Sunsets

OBX sunset, David Hayes, 2011

Summer time...that time we all long for...sometimes more of a state-of-mind than a time on the calendar. While summer days are to dream for...to me the best times of the summer are sunrises...and sunsets. Magic is always in the air at these moments...

My thanks to lisamonaghan for including my photo, "OBX Sunset" in her newest treasury. This has to be one the most beautiful treasuries I've seen in a while...and certainly that I've been in. Check out all the gorgeous images in this treasury at: Sunsets...

Kipling - retro

"Kipling", David Hayes, 2011

It's in the 90's here in Loveland...with humidity climbing. Not a day I enjoy being outside for very long. A day that gives me a chance to explore the camera apps I've been downloading into my new iPhone4. Must have over 20+ by now...some I've not even tried yet. Took this shot of some books in my "library". Used the app, Hipstamatic set for the Jimmy lens, KodotXGrizzled film, flash off.  Just had to share...it's amazing what technology is doing to and for technology! (But my heart still belongs to the darkroom and silver gelatin emulsions!!)

Life Is A Journey

Life Is A Journey, David Hayes (Collage, 4x4)

"Life is not a race but

a journey to be savored each step of the way."

Unknown

My thanks to hidesign for including my collage, Life Is A Journey in her latest treasury, "You've Always Had the Power." Truly...this is a powerful collection. Check it out!

Citris in A Pail

Citris In A Pail, Kimberly Vanlandingham, 2010 (oil, 4x6)

Life can bring one some fun surprises sometimes...which is always the case with mail art. Last week, I received a piece that I found to be particularly wonderful. I also learned something that I didn't know about an artist whose work I admire.

This piece came from Kim, who is a member of a small circle of mail artists that I belong to and with whom I've exchanged a number of pieces. Now I have known her as Kimberly McLaughlin and her blog, happy little trees studio. So I was a little confused when I saw that this work was by Kimberly Vanlandingham of Kimberly Vanlandingham Originals! Fortunately, Kim had enclosed a note explain that this where she shows her works on her blog of this name and ebay. Makes perfect sense now!

Checking out her "other" blog, I was truly amazed at the quality of work exhibited there. If you have not visited this blog before, you owe it to yourself to do so! Check it out at: Kimblerly Vanlandingham Originals

Kim, thank you again for this wonderful painting!!!

Buy the Hundred by quiltymcquilterson

A fun treasury by quiltymcquilterson. My thanks to her for including my little collage, "One Hundred Dreams" in this collection. Check it out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd85fbde90e8eef72201f78/buy-the-hundred

Sunny Saturday!

I can't believe it...I woke up this morning and the sun was shining!! This makes two days in a row that we've not had rain, rain, rain! Time to get out and enjoy it...before the rains come back which from the forecasts will return this evening and stay, stay, stay....

But first, a quick shout-out for this treasury, "The Mermaid Cries Tears of Joy". My thanks to Lolailo for including my print, "La Sirena" in this very beautiful collection. Make sure to visit it at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd75d6a355f6d9165eff2ce/the-mermaid-cries-tears-of-joy

Now it's time to change into a pair of shorts...and get outside!!

Friday Double-Header!

Ohio, David Hayes, 2011

Today is a good day for my Etsy shops! Checking them this morning, I found that two of my listings had been featured in two different treasuries!! A true double-header!!!

First up...my photo "Ohio" was included in a great collection put together by KatMariee. My thanks to her for this! You can check out this treasury out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd563da27c78eefb101ba94/ohio

Pose #1, David Hayes, 2011

The second treasury was put together by grimmlynn and is called "Beauty & Grace Through the Eyes of  a Goddess". My thanks to her for including my watercolor painting, "Pose #1" in this beautiful collection! You can check this one out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd6126204126d913a33a90c/beauty-grace-through-the-eyes-of-a

Egg

Egg, David Hayes, 2011

It's been cold and wet in my neck of the woods as of late...perfect time to go through old pic files and negatives...looking for hidden treasures. I found this image in some black and white negs that I shot back in the 70's. (I'm sure I printed this then...but for some reason I don't have it!) Looking at the neg and it's contact print, I wouldn't say that this shot is a winner right off the bat. Sure, the pose is a classic...but the overall exposure of the neg leaves much to be desired.

Well...there's nothing like using Photoshop to help rescue an image! A little cropping here, playing with the levels there, and a few more tricks everywhere...and "Egg" appears! What was once a so-so image has become, in my mind, a very elegant statement on the female form. I'm sorry that I didn't "find" this image sooner!

Just in case you're interested, this image is available in my Etsy shop, Reflective Images at: http://www.etsy.com/listing/74379116/egg-digital-nude-photograph-11x14

Wednesday Ramblings

Do you all remember, Hot...the wired terrier that I created for the magazine "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" challenge? I was pleased to learn last Friday that he had made the finals! So...he was shipped of to the offices of "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed that he will be chosen for publication...the competition is tough...but I know he has it in him to pull it off! I'll let everyone know the results as soon as I do!

And...I discovered this morning that my photo, "Heritage" was included in another great treasury, "Man in Black" created by VisualizingVintage. My thanks to her for making me part of this wonderful collection!! Check this out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dd32a28902f8eef252e2965/man-in-black

The Rustic Traveler - An Acquired Taste by greenTcreations

Quirky? Perhaps. For some...for others...just an acquired taste. My thanks to greenTcreations for including my photograph, "Directions" in her latest treasury. You can check all of this out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dcc6f0734476d918defebc7/the-rustic-traveler-an-acquired-taste

Gone Bananas Be Back Later by IDidItMyself

Okay!!! Eat More Bananas!!!! My thanks to IDidItMyself for including my "Bananas" collage in her newest treasury. Check this fun collection out at:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dcafb3837218eef80da8a84/gone-bananas-be-back-later

Wunderbar!

Here's a new piece of mail art from Jen...isn't it "wunderbar"! I think so!! Thanks so much, Jen for this great piece...I glad you're getting back into "arting"...do keep this up!!!

Summer Dreams by princessdingo

My thanks to princessdingo for including my collage "How My Garden Grows" in her newest treasury. Looking at this treasury will have you dreaming of summer...that's for sure!

Check this out at: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dc205cec7ae6d913b266f01/summer-dreams

I'm melting!!

It would seem that it has been raining in my area for the proverbial 40 days and 40 nights...we broke all sorts of rainfall records in April and the first couple days of May have also been wet!!!  

During a moment last week when the rains had stopped for a time, I went out to see how soggy everything was...needless-to-say...soggy was an understatement. I also stopped by my daughter's sculptures to see how they were doing. (If you remember, I've written in the past how she put these out in our garden to watch them "decompose".) And...they are doing quite nicely...melting away and taking on new dimensions and personalities! Nothing dramatic has fallen off since my last posting on these...but some nice "dissolving" is going on at the surface. It is really cool what is happening! 

If this month proves to be as wet as April, I'm sure I will have some new images to share as these sculptures slowly....melt....away....