Let's slow down and look inward a bit
A deep and profound thank you to several people for this post: Stephen Kristian, Robb Stallworth and Bobby. So much to delve into here, to explore and to share. Stephen – Thank you for facilitating a fascinating connection, that we uncovered. My photography explores abstract macrophotograph. Many of you have seen the images captured. Stephen is an amazing writer and facilitator that has been helping me bring out the artistic, creative and Yes emotional side of my artwork.
The story begins with Robb and his son Bobby. They were invited over to my studio after a series of life challenges that would leave most people in a similar circumstance struggling with how to move ahead. Through prayer, acceptance that life changed, Bobby was and continues to be positive, relevant and impactful.
Robb your son is simply an amazing inspiration. During your visit to learn and understand about my art and craft, you and he shared how he was adapting to his new circumstance. I learned how he is blessed, insightful and unfathomably resilient.
We shared time together understanding and learning how my photography works and how curious art is created. He shared how he is creating his own community and his expertise which makes so much sense. In that moment Echolocation was borne. Bobby saw the the image to the left as an interpretation of bats, whales, dolphins and related creatures.
It was an extraordinary expedition learning how his mind works through his world. He saw that the depicts how non-sighted or lesser sighted creatures explore and understand the world around them. His entitling led me to begin to understand how he sees the world. How other see the world. We can recall that we left it at that remarkable place.
Enter Stephen…
Stephen and I meet regularly to explore the creative emotional and artistic dimensions to my art. we were discussing the textures, surfaces, colors and amazing generosity of the various materials. Similar to Bobby’s generosity and kindness. Stephen and I continued to exchange perspectives and observations. During our conversations we flip the photograph to see how the colors, light/dark, energy and effects change with the new vantage point. We have done that on earlier blogs with remarkable impacts. As the blues moved to the bottom right of Echolocation, we thought we were done.
We paused for a moment as the Watchers was put onto the screen. The impact was delayed, and slowly built in my mind, but it was profound. There I was describing to Stephen how the same piece of dimpled glass was able to produce such disparate colors, connections and a preternatural pair of photographic art that transcends a simple pair of images.
Imagine two separate and discreet pieces of photography born of disconnected days using vastly different treatments, yet they are deeply connected. The amber glass vase is the same in both photographs. Blues and red reflective surfaces refract and reflect with the glass in ways hitherto unanticipated. As Stephen and I were exploring the two photographs as separate art, there was a moment of sudden and instant connection. A synaptic bridge was created and cannot be broken.
The Watcher’s eyes reverberate with concentric patterns of soft blue waves. It presents itself as an omniscient, all knowing and unsighted entity that might explore the universe. Echolocation, in Bobby’s world, would suddenly spring forth and become the surface to be explored. How would the Watchers exploration manifest on the surfaces of Echolocation. All we needed to do to have the inanimate pieces connect and become aware of each was to move the Echolocation photograph 180 degrees.
In doing so: the two photographs speak to each other, the two unrelated inanimate entities communicate with each other, the connection is the same piece of glass, the same abstract technique and the muse of Bobby Stallworth connect two profoundly separate worlds. Jim, Robb, Bobby and Stephen and our communities all connect through a piece of dimpled amber glass and a camera. Now you our audience have joined that continuum.
Now for the third pillar of connection here: music. We pondered and considered. For me Gustav Holst The Planets Op.32 is the one. The opening about 1:25 into Mars, The Bringer of War is the powerful growing music that several orchestras perform remarkably. The slow rise, the accelerations into the second minutes and ebbing to and fro as the phonic echoes probe the surface of the photograph. Venus, The Bringer of Peace has horns gently calling out as strings play back. Where are the sound waves going and whence they came. To drive home this musical connectivity, we watch orchestras with dozens of people flawlessly play with their instrumental family, across to accentuate, counterpoint and dance with the other orchestral artists. Here we have a visitor and guest, a facilitator and an artist all connect through an inanimate piece of amber glass and then to a performance half way around the world in Singapore.
And so there we go and arrive to the most remarkable place that exists … within the human mind.
The beauty of art is its ability to connect us by sparking and compelling a conversation…
We encourage you to join this dialogue, write a post in response, email us to join the conversation on an upcoming session. Visit the website and learn more. My art exists to brighten your life’s experiences.
Join us in our conversation.
3 Replies to “Art That Reflects and Connects”
Jim McCormick III[ Post Author ]
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LJ
Very informative.
Look forward to more postings
Jim McCormick III[ Post Author ]
Thank you LJ. If we were to rotate Echolocation, it would bring out a sense of liquid gold and red slowly pouring through the background. There is also a somewhat hidden chasm in that same area the liquid appears to be diving into and then surfacing elsewhere. Cheers!