Day: January 20, 2014

I had a dream about this photo during my haze this weekend, I’ve decided to put it in the art show with George Forss at the Round House Cafe, I’ll share the photos for the show with you, it is exciting to pick them out. I wasn’t even going to bring the camera out on our last morning in New York, and then I looked out of the window and saw the mist and thought of how beautiful Central Park might look in that, it was just too early for the Central Park Horses, alas. The photo seems of mystery and promise to me, those figures coming right out of the trees and the mist.

Lying in bed today:

I thought what the great saints thought,

what the founders of every faith thought,

what all of the good and true men and women of the world think,

I thought of the sick and the poor, I felt a taste of their

loneliness and and struggle,

a brush against my cheek,

a cloud in my sky.

They were in bed with me,

I heard their sighs.

The world becomes very timid,

when we think of the sick and poor,

we blame the poor for being poor,

we profit from  the sick for their suffering,

the prophets hide their eyes in shame,

if we judge our own humanity by the way,

we treat our animals,

how do we judge ourselves,

by the way we treat the sick and the poor?

Should not all suffering and sadness and pain,

be like this:

The sky pulls a mirror its swirling pocket,

And practices love and mercy,

for us to see,

and cautions us,

not to look away too far,

not to be blinded,

by the sun,

the great saints are waving

their arms,

in joy,

and supplication.

Can we see ourselves in the mirror?

 

I snuck outside this afternoon in my bathrobe and slippers to take a photo of George Forss and Donna Wynbrandt, my eagle-eyed wife spotted me from her studio window and rushed out to berate me, she lured me back inside with food and some insistent badgering. Hey, life goes on, though it was chilly out there. Ate some solid food tonight!

George Forss inspires me almost every day to be creative in my life, embrace the faith of creativity as an ideology, not a hobby, not as a pastime, something to fill in the minutes between real work and obligation, child-rearing and chores. Creativity is the work, it is our mission and purpose, the thing that brings joy, love and passion to life. George is not afraid to take creative risks – he took several in this self-portrait he did with his beloved longtime companion, Donna Wynbrandt, the artist, this is a wonderful and revealing portrait and a brave one.

The other night, George told me that was going to Donna’s apartment, they have an annual burning of Christmas trees there, he brought his camera, and as the fire flared up, it began to snow. he saw something other people didn’t see, he saw the alien forces in the universe bringing “Fire In The Sky,” an uplifting spiritual portrait to keep people warm in the cold winter. He is selling this image for $15 plus shipping, he was so excited to see how the snowflakes falling on the fire capture a beautiful and mystical image.

George is a UFO Investigator, but his real faith is creativity. The other day, he asked the universe for millions of dollars to fund a new kind of creative publishing house. If he does not receive the money, he will not complain or be deterred or discouraged in any way. He does not complain about the digital photography revolution that pushed his brilliant work to the edge of public consciousness. He does not complain that his 800-page book “Enos,” a study of alien spirituality in the world, does not sell many copies. He is not discouraged if no one shows up at the “George Forss Theater For The Arts” in his gallery. In recent months, due to his own energy in starting his blog and also the discovery of his work by many followers of this blog, he is beginning to see a resurgence in interest in his work.

George is creative every day of life, as I try to be. Every morning, I will write something, I will take a photography, I will encourage my wife or another creative person to do their work, I will think of a way to light the creative spark. We all struggle with money, relationships, chores, health, security, it is creativity – the unleashing of our inner spirits – that bring light and passion into our lives. For me, it is the point, the purpose. I think that is the key to it. George reminds of this every time I listen to his amazing and resilient spirit. Check out “Fire In The Sky,” a Forss photography for $15 is one of the great bargains in publishing. You can see his other great works here.

(This was one of the first photographs I ever took of Red, his eyes and intensity and his ability to stand still and stay focused on the sheep transformed my photography, and my very idea of animal photography.)

The bedroom is a narrow place to be for me, I keep finding reasons to get up and go downstairs – making tea, making phone calls. I am alone with myself too much, it makes me uncomfortable, I think I’m not the easiest person in the world to be alone with. And I see I’m not alone. Red is by my side, Lenore is thrilled to hang around with us, and Flo and Minnie both demanded to be let in early out of the snow and cold. Maria relented (I would have, she saw them first).

I called Deb Foster, she is going to make up some postcards and organize some publicity for the photo show George Forss and I are having at the Round House Cafe in February (reception February 20 at the cafe, 7-8:30 p.m.) I worked on a chapter of the Simon book. I’m a few pages away from finishing “Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt. I check to see the latest reviews on “Second Chance Dog,” which I haven’t seen in awhile. (I look for about a month, then stop.) I read Maria’s blog, wonderful postings about her new sketches and her upcoming root canal (her first dental work.).

I can feel this rest is good for me (Maria had a fit when I went outside in my  bathrobe to take a photo), I can feel my body settling. I do feel useless, but I’m getting over it.