Monday, February 22, 2021

The Search for Serenity

 My hikes with Sam (not his real name) have been educational. Sam is a NEW friend who I have known for a long time. This means that I've seen the guy around for about thirty years and am just now getting to know him a little better. We have made it a point to go for a walk on Wednesday mornings around eleven. He is pretty close to my age ( now in our 70's ) and will only go as far as is comfortable. The last time we met we walked over five miles. It was surprising that we covered that distance. Recounting mutual tales from the past has provided us with many stories to fill the time. It has been refreshing to talk and listen without that annoying sense of time urgency that has been the hallmark of this modern age.

Sam grew up in San Francisco and relocated to the Napa Valley like me. We have both appreciated the good fortune of living in such lush cultural environments as are both places. We spoke of meditation and other topics that support an inward journey. It seems that the older we get, the less certain of what is happening in the world around us. More importantly, the necessity of finding solace in activities that require focus, reflection, and an appreciation of beauty that surrounds us.

 Initially, the usual topics came up... Covid, Racism, Climate Control, Fires, Floods, Freezing temperatures, and the like, and of course Trump. It seems we cannot get enough of what we never really wanted in the first place! (Where have we heard that before ?) In an era of seeming transparency, people have become overly concerned and more mortally guarded than (seemingly) ever before.

I am so grateful that I grew up in a much more innocent time. Our freedom will probably never be matched like what we both had experienced in the sixties. Perhaps what has stood out is how blessed we were to experience an idealized form of Eden. Even if it eventually devolved into chaos.

Below is a picture that was taken on our hike. The rock below the first picture is one that sits on my window sill atop a brass holder that resembles seaweed. It was taken early in the morning, showing the glow that has been the distinguishing feature of all the rocks that I paint.






Monday, February 15, 2021

Astonishing output

 Today is the day after Valentine's Day and I am happy to say that I did receive a nice valentine from a close friend. Even though it was misty and overcast at the Sebastopol Farmer's Market, it was still a pleasant day, and getting out of bed in the morning wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. The week before was quite fruitful, so it was thought best to return...despite any forecast to the contrary.

Quite a while ago, a video was made of a wizard-like creature that was painted with both fluorescent and phosphorescent paint. It was painted on a small canvas purchased at the Dollar store. Then it was made into a video shot on the IPhone™ The video featured different lighting effects made using a small UV flashlight. Even a strobe effect was featured that really made the various views exciting.

The final step was to make a Lifeprint™ Hyperphoto that would activate the small printout when held up to my iPhone. The "Hyperphoto" triggers a link that will animate the still printout of the image. What can I say? what was produced still blows my mind. Watch the video below