Foto Friday - Black and White

Wow, where did the week go? I don't know about you but we started
back to school on Monday. Back to school, and straight into homework and football
practice and late dinners. But that means my house is pretty quiet during the day,
something I haven't had in a while. Unfortunately I haven't been able to utilize that quietness
as I have been busy "boostering" the boys athletic club!! But, and drum roll please . . .
the hard work we have put into it in the last two weeks has paid off. We have raised nearly
$2,500 towards one of our goals of a new weight room  - that's half way and I can't tell you how
excited I am about that. I am so thankful to the parents that are committed to making this work
because there is just nothing better than helping OUR children, all of them, be all they can be!!

Okay, on to foto Friday. Once again, I've had a little trouble getting out with my camera.
I did manage to get a few photos this week, but decided to explore some old photos and turn them
into a black and white study. Well, I didn't really do a black and white study but I did manage to put
a little thought into it.

I wish I would have given myself more time to think about this and to search for just the right photos
because the more I looked through my photos the more thoughtful I became about what I was seeing.
I am a person who is very moved by color and while the world is in living color (some amazing ones
at that), black and white images allow you to see what you might otherwise miss. They can be more
thought provoking, with contrast and dramatic effect allowing us to see the soul of the subject.

When we make a photograph without color it can perhaps change our perception because we are no
longer distracted from the color. Suddenly shapes and lines, light and shadows are more evident. Sometimes
patterns and textures pop and are just more interesting. I think deciding to make an image black and white is really subjective depending on what one is trying to convey to the viewer or based on what is felt at the time. 

I don't know about you but I have always loved to go back and look at old black and white photos. Sometimes a monochromatic image can give a sense of history and time.

In this photo of the farm, most of the color was the green corn. The barn is white with a green roof and the silos are silver. It was a rather boring picture. But in black and white there is now a lot of texture and pattern and even shadows that might have been missed if it were in color.

This one didn't have a lot of color to start with as it was a very foggy morning, but in complete

monochrome it allowed the sun and reflection to be center with no distractions from tiny bits of color.

This also didn't have much color, but in black and white there is much more contrast.

And then there is this photo which I quite like both ways. In color there was a soft

golden light off the ceiling and the archways were a burnt umber and yellow. But I love the arches

and how they pop in this black and white. I also love the light coming in on the left.

With this one my eye was drawn to the wall when it was in color and now is more directed

towards the light in the doorway - perhaps there is a story in the other room?

Love this in black and white - just very bold and dramatic!

The butterfly is mostly orange while the flowers are yellow. Making this a black and white gave more contrast between the flower and the butterfly, allowing for the pattern of the wings and his eyes to really stand out.

This passion flower has some beautiful shades of purple but just look at the textures that stand out

in black and white.

This is one where I could have gone either way too. Some of the background blur (bokeh) is green and

so turning this into a monochrome gave it a unified feeling.

Linking this photo with the bokeh challenge at LEM and foto friday at la-la's home daycare.

And who knew a weed could look so beautiful!! I captured this early in the morning

while there was still dew on the leaves. The water drops sure have a nice round shape - I think it's because the leaves on these weeds are quite textured creating a lot of surface tension for the water? Again, love this in black and white - it feels calmer than the one in color where the leaves are a bright green.

Linking this photo with favorite photo of the week contest at through a photographers eyes, and

fabulous friday with mcdougall photography.

While images can be black and white, without color and for the purpose of art and interpretation,

there are people who live their life in black and white and are missing out on so much of the color of life.

Between color and black and white is a grey area. It's where compromise and the shades of

good and bad, right and wrong live. It's between yielding and rigid and is where I believe adventure is found.

The journey of meeting color and black and white in the middle.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love, Kim

XO

Linking up with the hollie rogue for foto friday

"

Metals class . . . it starts without me!

The fall semester of my metals class is starting back up again today, but sadly I won't be joining them.  I have another commitment that I need to see through, but will join back up again with the spring semester. I have been very fortunate to learn under an incredible artist and instructor, Diane Falkenhagen. You absolutely must check out her work here. The piece "After Canova's Paolina" that appears on the home page of her website is carved from corian and is one that we got to see in the different stages of its completion. Her work is stunning!!

I remember when I first started this class several semesters ago, it was my very first experience with a jewelers saw, and after first starting with metal clay that you can roll, stamp and sculpt with your hands, it felt quite odd and very frustrating to be tediously sawing out of sheet metal. I thought for sure I would not be returning for another semester. But, hesitantly I did.

It was this next project where I finally started becoming one with the saw, we were at last beginning to become friends. The assignment was to make a layered narrative piece with various metals or materials and it had to include rivets. I chose this design, which is one that I originally meant as a project for metal clay but instead broke it down into 3 layers.

Nature has been an integral part of my soul ever since I can remember, and as a very young girl my favorite quote was, "There is always music amongst the trees in the garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it," by Minnie Aumonier. This quote begged to be included in this piece . . .

• Top layer is copper in a rich dark brown patina and in the shape of a birdhouse
• Second layer, a tree, is brass and represents where the birds are making music
• The third layer is an eggshell finish on copper with blue resin on the front and the above saying etched on the back -it's representative of a birds egg.

The entire piece is then riveted together with sterling silver wire and has a textured brass bail 

that allows for movement.

Last spring I tried enameling for the first time. Can you say LOVE! I drew my flower shapes and cut them out of paper to use as a template to saw them out. Our class is very limited with the enameling colors we have so this project has been put on the back burner until I can purchase some enameling supplies for home . . . soon, I hope very soon! (honey, if you're reading this - hint, hint)

One of my class buddies doing some filing of her project.

And my very best class buddy working on a ring.

 

More class students working . . .

 

At the solder station . . .

This is a picture of silver that has reached its melting temperature and is being used in a process called lost wax casting. 

Well, since I can't be at my metals class today I think I'll just go to the beach!!

Have a great day!

Love, Kim

XO

Quotography - Dreaming

Although yesterday marked the first day of school,
and the first day of football practice,
it's really a continuing journey of building
strength, endurance and discipline
that was started this summer during training.
It's the building of a dream.

Run like the wind bullseye . . . .

                                

This photo was a top three inspirational quotography here. 

 



Foto Friday - Through the looking glass

A framework

containing sashes and panes of glass

in which most are made moveable

so they might be opened 

for the admission of light and air

or left closed to keep out the rest of the world 

they come in all different shapes and sizes 

and while some get dressed up

there are others that may only be shopped 

ideas, money, and opportunities

can be thrown out of these

or we may carelessly allow them to escape

we put them in our walls, roofs, and cars

and you will even find them in envelopes

for the purpose of revealing something 

birds may fly into them 

while love will often fly out 

some may be stained, frosted or tinted 

and although all allow in light not all give us a clear view 

        - Kim

Linking this photo with favorite photo of the week contest at Through a photographers eyes.,

and fabulous friday at Mcdougall Photography.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,

but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.

-Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

It is said that our eyes are the windows to our soul. And because windows allow us to look both through

them and out of them then our eyes become the opening to the world outside and a way for others to see

our soul from within. We need to take care to protect them from the temptations of the world and learn to

prioritize our seeing because ultimately what we see is who we are and what we reflect when someone

looks into the windows of our soul.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone - and remember don't just look, but see!!

Love, Kim

XO

Linking up with the hollie rogue for photo friday

Quotography - Colorful

The whole world, as we experience it visually,

comes to us through the mystic realm of color.

- Leonardo da Vinci

I could have interpreted this in so many ways, but when I saw what the theme was

I was immediately reminded of this photo and quote.

I admit, I'm a color junkie, - just makes me happy!

 I hope you have a colorful Monday!!



Foto Friday - Taking flight

Flight:

1. the act, manner, or power of flying.

2. a number of beings or things flying or passing through the air together.

The week has been an incredibly busy one, more than normal. You see last spring I was approached

by the Athletics director and asked about starting up a boys athletic booster club. I did. I am now the president (deep breath), and it is quite an undertaking! It has consumed about 40 of my hours this week as

there is much to do before school starts the week after next. T-shirts, concessions, raffle tickets, volunteers

to sign up . . . the list goes on. So this means that other than this past Sunday I haven't been out with my camera and am now having separation anxiety! 

So, I know you're wondering why did she give me the definition for flight, and I'm getting to that I promise. After our executive board meeting tonight (wow, that sounds important) I finally had a chance to work on this post. I sat down for the first time to look at my pictures from the weekend when I got a response to a comment I had left on the blog of someone I'm now happy to call a new friend, Erin at treasures-found. Yesterday was Erin's birthday and at the end of her post, she asked a couple of questions and in order to be entered into the drawing for the things with wings giveaway she asked that you answer one of them in the comment section. 

Who gives you wings to fly? Who kicks you out of the nest? Who nurtures your soul, encourages you, makes you want to keep going? Do tell!

To which I replied:

 I must say that my wings have come from many places, but God gave me my first set of wings - a set that I find myself afraid to use. He always keeps them mended when I have a bad landing and I'm working on using them with confidence. See the thing is, strangely, I am not afraid of falling, but of soaring. I am working on that...

And her response:

I am glad that you gave the glory to God and acknowledged that you DO have wings. But I believe first and foremost that we are CALLED by GOD to be CREATIVE. God wants you to use those wings. To keep them folded and tight is to deprive the world of the best that you have to offer! We each need to find our creative calling and trust that we can soar. Because in the doing, especially when we are afraid of the unknown, the creating is bringing you closer to God because that is what God meant for you to do!

You can imagine my aha moment when I realized the connection between our conversation and these pictures that I took on Sunday.

 

When you have come to the edge of all that you know 

and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown,

faith is knowing one of two things will happen:

there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.

-Patrick Overton 

We are each of us angels with only one wing,

and we can only fly by embracing one another.

- Lucretius

More than anything else the sensation is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement

that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can conceive of such a combination.

-Wilbur Wright

Don't believe what your eyes are telling you.

All they show is limitation.

Look with your understanding,

find out what you already know, and you'll see the way to fly.

-Richard Bach

Linking this photo with favorite photo of the week contest and fabulous friday.
(This photo won top five for fabulous friday!)
 

I am reminded this week that there are no coincidences, but a fate, a bigger plan that brings people together and when we stop long enough we can see it. That when we pause just long enough that there are lessons about life, yours and mine that are everywhere for us to learn.

And just as God made each of us unique He also gave us a unique set of wings with individual specifications on how to use them, and that no one else can do it for me. I have to just jump off the ledge knowing He will mend them should I fall and that there are also those who have gone before me who are willing to help me spread my wings - and for that I am grateful!

So today I want to thank all of my family, my friends past and present, and all of those who have touched my life even if it was only for a fleeting moment. Some of you don't even know how much wind you put beneath my wings just by showing up here to pick poppies with me, and I thank you!

I hope you have a soaring weekend
Much Love, Kim
XO

Linking up with the hollie rogue for more photo friday fun

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