Majestic In Form

The majesty of the dead tree.

Nude Oil Sketch

It had been some weeks, too long, that I had painted in oils, so I seized the opportunity today.  Glad I did, it felt great.  

A couple of canvasses had been giving me trouble, that is, not transforming into an image I can live with, after repeated attempts.  I had been thinking the other day that it was time to do some figurative work, so today I went with that.  The above photo is a record shot to be sure.  I can't quite get a decent photo while the work is still wet and shouldn't be moved around.  The technique is sketchy, but pleases me all the same and I think I will keep it such. 

Year Of The Hare

The Year of the Hare has come and gone, again.  My painting, above, hangs on a wall in San Francisco, awaiting the return in 2023.

Poise

"Poise", is the image of the day.

Durable, Up To A Point

Hard to say what exactly caused this damage to the humble US one-cent coin.  It seems to have been scraped, cracked and had a piece bitten off, all without flexing or bending.  Must have been quite a grind.  Well, it gave me a chance to test out the macro function on my Nikon SO1, and, dress up the image in favored colors.

Real To Abstract

A digital photo of the Atlantic, gone abstract.  I may put this one on my wall.

Joy And Happenstance

I often miss the chance to capture video, glad I seized the opportunity here.  I find it often a joy, especially when water is involved.  Who knew that the star of the movie was ready to enter and exit, as if on cue.

Body At Rest, For Now

A peaceful spot for reflection and repose, unless of course, you consider that you are yards from the San Andreas Fault, marked in the background by the two successive blue posts.  The last time the fault made a major move, one side of the fault moved 16 feet relative to the other, in about a minute.  I believe it is the ocean side of the fault, seen here in Point Reyes, California, that is making a move for the Oregon coast.

Crane Shot

In photography and in film making, the "crane shot" is often thought of as an image captured by mounting a camera on a crane.  For me, the "crane shot" is a photo of the crane itself, one of the many recurring themes in my work, this one in service in downtown San Francisco.

View From The Top

A particularly cheerful looking tower viewer, this one perched on site at Coit Tower in San Francisco.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if machines brought only happiness and well being?

Art On Walls, San Francisco

I am always especially pleased to see my art hanging on walls.  This work, "Countenance", is hanging on a wall in San Francisco.  If only he could turn his head slightly to his right, he would see a spectacular view of the city.

Nothingness

The image of the day is the oil painting "Nothingness", plain to read, that is, if you can read ancient Chinese calligraphy.  This is a collaborative work by Dr. Yanan Ju and Rachmeal (yeah, that's me). 

Canonet G-III QL17, Workhorse Rangefinder Camera

Gone missing for a couple of decades or more, I recently located my old Canonet G-III QL17.  This camera came to me as a young man, as a much welcomed hand me down.  With all the manual settings and functions you would expect in a quality camera of the era (1972), this rangefinder camera came in a smaller and lighter package than a SLR of the period, and delivered superior results in its own right.  

With an ultra quiet shutter release, and an excellent 40 mm f/1.7 lens, moreover, it was a ton of fun to shoot, and looked great.  Known to be solidly built, the camera I have is one of the originals built in Japan, thought to be of higher quality than the later models which were made in Taiwan.  I always thought this camera was incredibly cool, and all this is confirmed with a host of current testimonials and reviews.  I was fortunate enough to have taken many wonderful images with this camera.

Can Words Add Beauty?

The poetry of the Atlantic.

Dada, Anyone?

An odd image to be sure, but what would one expect when Dadaism is invoked?

Rusty Manhole Cover

Behold, rusty manhole cover, just yards from the open Atlantic Ocean. 

In other news, this blog, "Hope and Fury", recently passed the 10,000 hits mark, and, also recently passed the 300 posts mark, both milestones.

Personal Treasure

I have been going through some old photo images lately, and especially, viewing and sorting old slides that I had taken through the years.  Many images are in good condition, but, unfortunately, some were badly water damaged.  One of the carousel trays that suffered the worst damage was a tray of images that I took while traveling across country as a teenager.  This was the trip where I learned how to use a fully manual SLR camera, a Nikon F, and later, to develop and mount my own slides.  

Today, I managed to locate two images that were not loaded in the ill-fated tray, and are in pristine condition, on account of being separately stored.  One image is shown above, to my recollection, this was taken at Bryce Canyon National Park.  Suffice it to say, that I am quite happy to have found these particular slides.  The above image brings me joy, as if a part of my story has been found, and I am once again standing on that ground and pressing the shutter release button, gazing at profound natural beauty.

Lens Flare 02

Lens flare, yes, it can be a pleasing surprise, as in the case of this Acadia National Park sunset.

Fisker (Good) Karma

I love waking up early in the morning and learning/experiencing something new.  With coffee in hand, I walked by the above, the Fisker Karma, an electric hybrid automobile designed and produced in Finland.  Sporting dealer plates, I can only think it was parked on the streets of West Hartford, Connecticut, to elevate the Fisker brand and generate a buzz.  It worked.  I am not exactly a sports car fanatic, so perhaps I am not the best one to ask, but the car seemed highly sculpted, and nicely so. 

For more on the Fisker Karma, click here, and here.

Self Portrait Design

Well, that is yours truly, putting the finishing touches (or so it would seem) on a 1:1 scale drawing.  This is from back in my design school days, back when I had dark hair, and lots of it.

Meant To Last

You know a Tony Smith sculpture when you see one, this being, "Stinger", in Seattle's Olympic Sculpture Park.

Design Crime

One of my favorite sculptures, er towers, the Seattle Space Needle as seen from below, and recast as a two tone.  

I photographed this image back around 1984 with my Nikon FE2.  I miss that camera.  This was long before the site was cluttered up with the Experience Music Project (EMP) Museum, a building designed by Frank Gehry, and founded by Paul Allen.  In a rare show of criticism, in my opinion, the EMP building clashes badly with the tectonic Space Needle, and the museum experience itself is completely static and forgettable.  The site selection for the museum, if it should have been built at all, should have been a short walk from Seattle Center.  As it is, the Gehry building looks as if it had been blowing in the wind, and got stuck under the Space Needle.  On account of proximity, especially, this is a design crime.

Slide Form

Long ago, when I used to primarily shoot slides, that is, a positive media on a transparent base, I photographed the above image from the vantage of Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington.  As I recall, I was just testing out my new Nikon FE2 and having a ton of fun.  In those days, before the digital revolution, you selected your shots carefully, not to waste film.  Now you just fire away, with little or no restraint, a different experience.

It is amazing how an image like the one above can take you right back.

Not Signed, Not Titled

What is exciting?  Something new, that's what.  Still wet, not signed, not titled.  Is it done?  There is no telling, needs must give it time.

After The Bath

A painting from a dozen years ago, in homage to Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, "After The Bath."  This image has been digitally enhanced.  The original hangs on a wall, somewhere, this being one of the first oil paintings that I have sold.

Dance

Above, an oil painting from 2008, scenes from life.

Between Stations

Abstract image of the day, this being an oil painting and collage from 2009. 

What Is Old

 

 ...is new again.  A charcoal sketch from years ago, to see anew.

Abstract Image Of The Day

Cast in two of my favorite colors, red orange, and yellow orange. 

Course Of Time

An odd, somewhat disturbing work from, what seems like now, the distant past.  Well, you needn't be afraid of your own work.  I have created much more disturbing images after this one.  I seek beauty, but when a work like this comes along, best to get it out.  Then you can move on to the next.

Clay and Enduring

I had the good fortune yesterday to visit the porcelain studio of Daniel Bellow in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.  Daniel Bellow is a man, it seems, passionate about and consumed with, the production of individually crafted, high quality ceramics, designed for life, items to hold, view, and appreciate. 

Above, the custom built kiln loaded with pottery ready for firing, and below, Daniel Bellow sealing the kiln door.  

For more on Daniel Bellow Porcelain, click here.

Process

Above, the latest iteration of the "Door" painting.  Is it done?  I don't think so, but time will tell.  If I sign it and hang it on the wall, yes, it will be done.

In The Mix

A Louise Nevelson sculpture, photographed, and recast in Ferrari colors.  Yes, this is pleasing!

Irish Blessing

Friends, yes, "may the road rise up to meet you."  Peace in your travels, always.

Not What You Would Expect

Sometimes when you are hiking in the woods, you find things that you might not expect, like a lone fireplace from 100 years ago, with no building associated with it, anywhere in sight, or...

a rusted shovel, perhaps a coal shovel, with a tree growing right up through it.

Lens Flare On Point

Lens flare, sometimes it is a pleasant surprise, and adds to visual interest.