for those who love (with thanks to e.e. cummings)

In the spirit of this day of days I am substituting some very famous words for my own as I wish you full hearts and happiness.....


i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
 (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
 and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
 higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
 and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

According to Strict Mathematical Principles

I am fortunate to cross paths with a wide range of individuals and along the way I recently helped a neighbor edit her household possessions in light of an impending move. Emptying the kitchen cupboards to explore what should be packed, given to relatives, donated or possibly resold I came upon a very unique serving item decorated with all sorts of lines, arrows, letters and numbers along with the words "Col. D. S. Bradley Patent Cake Divider" also known as a plat diviseur. She had no recollection how this plate came in to her possession.

A plat diviseur is designed for cutting cake, pie, etc. so that a varying number of people can get equal slices. So for those of us who are intent on treating our others similarly, this could be an ideal solution. I have yet to figure out who exactly was Col. D. S. Bradley. Hopefully he (or she) does indeed exist fictionally or actually. The jury is out on that one.

Sturtevant

Despite my best efforts to see exhibitions during my pre-parenthood years, the art of Elaine Sturtevant never appeared on my radar. A visit to the Museum of Modern Art with my brother Bob yesterday introduced me to the work of this intriguing artist with the benefit of seeing a comprehensive survey of her career. I studied conceptual art early on at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design where my instructors encouraged me to pursue my ideas and not worry about fabrication. As Sturtevant's work seems to focus on the meaning of authorship it was thought provoking to wander through the galleries and drink it all in. I left with my mind churning in contemplation of her intent to disrupt our assumptions and beliefs. Always a good thing.


("An artist copies....A great artist steals"...Pablo Picasso)

From Fire to Ice

                         

Winter has arrived in full force. Cold temperatures, snow and ice inspire a weird kind of hibernation.
It's easy to succumb when life allows to the temptations of cable tv and programming on demand. We nest at night and eat dinner by the fire entranced by The Fall, Happy Valley and a new favorite distraction, The Comeback with the always brilliant Lisa Kudrow. Work beckons, the light hits in unexpected places and it's good to have my camera at these poignant moments that occur along the way.

In case you are interested.....

For all of you who enjoy sentiment, Valentine's is a perfect opportunity to express your affection and admiration for those nearest and dearest and as a creator of content, I have a special fondness for this holiday. Over the years, I have designed and delivered many many Valentines and it's always been a labor of...love. This year I thought I would do it a little differently. Instead of making this huge effort to communicate seamlessly through a digital connection- I'm going back to my roots and making cards by hand. My mailing list is too large to accommodate my ability to deploy art materials- so I am asking any of you out there who would like to receive a Valentine from me to let me know a.s.a.p. You can respond to this blog or email me at photodot at att.net if you'd like to receive a handmade card. The first five responders will get something (very endearing) from me mid-February. Reply at your earliest convenience and I'll take it from there!