  is to work in two time frames simultaneously. If you've read some of my recent posts you might get an idea of what I'm up to.  If not, read on.

THE PAST:
I am going to fill in stories during the last nine months when I made the commitment to curate a group art show which has now evolved into "The Space Between The Words"  hosted by the Vine Arts Center September 3 - 26, 2015.   http://vineartscenter.org/spacebetweenwords/index.htm

Today, August 1st is where we draw the time line of current stories versus "catch up" posts on the past.  Older stories will be filled in somewhat chronologically so I'll be building the blog from two time frames because I always seem to do things 110% but with some added work thrown in. LOL

 

 THE FUTURE:

Going forward, I feel prompted  to share

** select images of emotive moments that I wish to photograph

** the "How To's" of photo products I make,

** the experience of curating a group art exhibit and, longer term,

** work/life balance stories of being a business professional as well as a passionate photographer.

I invite you to "Follow," ask photography questions, or any others, that I can help you with.

Thank you for your support and friendship.

Being With "Morning Poem," by Mary Oliver

I was just reading aloud the  Mary Oliver poem "Morning Poem" to my husband, Karl.  It made me realize that I misspoke recently when I said I didn't like this book as well as later books. In reality, I just had not taken the time to feel it, read it, appreciate it and "be with it." I believe there is a life lesson here that I get to think more about and be with longer.

7:20a.m. Morning, Birch Lake, Minnesota

Morning Poem

Every morning

the world

is created.

Under the orange

sticks of the sun

the heaped

ashes of the night

turn into leaves again

and fasten themselves to the high branches ---

and the ponds appear

like black cloth

on which are painted islands

of summer lilies.

If it is your nature

to be happy

you will swim away along the soft trails

for hours, your imagination

alighting everywhere.

And if your spirit

carries within it

the thorn

that is heavier than lead ---

if it's all you can do

to keep on trudging ---

there is still

somewhere deep within you

a beast shouting that the earth

is exactly what it wanted ---

each pond with its blazing lilies

is a prayer heard and answered

lavishly,

every morning,

whether or not

you have ever dared to be happy,

whether or not

you have ever dared to pray.

                      Mary Oliver

                      New and Selected Poems, Vol. One, 1992

The Muse

The Muse, Nov. 10, 2014

"Images of the past came to her mind,
And her future dawned upon her.
She felt the light again and remembered-
'Live in the present moment.' " 

from the poem titled: "Experience" by Jasmine Kang
FB Page Source: Women's Spiritual Poetry

Stronger For Karen

Stronger Together For Karen B., Nov. 2014

STRONGER TOGETHER

"You are surrounded by love,
By acceptance; a force-field of support.
You are strong on your own.
You are stronger together."

~ Mariann Martland~
FB Page Source: Women's Spiritual Poetry

For my dear friend Karen for whom I'm attending a Zumbathon Shake It For Scleroderma Fundraiser today.  We'll all be dancing to the zumba instructors beat to raise money and awareness about this terrible disease.

Two For The Road

Two For The Road, Oct. 25, 2014

TWO FOR THE ROAD

Two cameras were wanted, film and digital.
Two hats, one for him and one for her.
Two cups of coffee for the two hour drive, his black and hers white
Two pairs of mobile devices, large and small, new and old. 

Tools or toys? 
Either way road trip necessities now.
 

Bags of groceries for her short-order style of weekend meal preparations.
Two canvas bags of handyman tools, all his, for Sunday's seasonal chores.
Four books of poetry because she wanted, no, needed her favorite poets on either side of her 

as she birthed a new poem that her friend Doug said needed to come out.  

And lastly, a blank journal and red pen to record the poem in all its messy variations.
 

These twosomes and more were wanted for their October road trip "up north."
For this was to be their last two glorious, end of the season fall days together 

at their Place In the Pines!

And so it was!

Fall Reflections

Fall Reflections, Oct 24, 2014

The fall colors this time of year are truly irresistible, especially when Karl brings home a lovely table arrangement for our dining room table.

But before it can sit too long on our table it needs to be photographed while it's still fresh.  And what doesn't finish off an arrangement better than reflective glass with some liquid in it!

Pickled Peppers

Fall Harvest, October 18, 2014

Pickled peppers, pumpkins and all things fall harvest.

I'm so lucky that Karl and our friends Allen and Judy spent the afternoon cutting up vegetables. I was worthless because the light was calling me and I was focused on creating fall photo.

We all have our talents and should play to our strengths.  LOL

Autumn Brew

Autumn Brew, Oct. 12, 2014

Autumn brew, fall apple harvest and colored leaves all elements of our short little road trip to Bayfield, Wisconsin.

The morning light was so bright and crisp I couldn't resist creating this image first thing Sunday morning and taking a sip or two of the variety of beers.

Vases, Light & Shadow

Vases: October  2013  (available for purchase)

As I go through my photo archives of last year's initial experiments with still life compositions this image keeps calling me.  I cannot tell you how beautiful the lines and colors are in that center rear vase that is made from wood. 

I love it!  The other pieces are lovely on their own but the vase is so singularly striking and precious.

When I started to collect items for this still life I wasn't 100% sure what I was going to photograph.  I went through Karl's collectibles upstairs in his man cave and pulled these items from a variety of different corners and shelves.  On their own they were nice but together they really complimented each other.

It feels important to document these collectibles that he has accumulated over the years so they are remembered in an image so that  they have a second life beyond their short life on our shelf.

Light & Shadow images on display

Bottles on Green, #8740, September 2014 (available for purchase)

I am so excited to announce that the day has come to select a few of my recent Light & Shadow still life photography series images and share them with my local community and online.

Join me

October 4, 2015 - Opening Reception

October 16, 2015 - 6:30 - 8:30p.m

KBEMfm Radio hosts GALLERY GROOVES, music and art

November 1, 2015 - 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Meet and Talk to The Artists Closing Event

Vine Arts Center

GET BEHIND THE WORK, II, a member show of the

Vine Arts Center

2637 - 26th Avenue South, Mpls., MN  55406

www.vineartscenter.org

Last Door Standing In the Wood

Red Door, October 10, 2014

Ahhh. The Red Door, how did I love thee let me count the ways.
Karl relocated the door from a friend's property in Trade River, Wisconsin fifteen years ago and installed it in the back woods at the cabin.

It has always been the doorway to the woods and countless friends have been photographed with their hand on the door knob with the question always "Are you going in the forest or out of the forest?"

It has suffered through the hottest summer days, strongest winds and deepest snow storms.

Two days after it received a fresh coat of red paint it fell over for the last time.
The impact of the heavy, wet wood pushed it apart at all the seams.
I loved it.

Next spring when I look out to that spot I'll imagine it still there.
I'll remember all the friends who have put their hand on the door knob and walked on.