Flirtations

I was looking through some old photographs last night. They have a way of reminding
you of things you want to remember...or things you want to forget. Today's picture was
taken in 'London England", as they say in Canada...not to be confused with London,
Ontario. It came about on the insistence of a certain company,,,that was vying to be
my publicist...or was it my management",,,forget. They printed up this fancy brochure
of their clients...or would be clients. The page this picture of a coiffed me, was taken from is a page they printed, with well known people like Peter Ustinov and Sammy Davis Junior...exalted company indeed. Before the photo session where this shot was taken...I was asked to have a session with a special hair dresser...hence the hair look...and they also rented for the occasion a Humperdinck of a shirt...which I wore...but hardly appears in the picture. Not accustomed to having image make overs
...plus some other stuff...I parted company with my "dresser uppers". This picture
reminds me that although I think I've led a pretty authentic life as a free lance
artist...that along the way...I've had flirtations...with..."other realities".
........................Quester.

Cosmic Clout As Balancer

An artist friend when I was first starting out on my artist's road said: "If you want to create things...you have to see and hear things...like you've never done before". I've practiced that since...and it has resulted in many creations...benefiting from a
consciously developed ability...to spot an irony or a metaphor, or a fine detail...at a thousand paces. Well...so I thought...until I looked at today's picture...taken at the wonderful outdoor art exhibition...in downtown Vancouver...during the last Winter
Olympics. It was only then I picked up on a small detail missed...back when
I was taking the picture. Then I was focused on the diagonal descending line the three
figures made...and framing the picture well. I believe in strong focus whether you're
writing a song...or taking a picture...[I've heard tell that pictures need focusing].
What I had missed at first...was the humongous wooden pole...wasn't just being
carried by the three...it was actually shafting through their bodies...which was at
the core of what the artist was trying to say. This has happened to me before...when
I've gotten carried away with my own artist's savvy. It's as if the Universe taps me
on the shoulder...or the cosmos clouts me in the head...and says..."Now, now...see
what you missed?". I must admit that I have a preference for this profound way in
which the universe intervenes sometimes...rather than another human being putting me
straight about the error of my ways. Learn something every day..........Quester.

Sun Flowers

I know why Vincent loved them and painted them...I love them too although I've never
tried to paint them. Right now is their time in my part of the world, With so much
around them turning brown,,,they are a delight to see,,,towering over their fading
kin...reviving your spirits. I don't understand the reasoning that went behind the
naming of so many flowers...although I know...a rose is a rose is a rose. I understand
the name sun flower...so obvious in the way it reminds you of the sun...both in the
way it looks...and how it lifts your spirits. Only this evening...as I walked...I
couldn't help but take out my camera...to take a picture of a group of them...out-
yellowing their yellow background...as they towered in front of a MacDonald's
restaurant. That's one of the magnetic things about sun flowers...they make you
look at them regardless of what they may happen to be next to...............Quester.

Pacific Sunset

Rediscovered this picture in my files the other day. The painting itself is long gone...residing in a collection of my paintings...owned by a woman...who now lives in the Okanagan. I think that I pretty well have photos of all the paintings I ever sold...remembering to take a picture of them...before they were no longer in my possession. Acquiring my first computer in 2002...with among other things...a digital
painting program...pretty well marked the ending of my acrylic paints on canvas era...
as I was able to try out my picture ideas...now rapidly...with "save" and "don't save"
as my two new found assistants. Given painting had not been a career thing with me...
but an "extending creative horizons thing" instead...I could let it rest...with my
first creative love...song making...still central in my creative life. Having said
that...I continue to respect and salute...paint on canvas pictures...and will always
leave the door open...to a return to it,,,of some kind. In the meantime...it is
"Pacific Sunset"...perhaps an appropriate picture...for the subject I'm writing
about tonight...as the sun actually disappears into the Pacific..........Quester.

Fruit On The Vine

The tree outside one of my front windows...is hanging on to its curled brown leaves.
The grass in many places is sere. No wonder...there has hardly been any rain in these
parts for a while. There has been a long lasting heat wave...which may finally be over.
Many of the forests of British Columbia,,,have been tinder dry...and aided by large
swathes of trees that have fallen to beetle kill. There have been many forest fires
with threats of more...and their widely spread smoke...hanging in the air.
In the midst of all of this...one of the things that gives me hope...as I walk through
my neighborhood...is the sight of fruit or berries...hanging from the tree or vine.
Hanging fruit...even in my childhood...always gave me a good feeling...perhaps a
fulfilled kind of feeling...apart from any more immediate designs to pick and eat them.
Yes...while there is fruit on the vine...there is always hope............Quester.

Reminders Of A Cooler Time

I had gone for months without being able to upload any photos to my blog. It didn't
take long for a visiting brother-in-law...ever helpful...to fix the problem...from
my computer. We were looking in a hurry for a photo to upload and the snow and berries
one presented itself. Coming back now to spread the glad tidings...I found this one
of heather in snow. I tend to do things often...based on a "nudge from the deep" rather
than from having great clarity in the present. I can see now what's behind my choice
of "things snowy". We've been suffering through a heat wave for weeks...as of today it
seems to have gone...but I think I'm still experiencing a delayed reaction today to it. I have to confess...that for a person shaped by the tropics...I am not a fan these days of hot weather when it goes on too long. Anyway...looks like today's pictures are about a little air conditioning of the mind. Am looking forward to being able to upload
photos in the future...to go with my words.........................Quester.

Photos once again!!

A Spontaneous Meeting

Yesterday...at my coffee place where I often have a light lunch...a young man sitting
with a young woman at a nearby table...asked me what it was I was writing in the journal before me. That started us off into an animated and wide and hopefully deep ranging conversation...about creativity. Turned out that both he and his woman partner were also into creating things...songs...music...and written work. It was a most
stimulating spur of the moment chat we had...that ended up lasting quite a while. At one point...after we had talked about difficulties we had both had in relating with some of our family members...I ventured to say that we were talking about things that likely...we wouldn't be able to talk about with some members of our families. They agreed. Before parting we shared e-mail addresses and phone numbers. They live in my neighborhood and I have the feeling that we'll be meeting again. I enjoyed many aspects of our meeting...but the thing I appreciated most of all...was how people from different generations could come together...and so rapidly leave the usual walls that divide people behind...and communicate so sincerely with each other. This kind of meeting...I would like to think...is so beneficial to those who take part in it...it's a wonder it doesn't happen more often. At the end...I thanked the young man for having been the one to start us off. Perhaps in the future...I might get it up...to be the initiator of such a fine piece of spontaneous human communication.....................Quester.

Book Writing

I've been doing a lot of writing recently...but obviously...not for this blog.
To me...writing a book...is a bit like preparing a special meal in a pressure cooker.
You know you must not take the cover off...before the meal is completely ready...for it
to work out well. For me...the telling about what your book is about...definitely
puts you in danger of losing whatever momentum you've built up working on it. I've
been writing for my book project...to add to what I'd previously written for it...this
time round for about two and a half weeks...and I've only missed one day's writing
because of having a very bad cold. I did...however...find a way of getting writing
sessions in...on the rest of the days when I've had the cold. Again...not wanting to
lose momentum was the reason for pushing through. I have found that when you are writing for a book...and you have momentum...you can usually be clear about why you're
doing it...over many days in a row...but sooner or later...you're likely to be challenged by a day when your reasons for writing it...become enveloped in cloud...and you are in danger of coming to a screeching halt...maybe even...never to return to it. All the more reason to respect momentum when you have it and not let go of it easily. As I write...sometimes I think of what I call..."The Law Of Things Accruing". I know that if I keep pecking away at it every day...one day I'll look up...and my book will be done. Wish me well................................Quester.