sunflowers

Lens-Artists Challenge – Day & Night

Lens-Artist, photography, Uncategorized, , , , , , , View all 16 comments


 
For this weeks Lens Artist Challenge by Sofia, Day and Night, I looked back to one of my early blog posts from 2014, Nighttime is the Lighttime and my first attempts at Light Painting Photography.
 
As you will read if you open the link  this was in response to a Weekly Photo Challenge, which I know many of you who enjoy contributing to the Lens Artists challenges were part of in those days. This one was titled Nighttime, and in the spirit of the challenge I quietly got out of bed and took this photo of the sunflowers on our deck at 3:30 in the morning using a technique that I eventually became more proficient at. ( I should add that I wasn’t quite quiet enough it seemed as both my wife and the cat were not very impressed at being disturbed in the middle of the night.)
 

 
The following morning I took this photo of the sunflowers in the morning sunshine, and even added a voting link to my post for visitors to choose their preference; the light painting won out.
 

A couple of light paintings with which to finish and a link to the process by which they were created:

Studio 365 Day 81

  

21st century massacre of the innocents

Uncategorized, , , , , , , Leave a comment


 
This morning it was reported that 353 beautiful, innocent Ukrainian children have been killed by merciless Russian troops under the direction of a despicable war criminal in the Kremlin, and more than 662 children injured since the war began on February 24th. I painted these sunflowers in the studio today in their memory just as I had painted sixteen sunflowers on February 27th when we then learned that 16 children had been killed in the first three days of the war. We continue to grieve with their families as these crimes against humanity continue and hope that the brave people of Ukraine know that they are always in our thoughts and will be each and every day until this twenty first century “massacre of the innocents” is over. 💙💛

From Spirit Park revisited

Art, drawing, Photo Essay, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

 

We walked in the Pacific Spirit Park today after listening to President Zelenskyy’s impassioned address to the Canadian Parliament in which we learnt that ninety seven children have been tragically killed in his beloved country together with so many of the country’s brave men and women and now including three brave journalists. Our condolences and thoughts are with all the families, friends and colleagues grieving today.

 

 

This drawing is from a larger piece from 2017 drawn in protest at that time to an event that had produced the same sense of heartbreak and outrage that I know we all feel today. Some of you may remember the full piece can be seen here: “From Spirit Park to Spirit Dark”

 

 

These sunflowers are a message of love and support as we continue to Stand with Ukraine.

 

 

💙💛

sixteen sunflowers

Uncategorized, , , , , View all 4 comments

 
Sixteen beautiful children have been killed in Ukraine according to the Ukraine Minister of Health with heartbreaking images that are hard to see. These sixteen sunflowers painted today are in their memory as we grieve the loss of their young lives together with all those who have lost their lives in these senseless crimes against humanity.
 

#StandWithUkraine

sunflower heaven

photography, Uncategorized, , , View all 4 comments

 

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley was the perfect place to visit today in these challenging times to enjoy fields of sunflowers of every kind together with wonderful gladioli and dahlia bonuses.

 

 

 

finding comfort

Art, Uncategorized, , , , Leave a comment


 

“I find comfort in contemplating the sunflowers,” Vincent Van Gogh.

I hope this bouquet gives comfort to all those grieving and suffering across the world tonight, with special thoughts and condolences to the parents of 3 year old Alexandra Najjar who was shielded by her mother after the explosion in Beirut but sadly died in hospital two days later. Just one story among so many but one like all the others that breaks our hearts.

the courage bouquet

Art, Painting, Uncategorized, , , , , , , View all 6 comments


 
Inspired by the memory of Vincent yesterday I spent the afternoon in my studio painting alone and thinking of all those struggling in isolation in hospitals around the world without their loved ones beside them. They are always in my thoughts. “What would life be” Vincent wrote, “if we had no courage to attempt anything.” The courage, sacrifice and love of so many will be the lasting inspiration and memory of our time. With this bouquet I thank and honour them all.
 

Remembering Vincent

Photo Essay, photography, Travels, Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Challenge, , , , , , , , , , , , , View all 11 comments

Today is Vincent van Gogh’s Birthday. He was born on March 30, 1853. I thought I would celebrate the occasion by reposting Vincent’s Room which I originally posted on The Changing Palette in June 2014. During these difficult days taking a moment to look back on the life of someone who had to “suffer for his sanity” but was still able to show us the beauty that surrounded him in his own wonderfully iconic way should inspire us all.

Who can look at a sunflower and at the same time not think of Vincent? Let us celebrate his memory together, and please listen to Don Maclean’s “Vincent” imbedded in the post. I promise you will it will be the highlight of your day.

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything.” Vincent van Gogh

Vincent's Room i

Can there be a more iconic room than Vincent Van Gogh’s bedroom at the Saint-Paul Asylum, Saint-Remy, France where Van Gogh entered voluntarily as a patient on May 8, 1889 and remained until May the following year. During this time he painted the gardens, with their wheat fields, olives groves, irises and sunflowers, all of which he could see from his bedroom window.
Continue reading →