Monday, March 31, 2008

Light Through Time



Time will not wait, but takes its toll.

Boughs break, rivers thin
and bend their banks,
our faces fade and line.
Seasons change with paradigms,

our knowledge never sure.
Yet sunlight melds through ages past
while seas still lick the shore.

Stories spill
in textured light,
paint peals past eon's
weather and woe,

while we seek answers
not attained.

So time's impassive
march must go.

Image and text c 2008 Lynda Lehmann. All rights reserved.

Thank you, Blogging Friends, for reading my poem. Though I know little of writing poetry, I'm attempting to compose pieces that relate to my images and at the same time have some meaning. I hope they will resonate on a tiny note of truth for my readers. I welcome your feedback and discussion!

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Saturday, March 29, 2008

Luscious


A composition made from luscious, cut Kiwi fruits. I'm always amazed at Nature's organization, and sometimes it gets in the way of prepping dinner! Image c Lynda Lehmann.

Image c Lynda Lehmann. If you would like to view more of my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or Imagekind.

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Friday, March 28, 2008

All Washed Up



Hello blogging friends! I hope you find this video clip relaxing, in spite of the fact that I've uploaded it as a metaphor for my washed away feed! I've put out a broadcast but I'm repeating it here, in case you haven't seen it. I want to let you know that you may have to re-subscribe to Peripheral Vision. I apologize for any inconvenience. The technical stuff is not my strong point--and trust me--that's an understatement! Please let me know if you try to re-subscribe and you can't. I've lost my stats but I think I have this straightened out!

Anyway, enjoy the music of the sea, and don't forget to watch the sparkles in the water! Have a great weekend, and thanks for your understanding.

Movie clip c 2008 Lynda Lehmann.


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Monday, March 24, 2008

Please Vote for "Monkey Business!"


If you're an artist, sculptor, or photographer, you can have a free site at http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/. You can put your work in their SALEROOM, also for free, and they take no commission. Or you can enter your art into their SHOWDOWN to bring more viewers to your portfolio there.

You might have seen this painting in a previous post. "Monkey Business" is a lively, bright, acrylic abstract, biomorphic and somewhat whimsical. It's 24 x 36 inches on gallery-wrapped canvas, and has lots of energy and movement. I've loaded it for the SAATCHI SHOWDOWN round that runs between 03-24-2008 and 03-31-2008, and I would love to have your vote! All you have to do is click on this link, and look for "Monkey Business" below the marquis at the top of the page. (A vote of "one" is the lowest, and "ten" is the top rating.) A great big THANK YOU to my blogging friends for all your support!

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/showdown/index.php?showpic=126108

Image c Lynda Lehmann. If you would like to view more of my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or Imagekind.


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Friday, March 21, 2008

Mischief


Deep blue, violet, and turquoise hues comprise this abstract acrylic painting, 20 x 24 inches on gallery-wrapped canvas. The colors are bright but harmonious, and the painting has a slightly whimsical or surreal feel. Image c Lynda Lehmann. Available at Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography . Please visit if you would like to see more of my work, including paintings, photographs of a wide variety of subject matter, and digital art. Thanks for stopping by!

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Roots of Spring


For me, this painting evokes tree roots, tender shoots, moss and lichen, and all the other life forms that emerge in a welter of new growth, each spring. Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas, 24 x 30 inches. Abstract Expressionist in style and full of motion, gesture, and color.

Please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography if you would like to see more of my work, including paintings, photographs of a wide variety of subject matter, and digital art.

Thanks for stopping by!


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Friday, March 14, 2008

The World Needs You...

Changing of the Light c 2008 Lynda Lehmann


This week I've read a few blog entries that express a negative mindset brought on by the events of the week. Many of us here in the US, and especially in New York State, feel sickened by the behavior and ensuing scandal unfolding around a man we thought to have integrity. We're also worried about the price of gas, the cost of flour, unemployment, and the rupture of the economic bubble. As if that's not enough, we have antibiotics in our water at the same time that resistant strains are continuing to rear their ugly heads. We have an epidemic of STDs among teenagers, an epidemic of tornadoes and other extreme weather events made worse by Global Warming, and ongoing and pending wars around the globe. I could go on and on, and I know you could, too. Many of us are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and just plain negative.

I think this is partly due to our forgetting to look at things holistically. I think we have to try to find love in our hearts no matter what is happening around us. If we look to the outside world, we will never find it. The human condition is pathetic. But it is also glorious. As for the “pathetic” part, we can transform it only one person at a time, by transforming ourselves. All the evils that we hate to see on the daily news are, in my opinion, propelled by the lack of a healthy and mature self-love. It is a lack of mature self-love that makes a person unable to love others, and to act, therefore, in greed and unbridled self-interest.

How should we define "healthy self-love"? Certainly we're not referring to vanity or narcissism, but to the inner confidence and coping ability engendered by a rational processing of life's experiences. We're talking about a willingness to look at cause and effect rather than buying into oversimplifications, and being mindful that there are infinitely many more positive behaviors, motivations, and transactions turning the world on any given day, than there are evil, negligent, or selfish deeds.

Our perception of the world, or our "generalized other," to borrow a term from psychology, begins with the expectations we have of ourselves, of our own behaviors and motivations. If deep down inside we know we are needy, greedy, and urgent, then we will look for those traits in others. If we operate from a position of strength and self-love, on the other hand, we will project the same onto other people more often, and find more of our inner resources left intact to meet our challenges. And one of our challenges is to carry on in love and good faith while remembering that the headlines are just that: announcements of misdeeds. What about the thousands, indeed millions of people who care for their families, perform their responsibilities, or perform their jobs well and with honesty, every day? They are the salt of the earth, the heroes. The guys in the headlines are the exception. They are the frayed and stained dirty laundry, the seamy underside of the human condition. But they remain, thank goodness, the exception. And eventually, they get hung out to dry in the sun of justice, however imperfect the system may be.

If we can see the world in a changing light, maybe we can find our way to a better world. So let's remember to look at the whole picture, and shine our light into the darkness! The world needs us.

What do you think?

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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Awards Night


Once upon a time, Max from Max gave me the "You Cheer Me Up Award." How did she know that Lucy has always been one of my favorites, going back to my childhood. Max's courage in exploring ideas and confronting our preconceptions, inspires me. And now I can look at Lucy and Ethel on my page whenever I want to! Thank you, dear Max! Can we maybe have a discussion on the nature of "chocoholism," one day?



Kim of Laketrees has given me the "Excellence Award," which I of course, humbly accept. I'm not too, TOO late on posting this one. Thank you, Kim! You are truly a facilitator and inspiration for our sense of blogging community, and you're just on top of your game! (except for your poor shoulder, but your artwork is just as terrific as always, in spite of it!)


Bob Johnson of Black Holes and Astrostuff generously bequeathed to me the above "2007 Inpiring Blog Award." Yes, he gave it to me last year and I'm just posting it now, but with gratitude in spite of tarditude. (is that a word?) Of course I find Bob's blog to be very inspiring, and those GIFs of his really put me in the mood to read about the universe.



I received this award from Kathy at Photography by KML awhile back, and it's taken me so darn long to get around to posting, she has probably forgotten she gave it to me. Kathy, your creative glimpses into the mysteries of our world, make me smile! I noticed a long time ago, how interesting your blog is, with economy of both word and image, well presented!


Last week I was delighted to receive these awards from Mary Ann at Maryannaville, originally given to her by Colin. Mary Ann is not only a good friend, but she's an inspiration to me because she's not afraid to go where many of us fear to tread, often presenting us with posts about controversial topics. She's posted a wonderful Shakespeare sonnet on her page to go with these friendship awards, which you might want to go over and read.

My thanks to all of you wonderful blogging friends for making my life rich with your wisdom and enthusiasm. Thanks for communicating and sharing! Please forgive me for taking so long. My posting lethargy was partly due to getting ready for my painting show, which is now over. (It will be awhile before I'll commit to all that work again, I'm sure.) I still have other awards to post, which I have not forgotten. And I appreciate those too. It's just that other responsibilities aside, I'm just plain slow at all this blogging stuff!

And now I'm going to give the Friendship Awards back to Mary Ann and to Kim, Max, Merging Point at Merging Point, Barbara at Spirited Strider , and Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage. The "You Cheer Me Up" award goes to Anna, Bob, and Carol at My View of It because they DO cheer me up, just hearing from them.

I would like to give the "Excellent Blog" award back to Kim, who is like a shining star in our blog galaxy; to Bob who brings the stars and moon and all things skyward onto our screens, whose dedication to and knowledge of his subject are amazing; and to Tristran at Mad Tomatoe, who is both knowledgeable and helpful.

Swubird gets the "You Make Me Smile" award for his shmooze power and sharing and being nice; and KML for her vision; Cindy with her kindness and kitty tales; and Olga and Drowsey Monkey, who make me laugh. If all of you knew how long it took me to construct this post, I'd make YOU laugh!

Black Holes and Astrostuff - Drowsey Monkey - Laketrees - Mad Tomatoe - My Only Photo - Maryannaville - Max - Merging Point - My View of It - Spirited Strider - Rosehaven Cottage -Positive Communication - Olga, The Traveling Bra - Photography by KML - Positive Communication - Rosehaven Cottage - Swubirds Nest

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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Sacred Patterns: Light Creates Shadow



When we take the time to really LOOK at things, age-old patterns are revealed to us. These are the patterns that transcend time and particulars of age, place and species. I see, in the late afternoon light molding these leaf portraits, hints of cosmic power that I cannot understand, but that I know has endured through the ages. I don't believe the diversity and order of the universe are just coincidences, borne of chance and random combinations of circumstance. I believe they are orchestrated by a higher intelligence beyond our comprehension. It disturbs me that humans have a need to provide distinct and rigid definitions of this power and to try to assert the truth of their particular conception. From our need to label things in order to provide ourselves a coherent and comfortable self-definition, comes war, misery, death and destruction.

What matters to me is that there is light and that miracles unfold at every level of the universe. What matters to me is that I believe in God. I sometimes feel the universe is crying at our inability to see the light. It's a paradox that light creates shadow, and people crying out for peace and security, create war. I believe in God, but not in the divisiveness of any dogma that is taken to extreme. Each leaf is different yet the same as all other leaves. Each human is unique and yet part of a larger humanity. When will we see that we are One Humanity?



The above images are"The Enigma of a Leaf," "Curls," and "Sacred Patterns," and will be available plain or framed at my Imagekind site http://lyndalehmann.imagekind.com/ or from me directly at www.lyndalehmann.com/ . All images and text c 2008 Lynda Lehmann. To view more of my work please visit www.lyndalehmann.com , where you can view more than 500 other images, both paintings and photographs.

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