I believe there is a critical relationship between my creative energy level and the amount of reading I do. I make the choice every day between spending time reading something that will add to and enhance my creativity, or watching something soul destroying on TV. It is so easy to make the choice of sitting down in front of the TV and then getting mesmerized by several hours of programming that rips open your creative being and leaves it rotting on the floor.

Laura Kicey recently returned from a photographic journey to Iceland. She has a beautiful set of images from the trip on her Flickr stream. The photograph below immediately caught my eye. Love it.


sandra and the strand. Laura Kicey 2009


blindhaedir

Fourth of July- Jay, New York. Robert Frank 1955

Hoping everyone had a safe and glorious Fourth of July, whatever it was you did or however you happened to celebrate it. Here in my hometown it was a spectacular day and as the sun went down the night sky put on a show of red and blue tints.Everyone gathers at the local high school to watch the fireworks. Enjoy your freedom!...

Closely related to the Hallowed Places series and the vehicle damaged trees in the previous post are these images of naturally damaged trees. I took these in Minnesota last Fall and would like to continue this theme. It was being mindful of various types of naturally occurring destruction that happens to trees in the wilderness that initially brought about my awareness of roadside vehicle damage.



beaver damage. Minnesota 2008



bird damage. Minnesota 2008




wind damage. Minnesota 2008

Hallowed Places. Horsham, Pa. 2009

Continuing a series of images of automobile crash sites. The wounds left on trees after impact from a vehicle are silent reminders of the event for years afterwards. The tree itself becomes a roadside memorial.


resting places

I am really enjoying the new blog Southern Girl. It's a beautifully selected mix of photography by various artists all featuring subjects and themes with a southern context. Check it out...

the offering. Tom Chambers

Southern Girl

All of the photographs I have been collecting for my series on empty retail buildings have been shot in black & white. I couldn't resist shooting this one in color, with it's vivid orange stripes. I dialed down the saturation and I think it works with the black & white images


these hard times