There’s a difference between pretty and beautiful. When someone is pretty, they have a good appearance, but when someone is beautiful, they shine from the inside out. – by Rishikajain.
Autumn is Summer’s last party celebrating a colorful season, so step outside and participate in Mother Nature’s gorgeous grand finale! For me, it’s like the trees are excited to shed the old in a colorful magical way; getting ready for their much-needed hibernation to rejuvenate and start fresh coming spring.
Commando photoziac artwork series statement:
My award-winning Photozaics are inspired by where Van Gogh’s textures meet Ansel Adam’s simplicity near the intersection of Bob Ross’ healing vibes. This technique is a labor-intensive multi-step process and starts with my journey into nature; recording the landscapes that spark my eye whether it be rolling hills or a babbling brook. After modifying the composition, I take the print and head to the stained-glass shop to find matching colors. I cut the glass by hand by taking smaller shards and placing them in a rock tumbler to remove sharp edges while larger pieces are sanded by hand and assembled in the frame. Grouting finishes the artwork allowing the detail of each cut glass shape to add texture to my art. This series I call commando, it’s liberating to see the photo in sync with the frame no boundaries separating these two mediums from dancing: just beautiful fluid flow.
The great news just keeps pouring in! I have two more works accepted into the Cabin Art show just minutes from my home!
Accepted works:
End of Day
Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully by Kristen Butler- Go out and be one with Mother Nature; allow her to show you we are all one with the universe. So, fill your heart with beautiful images that keep your Soul’s light shining bright! End of Day reminds me of a symphony, where all participants flow in harmony and my camera is the composer- one of the best gifts given to me from nature.
Beach Life
Life is like an Ocean or in this case a Great Lake; sometimes it can be calm, rough waves, gorgeous blue waters, or jet black with white caps but at the end of the day it is always beautiful. Simple views like this help me recharge my soul, releasing creativity like endorphins after a workout so I can share my visual art to the world.
I’m thrilled to announce these two pieces sold for a great cause! These two lovely works Golden Gate Bridge and Hill is alive with color (formal photoziacs) future home is with Common Bond’s new The Lumin facility at 830 Cretin Ave, Saint Paul, MN. This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Art to change the world, and I’m proud to be a task force member! I’ve seen so much positive social change since joining back in 2020. Below are the links to artwork for Common Bond and Art to change the world! Join if you feel compelled, do not need to be local or an artist we have a diverse group of members with backgrounds ranging from artists, business owners, and educators just to name a few.
I love projects like this one where everyone wins! I can’t wait to see the faces of these women who come here and see they are worthy of great art hanging on their living walls. I hope that some or all tenants find their creative gifts and will someday share them with the world. So let us keep sending out positive vibes and continue to encourage others that they are worthy of a great life!
Orange Watercolor- Commando photozaic will grace New York’s Time Square area billboard.
When do you ask? July 19th, 2023
Time? 12:30 PM
Address: 1568 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
Tips: The screen is in Times Square at the corner of 7th Avenue and West 47th Street. For the best view of the screen, go to the red steps in Father Duffy Square.
I am blessed to be one of the many talented artists at this prestigious location.
Orange Watercolor commando photozaic- small
About Orange Watercolor:
The sunset silhouettes of the islands have been like no other I’ve seen on my travels, knowing you are in borderland country (Minnesota/Canada) when you visit the trees bouncing off the evening sky. In my eyes each sunset is unique and unlike the previous day. Colors from sunsets change just like the seasons. Late summer sunsets have the deepest orange fading into twilight blue.
A collection of landscape infrared images of my travels across the US and Canada.
This collection is available for solo shows, exhibitions, and gallery representation. Please feel free to contact me for more information about this collection.
My work is mixed media joining together my two loves of photography and mosaics that I call Photozaics. Just recently I experimented with matte-less print as has been suggested in the past, but this time I listened to Emily Schiffer’s suggestion from a recent portfolio review, and this is the result. This line of photozaics, which I’m calling commando-as for me is liberating to see my photo dancing in sync with the frame.
Four of my Commando photozaics were accepted into Works of Excellence exhibition at The Studio Door gallery. Wolf n Bear will be physically in the gallery; Gateway to Racepoint beach will be on their website and Breakpoint at Racepoint and Forest of Birch will be included in the catalog. Honored and humbled to not have just one accepted but four works accepted into this exhibition.
Wolf n Bear
Some people come into our lives and quickly go, some stay for a while, leaving footprints on our hearts and we are never the same- by Flavia Weedn. This image reminds me of the ones that left their footprints on my soul.
Wolf-n-bear WNBml7.5×13.5×12023-1
Gateway to Racepoint Beach
Gateway can offer up an over-welcoming feeling of “come on in”. This scene offers that feeling with a side of warning to those that don’t pay attention to their environment. I don’t mind the locals and will respect their home. If I’m not meant to be in the ocean I will sit quietly on the shore watching a movie of waves play on repeat for my pleasure.
Gateway to Race point Beach
Breakpoint at Racepoint Beach
Dance with the waves, move with the sea. Let the rhythm of the water set your soul free. – Christy Ann Martine. Sitting at the ocean’s beach I spend hours just zoning out to the sounds and everchanging views of waves crashing the shore to help recharge my soul. It’s nature’s symphony that warms my heart.
Breakpoint matte less
Forest of Birch
SOLD!!!
“In Celtic Mythology the silver birch tree is sacred and symbolizes new beginnings and protection.” This quote speaks to me and helping me understand why I love Birch trees and my Irish Heritage. This image was taken at Jay Cooke State Park in February 2012 just a few months before this region received an unpreceded amount of rain in a 24-hour period; forever changing the landscape of this park forever.
Green photoziac- commando series (matte less metal print)
Green water, green Cattails, green lily pads. Green is the color of Harmony and health, it’s generous, relaxing color that revitalizes our mind, body, and soul. It also gives us hope, with promises of growth and prosperity along with a little luck.
Daisies are a true sign of spring: A lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be.
Sleeping Bear Beach photozaic 16x14x1
The Ashininaabek people used the Mother Bear as a landmark and tell the story about how she came to be there. Long ago, along the Wisconsin shoreline, a mother bear and her two cubs were driven into Lake Michigan by a raging forest fire. The bears swam for many hours, but soon the cubs tired. Mother bear reached the shore first and climbed to the top of a high bluff to watch and wait for her cubs. The cubs drowned within sight of the shore. The Great Spirit created two islands to mark the spot where the cubs disappeared and then created a solitary dune to represent the eternal vigil of a mother bear. These images reminded me of the gulf coast just minus the salty ocean air.
I watched as morning fog kissed the landscape, slowly burning off showing Lake Michigan’s beautiful teal-blue waters. While I was exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes, I had the story above playing around in my head; carefully documenting the landscape with both color and infrared cameras.