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Showing posts with label River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label River. Show all posts

Sunday, May 27, 2018

I am baaaack... and thinking of the SCIENCE of it all!

So, I have been a slack-a-lackin' in the blog department, but let's revisit one of my goals for 2018: 

Don't pressure myself to enter art shows and jump through other hoops just for the sake of being a Photographer. To clarify, only do an art show if I want to and have the time to. Being in an art show doesn't make or break me as an artist. 

And, I have certainly stuck to that! 

HOWEVER, for the first time in 2018 there is a "call for art" by Framations Art Gallery in St. Charles that has me fired up! It's called "The Science of It." 

Here are my four entries I am working on, as well as the written artist statements. I just need my prints to arrive, get them framed, and drive them to the gallery on time! 

Wish me luck!

“Refrigerator Chemist” 
In the case of this image instead of simply being a photographer I became the “Refrigerator Chemist.” I studied the reactions of common liquids easily found in the average American’s refrigerator. Observing the way these liquids interacted and reacted to each other was fascinating and made for a fun afternoon of photography!

“Mother Ocean”
Oceanography covers many areas, but what fascinates me the most is that the ocean is in a constant state of motion. From the waves to the tides, I am fascinated by how ALIVE the ocean is. Even when she looks at peace, there is so much physical activity taking place that I am in awe of it all. While some look to the stars for answers, I think many answers can be found in the depths of our oceans.

“Breath of Life”
Ecology helps humans understand the relationships living organisms have with each other. As a child, I’ll never forget learning the importance of trees in my science lessons. Arrows on illustrations showed us that as humans breathe out, trees breathe in what we exhale, and vice-versa. We need each other. We give each other what we need to survive. Yet, just two years ago global tree loss rose 51%. Protecting something that is indeed our breath of life is critical.

“The Living River”

It fascinates me that as leaves fall into various water ways in the Ozarks that they are not truly dead, instead they simply take on another form of life. As they decompose, they help feed other organisms. Without the leaves that fall in the autumn, the stream wouldn’t be able to complete its life cycle and fish such as trout wouldn’t survive. As we study Ecology and how living things interact with each other, it’s important to note that life goes on. There is no true end it would seem.

Until next time,
M of MK Designs 
mkdesignsphoto.com


Saturday, September 3, 2016

Inspiration and a Clean Camera: an Afternoon Spent on MDC lands and Country Roads is NEVER a Waste of Time!

I have lacked inspiration to do much with photography lately. 

Yes, I have still been shooting and writing articles and entering shows, but I've had to drag myself through the process. 

This afternoon felt different. 

The air felt lighter, the sky was blue... around 2:30pm I was (dare I say) PERKY.
My daughter is the one who suggested the drive to MDC lands. I grabbed my recently-cleaned camera (thanks to Creve Coeur Camera) and decided it was time to give it a test run. 

The weather was perfect and my heart felt pretty light once we were on the road. 

We made our way 14 miles south of our home in Union, MO to Chouteau Claim Access. It is where the Bourbeuse River and the Meramec River meet. Karlene and I saw many people out enjoying the day, but it was the scenery that stole the show. 



After we finished exploring, we decided to drive 5 more miles to River 'Round Conservation Area. This is a unique area on the Meramec when viewed on a map. Its name makes perfect sense. 

We explored some areas near the river. I was still inspired to shoot. These are a few of my favorites from that spot:




As we were driving out of the area, we saw an old road that is now a foot trail that we want to go explore at a later date (preferably not during deer season). 

Overall, the afternoon was an enjoyable one. We had dinner in Union and even stopped by the Union Access on our way home. It was a quick stop and our third MDC land of the afternoon. I left my camera behind for that moment and instantly saw some sights that made me regret not having it. 

Creative slumps, feeling down in the dumps, and overall just unmotivated is NOT a fun way to be. I am thankful for this afternoon's burst of inspiration and energy. It has me thinking of one of my favorite verses:
Until next time,
M of MK Designs

PS My website has had an overhaul! You should go check it out: mkdesignsphoto.com