Anni Jones Photography

It's a New Year.....

2012-01-14T13:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a new year my friends. It's been a little over one year, since I decided to venture more seriously into this thing called photography. While I do miss painting watercolors, I must say I've become more obsessed with the creative and technical processes in this particular genre of expression.

So hopefully this new year will continue with

taking photography classes and then wanting to throw my camera across the room. heh-heh :P

Connecting and learning from some wonderful photographers and thanks to my friend Stephanie, joined a "photo of the day " forum. This group of artist/photographers stretch across hill and dale of the globe, from various levels of skill. Many of them I'd call Pro's to those who are just learning about this wonderful medium. They have been not only an encouragement to me personally, but a source of inspiration and fun challenges.

YOU know who you are :)

These photos were taken over the Christmas season and the sand dune shots were taken on new years day. Not a bad way to start the new year, playing in a large sandbox by the sea!

May it be a blessed New Year for you my friends, Anni

"Foggy day and golden grasses"

"Disclaimer" this isn't the best photo...I know. But I laugh every time I see it. I have heard the secret to wildlife photography, is to be silent, still and unseen. So do you think this herd of Elk saw me? ;)

There is just something about the ocean and 180 acres of untouched sand dunes that bring the little kid out in you!

"Happy Trails to you, until we meet again...."

Frosty Trees Dancing?

2011-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago I watched a movie about a famous artist. In the movie the artist said and I quote loosely, that as he painted trees he saw them as "figures dancing on the hillside." A little sappy I know(no pun intended) but that quote is what I thought of when I took these pictures. We've been living in a shroud of fog and freezing temperatures. The ice crystals collecting on the Oak trees looked like a scene from the movie Chronicles of Narnia.

When the weatherman said that the fog would be lifting and that the sun was going to make an appearance, I geared up for a display of sunshine and ice splendor.
You know it's cold when ice crystals start developing on your lens hood and you can't feel your fingers even with gloves on! (time for new gloves maybe?)

Okay, I've rambled on enough....I hope you enjoy the photos! :) Anni

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." ~Ansel Adams~

Of winter's lifeless world each tree
Now seems a perfect part;
Yet each one holds summer's secret
Deep down within its heart.
~Charles G. Stater~

"There will be times when you will be in the field without a camera. And, you will see the most glorious sunset or the most beautiful scene that you have ever witnessed. Don't be bitter because you can't record it. Sit down, drink it in, and enjoy it for what it is!' ~DeGriff

"It was You who set all the boundaries on the earth;

You made both summer and winter."

- Psalm 74:17

Early Morning Inspiration

2011-10-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just get so busy keeping up with family responsibilities, expectations and life, that your creative side goes unattended. My sweet husband knowing me all too well, knows that creativity is like FOOD for me. So in an attempt to get me out of my creative dry spell said, "get your gear together and we'll go chase the fall lighting." It was 6:30 am and still dark outside.
So I grabbed a few lenses, my tripod and I tripped out of the door half asleep with my camera in one had and coffee in the other.

While these photos aren't award winning by any means, sometimes it's not always about getting "that" perfect photo. ( I know it's almost photo blasphemy to say that! wink,wink) Tripping out the door at the crack of dawn was about enjoying the company of someone who I love dearly, experiencing the adrenalin rush of a cold October morning,golden rays dancing on the Autumn leaves and breathing in the beauty of Creation that is around us. Thanks Mr.Jones.

Here are the shots from the day. Thanks for visiting and take some time to be creative friends! :) Anni

My sidekick :)

My good friend and fellow artist Karen Cain-Smith, said this looked like "morning fireworks."

Yes, we are in Rattlesnake country......

After seeing the Rattlesnake sign..... taking these shots, I was thinking about that saying "snake in the grass"

Red, yellow, blue-ish, and green.

I thought this could be titled "needs grow-a-gane." Another good friend and fellow artist said, "this looks like love...." So true, so true Joanne!

Smokey Sunset

2011-08-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist in trying to capture the spooky red glow of the sun a few weeks ago. Smoke filled the skies from a forest fire :( It created a dense dark blanket which made the sun look red. Thanks to an amazing crew of brave fire fighters, the fire was extinguished without loss of life or homes.

PS: Can't figure out why there is digital noise going in the photo, it only shows up on the blogpost. :/ grrrr....

The Sky :)

2011-08-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

"There are no rules of Architecture for a castle in the clouds"-G.K Chesterton

Practice makes you......crazy!

2011-07-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Practice makes you.....crazy! Just kidding, well sort of.

I decided to up the level of my photography skills. So I started taking lessons, attending classes, reading everything I can get my hands on. It seems like the more I learn, the less I know. (laughing) Seriously, I have a new found admiration and respect for the professionals who have taken the long journey down this path!

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. It is mostly due to my unrealistic perfectionist wants. I see every flaw and mistake my photographs now. I like to affectionately refer to it as analysis paralysis. Note to self: Stop it.

The truth be told I am not going to take photos like the pros....not until I have put the time, practice and effort into the craft. So hey, I'll make mistakes but I might as well lighten up, be honest about the learning process, share the journey with friends and for goodness sake enjoy the VIEW even if you don't quite capture the image as you had hoped.

I told my photography instructor, "photography is part mad scientist and part eccentric artist." ( at least for me anyway) The image below was an experiment for me (learning) It was taken in the shade at 1/125 with an off camera flash, F/22, 100 ISO @ 90 degree temperature. The 90 degrees has nothing to do with the photo, it's just really HOT today. ;) If I try this shot again, I'd remove whatever is causing the triangular shadow at the lower left petal, it's a little distracting. But I was happy with how the color turned out and how the other shadows fell. YAY!

Have a great day friends! Anni

“The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.”~P. Strand~

Two Sides of Inspiration :)

2011-04-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went to a wildlife sanctuary last week looking for some photography inspiration. I'm calling this the two sides of inspiration.The colors and textures on this beautiful Peafowl's feathers and design were amazing. Thank You for visiting and I hope you enjoy the pics! :) Anni

Echos Through Time

2011-03-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

When I was a child growing up, I used to dream of adventure and exploring. While all my close friends were wanting an "Easy Bake Oven" for Christmas.... I wanted a horse, a BB Gun, lipstick and a camera, so I could record all those adventures when I went horseback riding. (The BB Gun was for protection (laughing) and my friends grew up to be FABULOUS cooks)

I still have that adventurous spirit, the 38 year old BB Gun and 4 shades of lipsticks (lipstick is not 38 years old.) The camera for me has been a venue in which I can still explore the unbeaten paths,

adventure and possibilities through lens and light.

I so appreciate my husbands love, support and his encouragement to pursue the dream of being a good photographer one day. (Love you Mr. Jones)

Now, as for the photographs ,there are so many things that I'd like to articulate about these. But as Lewis Hine once said, "If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera." So with that said, other than a few rambling thoughts, I hope the photos speak for themselves.

Have great weekend friends! Anni

"Sisters"

Unfortunately this was shot in jpeg,

I had reset my camera settings and I forgot to switch it back to raw. grrrrrr.......

"Dreams" Anytime I am on a road trip and I come across old barns or old farmhouses, my husband stops the car so I can take photographs. And then, when you add big trees and a yard car to the recipe..... I am doing the geeky happy dance!!!

I imagine that this was a gorgeous little farmhouse in it's prime. This was taken on a little dirt road in the middle of nowhere surrounded by beautiful pastures. I could imagine kids laughing, a dog barking and a mom yelling, "kids....wash up for dinner!" just as a 1930's Ford truck pulls into the driveway, scattering the chickens as if there were running for their lives. (The End) ;) I went back to this location a year later after this was taken, she had completely collapsed and only the trees and chimney remained standing.

"Aging Panes"

"Echos Through Time"

(The old farmhouse in the background)

A sign of spring! "Cow-lick"

Safari on a Farm?

2011-03-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

Someday it is my dream is to go on a real photo safari in Africa, but since that is not going to happen any time soon..... you have to rely on imagination and creativity to fuel the photography adventures.
In the winter, when everything seems gray and lifeless, photography opportunities and inspiration seem to dwindle. So my husband and I decided to go on photo safari's to "local" places. Places that seem mundane and normal to most of us that pass by. For me it's a challenge to appreciate and capture the landscape of everyday life with new eyes. To see that which we would pass by without a second glance. So for now the Lions and Giraffes will have to wait and the cows and llamas get their 15 minutes of fame.

This "farm" safari is just one in a series of winter time shoots that we've been on this year. The next few safari's will be to a junk yard and an old pioneer grave yard. If you have any ideas or favorite places to paint or photograph, I'd love to hear about them!!!
Hope these make you smile and perhaps inspire you to go on your own creative safari?? Have a great day friends, Anni :)

Archives of Spring

2011-02-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

These are a few pictures from my archives of spring. It seems anytime I photograph flowers inevitably there is a spider or a bug peering into the camera lens. And as always being that I'm a quote junkie, I've included a few quotes that I have found inspiring. Hope you are taking time to be creative :) Have a good weekend! Anni

"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe,

is as good as dead; his eyes are closed." -Albert Einstein

"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language." -Walt Disney

"My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work hard and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there." ~Indira Gandhi

"The sun shines, warms and lights us and we have NO curiosity to know why this is so; but yet we ask the reason of all evil, of pain, hunger, mosquitoes and silly people."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

"The beauty of the earth, the beauty if the sky, the order of the stars,the sun,the moon....their very loveliness is their confession of God"- Augustine

"Where the eye is focused, there the imagination finds its raw material.

The right focus must be won at immense cost and discipline. Train the eye to see the good, and the imagination will follow suit."-Ravi Zacharias

"Our integrity, our actions, how we treat people are a self-portrait of who we really are. Autograph your work with excellence." ~Author Unknown

"A mistake made by many people with great convictions is that they will let nothing stand in the way of their views, not even kindness."- B. H. McGill

"Small kindnesses, small courtesies, small considerations, habitually practiced, give a greater charm to the character of a person than the display of great talents and accomplishments."~ Mary Ann Kelty

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." ~Mark Twain

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people;

and, of course, as long as you are looking down,

you cannot see something that is above you." — C.S. Lewis

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.

It is the source of all true art and science. -Albert Einstein

The Color of Winter

2011-01-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Buurrrrr!!....It's 30 degrees outside, life has been shrouded in fog and ice crystals. The sun for just a moment peeked through the gray clouds of winter yesterday. So like a moth to a flame (cliche I know) I gravitated to the window to feel it's warm amber rays. Something blurred past the window and it found rest in a nearby tree. I had a good idea what it was and the sunlight wouldn't last long! I ran to get the tripod, attached the zoom lens to my camera then quietly opened the front door just wide enough to take 10 pictures before the sun disappeared and the hummingbird flew off. It was worth the effort! God was reminding me of His splendor as always :)

Oak trees covered in ice crystals

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed new year!! :) Anni

Thank You!

2010-12-14T17:37:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that 2010 is almost over! As I reflect over this past year, I just wanted to give tribute and a special Thank You to everyone who gave this beginning photographer the chance to take your pictures. It meant a lot to me. I learned so much from each shoot and who knew taking portraits could be so much fun? You all were such a pleasure to work with and I am looking forward to 2011's photo shoots with some more fun and creative ideas! Thank You again!! Anni

2010-12-06T14:05:00.000-08:00

I read in a magazine that landscape photography is the most difficult. I believe it! I so admire landscape photographers and their work. This is my attempt at a landscape and it was poorly planned. My husband and I strolled down to the beach to catch the sunset in Cannon Beach,Oregon. Little did I know that the colors of the sunset that evening were going to be outrageous! We were pressed for time to meet some friends for dinner.....so I thought just lean on the railing and try to get a shot without getting a blurry photo. So I held my breath and took the shot. I only took one picture,but I can see if I had thought this out and had planned this shoot what may have been. Live and learn. If you look closely there is a photographer in the sunlight on the beach with his tripod. That is the way to do it. My hat is off to all of you who photograph landscapes!! :)

Paws and Rust 2011 Calendars

2010-12-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Wooowhooo!!!! I now have 2 calendars out for 2011! One is called "Always Time for Paws" (click HERE to view calendar) It is a photograph collection of furry friends that I have taken over the last several years. (Samples seen down below) Great for all the dog lovers out there. And the second calendar is called "Rusty Rigs" (click HERE to view calendar)....which is a collection of old trucks and cars that I've photographed. Kind of fun to see in a collection of 12 months :) Hope you enjoy them!
Have a great day friends, Anni

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

DECEMBER

"RUSTY RIGS" 2011 Calendar

DECEMBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

MAY

Going to the Dogs!

2010-11-29T15:31:00.000-08:00

In the last several months, I have been introduced to Christmas card shoots for friends.This is a ton of fun and it is quite a challenge for a beginner like myself.

I now can see the mistakes I made in some of the lighting on this shoot,(I should have used a back light ) but I was just tickled to get all the dogs looking up!! While I was setting up the lights, I managed a few impromptu shots if Emily and Bella, a Labradoodle. Love to incorporate the furry family into photos!

I think the pictures speak for themselves....we had a blast!

Thank You for a fun photo session Bill,Jenny,Emily and Joe. And also to the wonderful furry friends.. Buddy (American Bulldog), Bella (white Labradoodle), and Finnegan (Labradoodle)

Bella and Emily

Buddy, an American Bulldog and Bill

Getting ready for the photo the was a room filled with laughter. The dogs were soOoo excited to get to sit on the couch!

MERCY (featuring Lynda Morrison)

2010-11-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Thank You to the band, MERCY, for another great photo session. You guys are blast to work with and photograph! Click here to listen to the soulful music of MERCY.

Paying tribute to Elvis and the famous lip curl.

Left to right: Dave Day-lead guitar, Gary Nisbit-keyboard, Lynda Morrison- lead vocalist,

Denny Carmassi -drums, John Lingafelter-bass

Cape Blanco Lighthouse

2010-10-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

Cape Blanco, Circa 1870

There is just something mysterious and fascinating about lighthouses. My husband and I recently had to pleasure of visiting many of the Lighthouses along the Oregon coastline. The first lighthouse (as seen above) is the Cape Blanco lighthouse.

"Cape Blanco is the most southern of Oregon's lights, and is the westernmost point in Oregon. Proposed in 1864, it was the first lighthouse in the state outfitted with a first-order Fresnel lens in 1870."

"Augustin Jean Fresnel (Freh-nel) made the greatest stride in lighthouse technology when he invented his optic system. Fresnel’s system used prisms to focus the light lost above and below the light source, back into a single beam of light. The light is focused through the center of the lens (drum panel or bulls-eye) creating a highly visible beam of light."

"This isolated lighthouse holds at least four Oregon records: it is the oldest continuously operating light, the most westerly, it has the highest focal plane above the sea, (256 feet), and Oregon’s first woman keeper, Mabel E. Bretherton signed on in March 1903."

"Cape Blanco’s history is full of shipwrecks and lives saved."

(The information quotes above are from the Port Orford Oregon website.For more historical information on the lighthouse just click on the link and it will take you to their website. Text © 2003 - 2008 -T. Hewitt)

Warm and friendly volunteers escort your tour through the old lighthouse.

The spiral staircase

What is it about old buildings? They are just kind of spooky!

Port Orford's beautiful coastline and friendly people make us look forward to visiting there again! Thank You for another fabulous Oregon adventure :)

Dog Portraits

2010-10-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

None of these dog portraits were a planned photo-shoot. Half the fun of photography for me is the spontaneous pursuit of any given subject.( That means carrying the camera around with you everywhere ya go) Here are a few of my favorites along with some fun dog quotes. Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend :)

"To a dog, the whole world is a smell."-Author Unknown

"My dog, she looks at me sometimes with that look, and I think maybe deep down inside she must know exactly how I feel. But then maybe she just wants the food off my plate." - Author Unknown

"The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue."-Author Unknown

"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language." - M. Buber

"My goal is to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am" - Anonymous

"Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails." ~M. Eastman

Friends

2010-10-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

My husband and I love to hike. One windy very cold day, he and I took a rather long walk on the beach. We were getting a bit tired, cold and shall we say....whiny from lugging around camera equipment. (Okay, I admit he didn't whine, it was all me.) But we pressed on a little further because we saw in the distance a couple of people taking in the majestic views.

Now, you have to look closely or you'll miss it. (click on the photos below and they will enlarge to a full screen) It's what tugged at my heart. These two friends, were older ladies and they had to walk a pretty good distance to sit where they were. They sat there for a long time never really talking to each other, comfortably staring at the ocean and it's billowing waves. Seeing these women made me reevaluate my own life's circumstances, count my blessings and needless to say I didn't whine once on the long hike back.

Have a good weekend friends!

I liked that they were both wearing red and decided it would be fun to emphasize that as focal point for this photograph. (coastguard ship is in the background.)

Rust Rigs: The sequel

2010-09-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

My creativity comes to life with renewed enthusiasm, when it comes to taking photographs of unconventional things. So when my husband and I drive the highways and back roads of Oregon, we will frequently come to abrupt STOP's......to take pictures of old rusty yard cars rusting away in hayfield's, barns and junk yards. We’ve been greeted by old guard dogs (lots of barking, no biting), bulls, geese (the geese are meaner than any of the bulls or dogs!), wonderful friendly farmers and cute little ol’ladies who love to tell stories about their lives.

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

"If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera." ~Lewis Hine

The enemy of photography is the convention, the fixed rules of 'how to do'. The salvation of photography comes from the experiment." -Anonymous

"Creativity is intelligence having fun.."

"To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted." ~G. Kneller

"Art is the colors and textures of your imagination." ~Meghan, L. C. Middle School, 1999

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for. "Georgia O'Keeffe

If you don't take the time to look, you'll never manage to see anything. - Anonymous

Happy 50th Anniversary!

2010-09-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

There is an old saying, "You can pick your friends but you can't pick your family." I prefer to twist that around a little and say "friends ARE the family you get to pick" :) And then there are those people that are both!!

I am a very blessed person to be able to call my brother and my sister-in-law my friends. Roy and I didn't have the pleasure of growing up together due to circumstances beyond our control, but in the last decade or so we have had a wonderful time getting to know each other.

I like to joke that we are twins separated at birth....he's 69 and I'm 45. Is that EVEN possible? My brother got ALL the good looks and charm in the family and I inherited what was left over in the gene pool. So I guess I had to settle for intelligence. (wink,wink...just kidding) I can hear you laughing Roy.

The purpose of this blog post today is to congratulate Roy and Judy. They are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary!! They were childhood sweethearts and their love has held strong for 50 years. You guys are a wonderful example to Reggie and I. We love you both so very much.

PS Judy, don't let Roy take that "river" shirt to Europe okay? (laughing)

Happy 50th Anniversary!!

The Cure for Boredom.

2010-09-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

‎'The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.' - E. Parr

Meet my cat Sam. Sam is the forever curious cat. It NEVER fails when I take pictures out in my yard, Sam has to get his face up close and personal with the camera. I decided to take advantage of his curiosity one day and this is what the camera captured. :)

Hey,Hey Dragonfly....

2010-08-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

"Come a little closer, dragonfly.Settle down with me a little while.
I'm turning off the phone and enterprise, I could use your company, all right...
(Chorus)
Hey, hey dragonfly I'd like to stare into your big bug eyes. Get a closer look at your fine wings
Think about some fleeting, pretty things ....Hey, hey, hey dragonfly "
-lyrics from Fernando Ortega's Cd 2004

Macro photography is quickly becoming one of my favorite and most challenging pursuits with the camera. Close-up photography gives you that bugs eye view of design, textures, color and a whole world that we would otherwise not take time to notice.

I did not use a zoom lens for these dragonfly shots. I stood in one place,very patiently until this dragonfly became comfortable enough with my presence to land on his (or her?) perch.Then I slowly got as close as I could. I didn't use a tripod or a shutter release cable, so the sharp focus is not quite there. My wimpy arms and shoulders paid the price too!! (laughing) But I thought they'd be fun pictures to share nonetheless. :) Hope you enjoy the bugs eye view and thanks for visiting!!

Frogs :)

2010-07-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

Obvious Beauty and Little Mystery

2010-06-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl my dad used to say to me, "you could look at a weed and find a reason to take a picture of it."

Hmmmm?....well, that creative fascination and curiosity resides within me still. As much as I love to photograph and I value obvious works of beauty, it is an artistic challenge to look beyond what I would normally pass by without a second glance or consideration. It might not be something I’d hang on my wall, but not all works of art or creative adventures were meant to hang on the wall or match my couch.

I remember once a few years back I heard someone of "faith" say on the radio, "people don't like to think about their art." (yikes! Sort of a broad generalization?) And then the person began to explain why we should always paint or create obvious works of beauty that we don't have to ever explain.

I think (yes, think) that even in Gods creation we see obvious works of beauty that don't need any explanation. It’s majestic and glorious. However, I also see some of His artwork that just baffles me and cause me to wonder with great curiosity as to……WHY? What was He trying to say or thinking when He made that? I happen to like mystery and I love that He didn't create things in a cookie cutter fashion!!!

Is it possible, just maybe He did that on purpose? Maybe He’d like us to think? Use some imagination even? It’s just a thought…..

Here are a few picture from an old barn my husband and I came across in our travels as well as some picture from one of my favorite places Taos,New Mexico.

Hope you all are having a great first day of summer.
Take some time to be creative!! Anni

Window from the old barn

HA....I thought my windows at home were dirty. ;)

Barn door. Going green and a little rusty.

The pictures from Taos,New Mexico were not taken with the good camera I have now. But I think they are still a fun example.

Old Adobe complete with red soda machine :) Taos,New Mexico

Old church doors in Taos,New Mexico

This old door in Taos had obvious beauty and a little mystery :)

Thank You Randy for showing Reggie and I your beloved Taos!!

Swan Dance?

2010-06-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

My husband and I stopped at a local winery to enjoy a glass of wine and take a few pictures of the swans at a nearby pond. The picture (below) isn't a great shot, but it is the rather large swan approaching us. The first words out of my mouth as I was taking the pictures were "his body language can't be a good sign"

I retreated :) Didn't want the camera to get damaged. My husband on the other hand stood his ground thinking "it's just a bird". Well that bird went at my husbands kneecaps with a vengeance (and a few other areas). I could almost hear the music from the movie "JAWS" playing as the swan ransacked his knees. This gave a whole new meaning to Swan dance. I didn't take pictures of the event because I was laughing too hard!!! (don't worry, my husband didn't get hurt and neither did the swan)

By the end of the evening I managed to make friends with the aggressive swan. But he continued to have a “peck” shall we say....with my hubby. ;)

The pictures of the swans are before and after (a little creative tweaking)

Before (above) and after (below)

"Poppies...Poppies...Pretty Poppies"

2010-06-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

"Poppies....Poppies....Pretty Poppies" Can you name the movie from which that quote came from?

This morning had the perfect lighting conditions for all those gorgeous poppies blooming in my yard. Slight overcast with beautiful early morning light make the flowers glow!! Here are a few photographs from today along with some creative "tweaking" for the card series that I started called "Colorful Contours". If you see a picture you like you can visit my web page at: www.Zazzle.com/AnniJonesPhotography* where you can find greeting cards, invitations, postage stamps and coffee mugs with these images and more!

I am also now on Facebook at : Anni Jones Photography

Thanks for visiting and take time to be creative today :) Anni

Creative Photo Blur with MERCY

2010-06-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Before and after......

Nothing is more challenging to me as a photographer than to take pictures in low lighting conditions.Even if the object is holding still it's not an easy task! But then add movement to that recipe and you end up with a lot of blurry pictures!!

I have had the wonderful pleasure in recent months to help out a band with their promotional pictures. MERCY (featuring Lynda Morrison) has an amazing energy in their band. Soul, R&B, Rock'n'Roll, Blues, Gospel, Funk and even a little bit of Country is in their repertoire. If you don't start tapping your foot or grinning from ear to ear with delight from listening to their music, you might want to take a pulse!!

Most of the opportunities to take pictures of MERCY are in live performances or during a video taping, so I haven't been able to use a bounce flash or reflectors.With that said, the obvious conclusion is I get a few blurry pictures! However instead of trashing the blurry photos I use a little creativity and some help from my photo software to gain some fun results! Hope you enjoy the pictures!! Anni

Also some take time to listen to MERCY featuring Lynda Morrison by going to their web page at:
www.ReverbNation.com/MercyfearturingLyndaMorrison

Dave Day-guitar, Ron Brett-Drums, Lynda Morrsion-vocalist, John Lingafelter -bass,Gary Nibet-keyboard

John Lingafelter-bass Aka "Finger-Melter"

Dave Day of MERCY-guitarist extraordinaire!

www.myspace.com/davedayguitarist

The amazing: Lynda Morrison

www.ReverbNation.com/MERCYfeaturingLyndaMorrison

Here are a few shots that aren't blurry :) Make sure to check out the soulful and energetic tunes of MERCY featuring Lynda Morrison!!

MERCY

Zazzle "Todays Best" ?!?

2010-05-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

Today I kept receiving "congratulations!" messages on Zazzle about a card I just posted. I was a bit puzzled, so after a little investigation I found out one of my Fathers day cards made it on Zazzles "Today’s Best" woowhoo!! Who would have "thunk" it?!? (doing the happy dance) Thank You Zazzle! And thank you everyone for your kind congratulations :)

To see this Fathers Day card click on the title> Happy Fathers Day-Love

Art of the Heart

2010-05-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine sent me an article a few days ago entitled "What if I didn't have a dog?" I had to laugh because my life and home has been filled with furry faces as long as I can remember! One of the paragraphs from the article (author unknown) said, "If I didn't have a dog, I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety. My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated. All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.I would have money, and no guilt to go on a real vacation. I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn Grand kids through college."

So True!! But this sounds more like a sterile museum instead of a home to me but then again I'm biased to these "canine grass-mine culprits."

Seriously, I think a home should be what makes you and your family spend time together and build healthy bonds. Make it a warm enjoyable home for your family and not with someone else's opinion in mind. Everyone is different. God is good at making variety, just look around at His art and creation!

You may have little kids running through house with their laughter filling the hallways as it fills your heart with joy? You may have teenagers and the sounds of the latest music trends vibrating through your houses walls? You may have cats that run your home? (laughing) For my husband and I, our furry friends have filled our home with warmth and laughter. These hot breathed slobber machines have been a wonderful gift to us from our creator.The dogs only fault really.....is they just don't live long enough.

I just recently decided to use some the photographs that I have taken through the years of our canine kids to start a series of cards and coffee mugs called "Lessons from a Dog." They are an artistic expression from my heart. Mostly, they are just lighthearted, sometimes sentimental lessons with an appreciation for the four legged friend. Each picture has a special meaning and memory. Hope you enjoy them. Take time to enjoy your family and what makes your house a home!!

In Memory of Zachariah........"Lessons from a Dog"

"Don't pretend to be something that you are not"

"Anybody that doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog"

"It's okay to take naps and dream....."

"Pay attention and look people in the eyes"

"Take time to smell the flowers"

"Never be afraid to let someone know.....

that you really miss them"

"Say it with your eyes....I love you"

1.Run,romp and play daily.

2.Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

3.Be loyal.

4.Never pretend to be something you're not.

5.When someone is having a bad day,be silent,sit close by nuzzle them gently.

"Invite a friend to play and be silly"

"Take time to enjoy your friends"

Lessons from a Dog Card!!

2010-05-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Dance......I sold my first greeting card today! Someone in England bought the "Lessons from a dog" card. (pictured above) Thank You!!

This is a series that I decided to start since I have TONS of dog photos.

Inside this card reads:

"Things we can learn from a dog"

1.Run,romp and play daily.

2.Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

3.Be loyal.

4.Never pretend to be something you're not.

5.When someone is having a bad day,be silent,sit close by nuzzle them gently.

More lessons from a dog to come!! If you would like see the cards that are listed so far....you can click on the link www.zazzle.com/AnniJonesPhotography

Hope you are having a great day today friends.
Take time to be creative!!! Anni

Creative Inspiration Renewed!

2010-05-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

I had an unexpected surprise yesterday evening that put the wind back in my creative sails! (happy dance)

Seriously,the day didn't start out very inspirational. I spent the entire day yesterday diligently dedicated to put into practice all the tips and advice that I've been reading about in my photography books. I went outside fully anticipating a sort of "camera nirvana" to be right around the corner since I had all this NEW information!! HA

Not one single photograph turned turned out. My creative spirit at this point was pretty deflated. I followed all the steps and yet I couldn't figure out what in the world was going on.......frankly it was a good day if you liked blurry over exposed photographs. (big sigh)

That same day we were invited by good friends to attend an event for International Justice Mission . International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. For more information click on their name and help this courageous cause.
It was a truly an amazing event on many levels.

Met a lot of big hearted people wanting to help in the fight against human slavery.

Met two outstanding musicians,Jonathan Kingham and Ryan Smith.They captivated the guests that evening with their music and their hearts for IJM. Please go to their web page and listen to Jonathan Kingham at www.JonathanKingham.com and listen to his newly released album. It is awesome!!

I was then introduced to a kind gentleman by the name of Chip Simons.
Chip had in tow with him the most outrageous Nikon D3S. I felt a little rude staring at the camera but with a big smile he hands me the camera and starts telling me about it.(I know I drooled a little) But the real inspiration began as he shared with me some of his experiences as a professional photographer for 28 years. He imparted some invaluable advice that I won't soon forget and that I really needed to hear. He said, "BE CREATIVE" :) I thought as he said that, I am liking this and I can do that!!!
I am not quoting him verbatim, but in essence he shared with me .......YES, learn your camera, know it well. Then break the rules and be creative. Pretend you're 2 inches tall,look up and take the shot. Blindfold yourself and as you hear sounds, point the camera in the direction of that sound (okay don't do this on a busy street or by a cliff. A safe environment is assumed ) and take the picture. Don't throw away the blurry photos, take them into photo shop and have some fun. Sometimes you can create awesome images with those photos you think are mistakes.
Through that evening I observed Chip as he took pictures of the guests. He would hold the camera down low without looking through the viewfinder and he'd take a few pictures. The next time I'd see him holding the camera above the heads of everyone taking a few more shots. I asked to see some of the pictures and WOW! I couldn't believe it, there were some really amazing and creative shots.

Well, I began the day with deflated creative sails but the day ended with a very inspirational talk!! Thank You Mr.Simons. To view Chips extraordinary photography go to www.chipsimons.com

Well, if you have viewed this blog before,you have probably figured out by now that I am constantly dragging my friends to parts of the coast with me. My friend Karen Cain-Smith is one of those creative souls that not only loves to paint but loves to go on photo shoots. And oh my goodness, we laugh so much when we're out taking photos that I am surprised that ANY of them turn out in focus. (click on Karen's name to see her artwork) These photos were taken about a month ago. Hope you enjoy them! Anni

Karen reaching for the Sun and got the rock.

Patterns in the sandstone.

I decided to try the multiple exposure tool on my camera. I took 2 shots with this newly discovered gadget and wished I had taken more that day! This is my friend Karen and the rocks combined.(above) And the second shot was of the ocean and the patterns in the sandstone combined. (below)

Old ship smoke stack and Karen.

I thought the patterns on the old smoke stack looked like a modern art piece.

Does this shot make you nervous? ;) Believe me, I was thinking about how this shot could go really wrong!

There were several boats for sale on the docks that day. The one above is pretty but we found a boat for sale (pictured below) a lot more interesting.

It looks like the owners chipped off the barnacles from this old boats propeller to spruce it up.... I guess? I'm sure she's ready to hit those high seas now!! (yikes) Anyway, it left a cool design.

I wonder what is in that bottle?

Jack Sparrow (and his first mate) keeping watch near the crow's nest.

Hey what's a little rust on a sea vessel? But wait there more! Chipped multi-colored paint is just a small bonus on this ship. The grass growing on along the side of dry rot makes it extra special.

Karen took these photos of me. (I am not used to being IN the photographs) The picture (below) looks like we whited out the background. This photo is untouched....that was ALL white water from the wave that hit the side of the cliff.

This is a little "grainy" but I love the water in this shot.

This picture of Karen sums up how I feel when I am at the Oceans side and have a camera in my hand.

BE CREATIVE friends!!!!

Waves of Adventure

2010-05-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

"Once the amateur's naive approach and humble willingness to learn fades away, the creative spirit of good photography dies with it. Every professional should remain always in his heart an amateur. "~Alfred Eisenstaedt ~

I love this quote from Alfred Eisenstaedt. Although, I am not even close to being a professional photographer (yet) I do however appreciate his quote from the perspective of being an amateur photographer. While I have held a camera in my hands since I was 10 years old. It has only been in the last year or so that I have decided to take photography more seriously. Not for the money but for the love of the art. With reading all the books and learning from the professionals, I have new found respect for their hard work and diligence to "BE" the professionals that they are!! It is not easy task and requires a diligence in learning,a passion for the art, patience and persistence. As I learn and take in all the technical camera instruction and advice it's like learning dance steps for the first time. It doesn't feel natural or fluid. In fact it feels a bit stressful and mechanical. One, two, three....one...two......uh, did I miss a step? I am encouraged that in time with persistence and practice, knowing my camera will be like knowing how to dance. It will feel like a part of you, a natural fluid motion and well worth the work!!

These photographs were taken a few months ago on a trip with my dear friend Janet. I didn't take a tripod and I broke all the rules! But I took a few photos worth sharing nonetheless. Hope you enjoy them.

My friend Joanne painted a beautiful watercolor from this picture. To see her gorgeous artwork click here.

My friend Janet with my big baby dog of 110 pounds, Jeremiah.

With warming filter effect.(above) and without (below)

Janet admiring Gods creation. It was a good day at the ocean :)

Low Morning light, Tripod and Extension Tubes

2010-04-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Photography is like golf, you never master it, but you can always get better." - Anonymous

That is the goal! I am learning to use extension tubes to get those close up artistic shots. Fun challenge in low light! Hope you enjoy the photos and the quotes :) Anni

"Photography is way to tell others how you feel about what you see."- Anonymous

"In photography, the biggest difference between an amateur and a professional is... the size of the wastebasket." - Anonymous

"When people ask what equipment I use - I tell them my eyes." - Anonymous

"One photo out of focus is a mistake, ten photo out of focus are an experimentation, one hundred photo out of focus are a style." - Anonymous

"The enemy of photography is the convention, the fixed rules of 'how to do'. The salvation of photography comes from the experiment."- Anonymous

"If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera." ~Lewis Hine

Glorious Spring Daffodils

2010-04-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

"I think a photography class should be a requirement in all educational programs because it makes you see the world rather than just look at it".- Anonymous-

"God made the light, I just paint with it." - Anonymous

Rookies seeks sharper image.Pro's seeks to make money.Artist seeks light. - Anonymous

"It pleases me to take amateur photographs of my garden, and it pleases my garden to make my photographs look professional." -Robert Brault-

Sunshine Award

2010-04-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

The Sunshine Award

Have any of you when you were little kids, pretended you just won the academy award? I would use my curling iron as the microphone and imagined myself in a long flowing gown that twinkled with sequins.

No I didn’t win the academy award, nonetheless it is always a delight to be appreciated and encouraged by other fellow Artists.
Thank You so much to Guy Magallanes for his encouraging words about my photography and for sending me the Sunshine award. Guy is a fellow photographer, an amazing artist and he is also an art instructor. Visit his blog by clicking on his name above to see his fabulous artwork!

The rules for accepting this award are:

Post the logo on your blog or in your post or both
Pass this onto 12 bloggers
Link them in your post
Let them know they've been awarded
Link the person who awarded you in the first place

(these are listed in no particular order)

1. Joanne Giesbrecht is one of those people that I have never met in person but feel like I've known her forever. We met through "blogland" and it has been a joy to have her in my life for too many reasons to list!! She is an amazing watercolor artist, her photography has won awards and she is also a speaker. I think she does it all!! Check out her blog and see her fabulous artwork!

2.Liz Holm is another friend I've met through blogland. Liz's artwork will blow your mind! Her artwork is poetry in the form oil paints and sketches. Her caliber of expertise in art is beyond impressive but her humble heart and love for life is why I wanted to send this to her. You are an inspiration Liz.

3. Tracey Clarke paints with passion and intensity. When I first saw Tracey's work I was hooked and intrigue. Tracey engages deeply into her art. She is a deep thinker and her artwork reflects those contemplative gears in motion. I have enjoyed getting to know her through blogland and have been touched by her passion for life, God, His creatures and the arts.

4.Ross Lynem is an creative and accomplished watercolor artist. It was about a year ago or so when I received an encouraging comment from Mr.Lynem. SO I had to check out his blog and wow! The colors, textures and creative compositions are absolute eye candy!

5. William Hawkins is menagerie of gifts and talents. (I bet he laughs when he reads this) Bill is a musician, writer and an incredibly gifted artist. My husband bought me a painting of Bill's for our 21 year anniversary. I look at it every morning and I am just thrilled to own a "Paco" original. His heart seems as big as his gifts and abilities. Check out his blog and see the man who paints the clouds like no other!!! PS Paco, we still need to get you and your wife back to Oregon so we can go fishing.

6. Jimmy Pickering will be rolling his eyes at me. Jimmy is my cousin but I am convinced we were brother and sister separated at birth. As young geeky kids obsessed with art and photography we would go on photo shoots all over the Oregon landscape. I wish I would have taken my photography as seriously back then, as he took his art work. Jimmy has more talent in his little pinky than I have in my whole entire being. He is an accomplished artist and author. His work can be seen at Walt Disney Studios (and at Disneyland), Universal Studios, galleries in New York, Chicago and you can find his books all over Amazon.com......just to mention a few insignificant places. (wink wink) But what makes me really proud of you Jimmy? You are a kind man whose heart is humble and caring....don't ever let that change.

7. Sarah is a fellow photographer and animal lover. I met Sarah almost a year ago when she wrote a comment on my blog. She is a sparkplug and I love her passion and creative curiosity for photography. Sarah you keep it up my friend, someday I'll be reading about your famous works in photography. Don't forget you ol'lady friend in Oregon who knew you were awesome!?! :)

8. Sandy Coughlin a long time friend and not so reluctant entertainer. Sandy is one of those people who makes food, family and entertaining an beautiful art form.She has a passion for helping people overcome the obstacles and fears of entertaining. I must admit I have two left feet when it come to the kitchen and domestic things but Sandy is like Ginger Rogers when she waltzes into that realm of entertaining and hospitality. She has a gorgeous book that is coming out soon called "Reluctant Entertainer, The: Every Woman's Guide to Simple and Gracious Hospitality"

9.Kristen Parr is an aspiring writer and author. Her ability to be real about life's issue combined with her intelligence, love for God and quick witted sense of humor make her a joy to read. I know right now it feels like blood,sweat and tears to get started, but don't give up on your dreams. Keep writing....you've got it my friend.

10. Gaby lives in Germany. She is a master of "altered art" and her cards are full of texture, colorful inks and rich soulful images. I have tried my hand at doing altered art and it was NOT EASY to do! Gaby you have a gift and I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful creations!!

11. Megan Coyle is a collage artist. The truth is I don't know her but I admire and I'm so fascinated with her work.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....last but not least.

12. Carol Carter is an inspiration. I don't know Carol, but her artwork is a fresh breath of colors and artistic brilliance!! I just love her work.

Well Friends, I hope you get a chance to check out these some of these blogs and maybe even write someone a note of appreciation and encouragement. I'll leave you with a few of my favorite encouraging quotes. :)

"Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting." ~C. Morley~

"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did." ~N. G.~

"Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. ~J. B.~

"There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream."~Author Unknown~

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use." ~E. N.~

Photo Adventures in Rust?

2010-02-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

I spent a couple of hours in an old junky car yard not too long ago. Took a closer look at the chipping paint, cracked windshields and rust on some very old cars and trucks. It was kind of fun looking beyond what I would normally view as just junk. ;)

This may not be every one's cup of tea. It is by no means a Thomas Kinkade photo album. But it was a fun challenge looking beyond the "junk" and finding the vivid colors, textures and design. :)
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Let me say for the record, I take pictures of flowers too before you get too worried ;)

Hope you enjoy the colors, Anni

A close encounter with MERCY :)

2010-02-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

(if you received more than "one" blog notice, I apologize. I was having some trouble with posting)

Well, it has been just way too long since I have visited blog-land. Thank You for all your kind comments and encouragements! I look forward to catching up and reading about what you have been up to :)

Since my last blog in August (yikes) I have been focusing more on my photography than on the watercolors. I have SO many pictures and a list as long as my arm for more blog posts!!

As of recent days, I have been asked to do promotions for the band "MERCY"
And therefore I was given the wonderful opportunity to do the photo shoot for the band!! Now here's the deal, I am not a professional photographer nor have I ever played a photographer on T.V. but it just so happens that I pretend to be one in real life! HA

This was my first photo shoot! It was the best learning experience for photographing people. I made some mistakes and later wished I had done a few things differently but overall I think the pictures turned out good for a novice photographer like myself.
I hope you enjoy the pictures and I KNOW you will enjoy listening to the soulful music of MERCY!! Have a great day friends!! Anni

R&B Blues, Soul, Rock'n'Roll and Gospel, MERCY (featuring Lynda Morrison) for booking information and to hear MERCY's soulful music go to:

www.reverbnation.com/mercyfeaturinglyndamorrison

www.myspace.com/lyndawithay3175

or join us on Facebook www.facebook.com search for: MERCY(featuring Lynda Morrison)

This was the reflection of the band in a mud puddle....then tweaked a bit with photo software.

Lynda Morrison has the vocal power to slam you against the wall and a vulnerability that will melt your heart. Comparisons to Etta James, Eva Cassidy and Janis Joplin are not uncommon. Starting as a teen on the road by the end of the 80's she had participated in multiple tours and recording projects. In the early 90’s she recorded her first solo album, “The River”. Assisting on it were Jaymes Felix (Tower of Power), Greg Eckler (Rubicon), Bob Anglin (Sammy Hagar). She wrote or co-wrote much of the material and it was a regional success. Now performing with "MERCY”, featuring her and a 4 piece back up band Lynda performs original and classic soul, R&B, rock and blues pumping fresh new life into them with her extraordinary vocal prowess. MERCY is high energy, crowd pleasing and has extraordinary musicianship.

~Lynda Morrison~Lead singer

~John Lingafelter~ Bass and vox

MERCY performing at Characters

~ Dave Day~ Guitar and vox

~Gary Nisbet~ Keyboards/flute/harmonica and bg vox

~Ron Brett~ Drummer and bg vox

Goofing off. It was a good day!

Thank You Lynda, Dave, John, Gary and Ron. Looking forward to this year filled with the music of MERCY!!!!! :) Love you guys!!

"Mercy"

2009-08-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

"A hot dog, listening to some "Mercy" blues"

NOT to long ago, I posted a quote from Charles Swindoll ( and I paraphrase) "that 10% is what happens in life and 90% is how you respond." SO what do you do when your air conditioning goes out the day before record heat waves of 109? Sing the blues? Or better yet go listen to a long time friend sing them?

We have some wonderful vineyards and wineries here in Oregon. On these hot summer evenings they offer a venue of wonderfully gifted musicians and vocalists. My long time friend Lynda sent me a little note when her band was playing "............come see meeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!Lynda" When it comes to hearing Lynda sing you don't have to twist my arm!

I remember the first time I heard my friend sing. My husband (then boyfriend 24 years ago) went to church and the young lady I sat next to was Lynda. Her eyes were closed and her heart seemed obviously engaged, worshipping her maker with every sweet note. I on the other hand, was listening to her in amazement! Okay, no judging now ;)

Lynda has been gifted with a voice that IF velvety dark chocolate could make a sound, it would sound like her. She has a voice that could kick some American Idol backside! She has sang with some of the very best vocalists and has been accompanied by extremely talented musicians. But the thing I admire THE most about my friend is her love for God, her humble heart and her wonderful sense of humor!

A few years back, there was a benefit concert for a young woman diagnosed with a rare cancer. Four women were put together to sing that night, as one of several bands to help raise money for the medical bills. Lynda was placed along the sides of 2 very well trained, gifted vocalists and ONE marginal so-so "want to be" singer.

This left such a lasting impression on me. While it was obvious that the caliber of vocalists were "mismatched" shall we say? Lynda didn't think twice about teaming up for the cause. She joyfully coached and encouraged each one of us. She definitely raised the bar, but she was willing to help you reach that bar as best as YOU could. She didn't look down on those who didn't have her ability. She didn't play diva or snobbishly criticize. Lynda was there to serve Christ. She reflected His attitude, encouragement and His love in a very generous manner.

The concert went very well with a full house of people to support the young lady.

The young woman who had cancer is now in remission, happily married and has started a family .

The air conditioner has to be fully ripped out and replaced $$$$........NOW I'm singing the blues!

The so-so marginal singer, has learned so much from my friend. Lynda, you have touched my heart in a way I'll never forget. I am very blessed to know you and call you my friend.

Friends, take time to encourage someone. No personal agendas or strings attached, just give of your heart and serve Him generously. Reflect His love and you just never know how you will impact someones life.

Here are a few pictures of my friend's band "Mercy" singing at a local vineyard. It was a little dark in there and I didn't want to use a flash.......so they are kind of blurred.

Love ya friends!!! Anni

Heart-work

2009-07-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

It has been a while since my last post! I have been recovering from this lower back pull and oh my!! it has really taken a while to heal. However, I am convinced that it has given me time to slow down and reflect on some things and regain a compass reading.
I don't have any artwork to share today, but I guess instead I could call this Heart-work.
I must admit to you, that in this day and age my attitude sometimes just plummets to some low levels. I find that usually, it's because I am focusing on ME or the problems in this old world ,the complaints, criticisms, the dark side of life pulling at all sides and demanding my attention or even the mundane........is my life being purposeful??

We melancholies tend to go through these battles, but I bet if we are honest, putting churchy platitudes and pride aside, we all struggle at some point in our lives wondering if we are making a difference and does our life matter? Why are we here? What am I to be doing? Do we have to be front and center of peoples attention and applause? Or can we be content being servants behind the scenes, touching peoples lives ONE at a time?

I came across a few quotes given by one of my favorite teachers Chuck Swindoll: "We cannot change our past.We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitable.The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude........The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day..........Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it. "

I love that!!!

Don't misread me, we are not to be Pollyanna's, in denial with our head in the clouds and our hearts out of touch with what is going on in our world and culture. People are hurting. They are wondering if there is any "hope". And we are to be His ambassadors. Representing Him, His attitude, His love and hope.

But we have to train our own hearts and minds to "think correctly". If we don't, we will wind up in the same despairing thoughts and traps. Scriptures give us a clue,that we are to guard our minds and hearts. To pay attention and even practice what we are thinking about.

"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think ; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly...." Romans 12:3-6 NASU

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."Philippians 4:4-9 NASU

This on going battle that we are in, is worth it friends. It isn't easy.....but it is worth it. Will I still struggle with a bad attitude or feel some lows again? Most likely. You see, I am far from being perfect in any way and my emotions and mind follows suit I am afraid. However I am.........."being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you (and me) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 1:6 NIV

AND

"Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen." ~Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT

Big sigh.......of relief and yes, a confident expectation in HIM = hope.

I came across this article today written by Margaret Manning. I found it VERY encouraging and inspiring. Hope it encourages you too! The next post I will have some new artwork to show you :)

Keep being creative and using your gifts!!! In His Grace, Anni

Stewards of Culture by Margaret Manning

I am a gardener. When I say that I am a gardener, I mean that I love working with soil, pruning, weeding, planting, and tending to whatever plot of earth I've been afforded in the hopes of nurturing growth. I do not always produce a bountiful harvest, but I love the sense of craft, care, and cultivation that goes into making a beautiful garden.
In my current locale, I have been made the steward of the gardens that were planted long before I ever arrived on the scene. My landlords loved to garden as well, and have left me in charge of caring for the well-designed garden beds of various flowers, trees, and now a lone tomato plant. I feel the strong sense of responsibility to sustain, nourish, and cultivate the yard that has been entrusted to my care.
In contrast, I am often surprised at my disregard for the common spaces we share in our neighborhood. Often, litter is scattered across the sidewalks and streets. Most of the time, I do not stop to exercise the same care and stewardship as I do over my own yard to pick up the trash that mars the landscape. I don’t make the connection between my own lack of care and attention and the anger or despair I feel over its prevalence and the cavalier attitude of those who litter in the first place.
Perhaps this serves as an analogy for our stewardship of culture itself. Unfortunately, as writer Gregory Wolfe suggests, “many Christians have allowed themselves to become so estranged from contemporary culture that they have essentially given up any hope of influencing the artists who will create the visual images, stories, and music that shape our time.”(1) Indeed, Wolfe goes on to wonder if Christians have ever applied the concept of stewardship to the wider culture. We fail to realize the connection between our own despair and anger over the demise of culture, and our own unwillingness to exercise stewardship, care, and responsibility for our culture.
Often our lack of involvement in the culture contrasts sharply with the stewardship we assume over the resources we’ve been given in our families, our gifts, and our talents. Yet as Christians it would seem a vital part of our mission in this world to seek out ways to cultivate our culture, just as we would cultivate the land or soil in preparation for growing crops or plants. So what might this cultural cultivation entail?
First, we exercise cultural stewardship by becoming familiar with our culture through art, music, literature and film. How can we speak into our culture when we do not know its language? Spiritual discernment and a level of spiritual maturity are essential in this process, and one need not see, read, or listen to every movie, art exhibit, book, or piece of music in order to learn how to speak into culture. Rather, what are the cultural works that stir discussion in our churches, at our workplaces, or in our social settings? Those might be voices we need to hear and enter into these discussions with the unique message of the gospel.
Second, we exercise cultural stewardship by recovering the doctrine of the Incarnation. The Incarnation of Jesus suggests the total union of the human and divine. Wolfe notes that we apply this Incarnational balance to many of our theological concepts, holding together in union God’s justice and God’s mercy, God’s sovereignty, and human responsibility.(2) In a similar manner, the Incarnation serves as a plumb line for our engagement with the various voices of our culture. If we simply enter into cultural engagement without spiritual discernment, we are driven here and there by every trend and twist in our culture. However, if we remove ourselves from all cultural engagement, we lose our ability to communicate and speak to the culture lacking the vocabulary of faith.
Finally, we exercise cultural stewardship by remembering that we are made in the image of the God who creates. All that God created, God declared “good.” While sin mars and distorts the goodness of God, God’s image-bearers are called to seek out ways in which we can create meaning and beauty, justice, and righteousness in our world. We highlight the good of Creation by being cultural creators and not simply cultural despisers.
In other words, we ought not simply see the trash of culture and do nothing about it. Instead, as image-bearers, God calls us to pick it up along the way, and to cultivate a culture that values beauty, goodness, and truth.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.
(1) Gregory Wolfe, “Art, Faith, and the Stewardship of Culture,” December 31, 2008, http://catholic.net/, accessed July 15, 2009.(2) Ibid.
© 2008 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

The Fragrance of Humility

2009-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

"I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.”~Charles R. Swindoll

Having no choice but to be "still" this last week. I have had the pleasure of reminiscing over the bloggers that I have met in these last several months. I have been blown away by you! I told a friend not too long ago, that if I never wrote another blog entry or had another reader, it would ALL have been worth it meeting the people I have met!!

I think what came to my mind most, was the fragrance of humility!

I have seen some amazing art work from every medium and genre. Your photography is breathtaking. I have also read some raw honest writing from your hearts. So gifted!! Yet your humble attitudes and willingness to encourage other people in your field, has been such an inspiration to me.

Friends, don't EVER lose that wonderful heart humility that you have. Continue to inspire and encourage others around you ......it is a sweet fragrance.

I leave you with some of my favorite quotes on humilty. These particular quotes have inspired me, kicked me in the backside and some have made me laugh!! Humor always helps :) and a few pictures (as always) in between.

Have a wonderful week friends!! Appreciate you all, Anni

"The road to success leads through the valley of humility, and the path is up the ladder of patience and across the wide barren plains of perseverance. As yet, no short cut has been discovered."~Joseph. J. Lamb~

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."~ John Wooden

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."~ Mother Teresa

"Pride slays thanksgiving, but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves."~ Henry Ward Beecher

"I have learned lately that at times I have avoided prayer because it is truly in the presence of God that we see the truth. We see His Love and we see our heart - so frequently I keep the noise level up in my life so that I don't face either. But when i get quiet and I listen and quit doing and asking...He shows me the most amazing things and I think - why do I not do this more often? Silly ME "~C. Heartwell

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world."~ Mother Teresa

"Swallow your pride occasionally, it's non-fattening!" ~Author Unknown

"A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle." ~Benjamin Franklin

"Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self." ~Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are." ~Malcolm S. Forbes

"True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes. " ~Edward Frederick Halifax

"Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character. " ~Horace Greeley

"Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity."~ author??

"Correction does much, but encouragement does more." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among men the greatest asset I possess. The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement."~ Charles Schwab

"Mary Higgins Clark was my age when she wrote her first book. John Grisham was turned down over 80 times before he sold The Firm. The same kind of story for J.K. Rowling. Fellow aspiring writers - stay the course!"~ S.Roberts

"Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." ~Albert Einstein

"I couldn't wait for success... so I went ahead without it." ~Jonathan Winters

"You shouldn't gloat about anything you've done; you ought to keep going and find something better to do. " ~David Packard

"Humility is the only true wisdom by which we prepare our minds for all the possible changes of life." ~George Arliss

"The throne of humility must be the heart. I do hate, of all things, that humility which lives in the face."~Charles Spurgeon

Feeling Froggy

2009-06-26T10:24:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends,
Hope your week has gone well??

Gosh, summer has started out of the gate at full speed! It has just been crazy!
I know people, whom I admire, that just seem to thrive on constant activity....go...go...go. I am not one of those people. Constant busyness for me depletes my creativity, steals my strength and makes me a bit of a grump.(how's that for honesty)

SO with the help of my husband, I am finally learning how to slow it down. Sometimes it is saying "no" to perfectly fun invitations, without feeling guilty about it or having to give an excuse "WHY". In the long run I am healthier physically, my relationships are better and even my spiritual life is healthier. As my husband tells me "you are a much more pleasant person when you are creative and not burning the candle at both ends" LOL

There are so many fun events, real needs to meet and opportunities to help out there in this world. However, we have to choose wisely or it will overwhelm us and burn us out . I can actually give more quality time to my husband,family,friends and causes when I am not on the edge of burnout and exhaustion. The constant pressure from all sides, that tell us to "DO MORE" has to be filtered through His wisdom and common sense.

DO any of you struggle with finding those boundaries?

Well confession time...LOL!! When I don't slow down, my poor'ol body usually gives me the ultimate hint.

My BACK gives out!! This last week I've been walking around like Tim Conway's impersonation of the "old man" on the Carol Burnett show.
This kind of back pain you can't move, it hurts to sit or to lay down! Then I see my sweet husband shaking his head........."you over did it again" sigh.

SO in an attempt to "slow down" here are some pictures :) I can still take pictures!!! For me photography is a way of relaxing and spending time thanking God for His amazing art work.
I want to do a watercolor series of frogs. So here are a few reference shots I took of our green little friends that reside at our ponds edge.

Thank You for all your encouragements and comments.Hope you take time to rest, even if for a moment. Take time to explore your artistic side and be creative!!!!

''When you burn the candle at both ends you're not as bright as you think. '' ~ John Mason~

What are the Enemies of the Habit of Rest? by Jay Dennis
1. Busyness – I just don’t have time to rest.
2. Guilt – I will feel guilty.
3. Unrealistic expectations – The job won’t get done if I take the time to rest.
4. Over scheduling – I can’t stop or I will get so behind I will never get caught up.

"When the fire of prayer goes out, the barrenness of busyness takes over." ~George Carey~

"Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself,your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work." ~Ralph Marton~

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time"~ John Lubbock~

"Competition is such a virtue, and everybody is so busy competing, they have no time for compassion."~Major Owens ~

"Jesus was asleep in a boat during a fierce storm. And behold, there arose a great storm...but Jesus Himself was asleep. (Matt. 8:24) Confidence in the Father allowed Jesus to sleep in the midst of the storm. Our faith(*trust in God) brings us peace no matter what the storm.~Jay Dennis~

*added by me.

"Rest: the sweet sauce of labor"~ Plutarch quote~

No rEgrets

2009-06-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." ~Scott Adams~
Do you ever start a project and get to a stalemate or a draw? (no pun intended) I started this Egret painting and there it sits, just staring at me. Look,when I walk..... it's eyes follow me around my art studio.

I have a whole pile of paintings that I call my "needs resurrecting pile." I think part of it is that old "we are OUR own worst critic" thing. I build up an expectation or a standard in my minds eye. Then when it falls short of that expectation, I don't give it a chance to get finished. Does that make sense? I am thinking, there is a lot to be said about just finishing a project. Even if it doesn't quite turn out the way you thought it should. Consider it a learning process, relax the perfectionism, enjoy painting and creating? Hey now there's an idea, No rEgrets!

Speaking of No Egrets. I have an obsession with getting a GREAT picture of this shy white bird. I have tirelessly tried to get a good close up shot. But just when I think, Ah Ha....the twig "SNAPS" under my foot, the beautiful and unsociable bird takes flight. I have EVEN had several of these gorgeous birds squawk at me as they fly off. I just know that was "fowl" language! ;-) I won't give up on getting that "prized" photograph. Here are a few shots of the bird that got away.

(Along with the White Egret pictures are a few of my favorite Art quotes.)

Friends, take time to be kind and encourage someone out there.

Keep learning,exploring and enjoy being creative!

"Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything."~Gustave Flaubert~

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." ~Henry Ward Beecher~

"Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem."(author unknown)

"Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression." ~Isaac Bashevis Singer~

"Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul."~ W. Somerset Maugham~

" Art begins with resistance - at the point where resistance is overcome. No human masterpiece has ever been created without great labor." ~Andre Gide~

Determination, Imagination, Foundation

2009-06-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

As I have been reading blogs and seeing some of the amazing artwork of my friends out there in blog land, I have begun to realize I REALLY need to practice the discipline of drawing more! For some people drawing comes so natural for them. They breathe and they draw a beautiful masterpiece. Can you hear the envy?

I learn so much from them. I observe their passion, their steadfast hard work and discipline to their art work. Their dedication inspires me.

What I lack in skill, I make up for in imagination and determination. However, I need to DRAW more! Drawing is the foundation. I wrestle with this because drawing just doesn't come easy for me and I don't particularly enjoy it as much as I LOVE to paint. I see detail, color and a whole host of images in my minds eye but it doesn't do me much good if I can't translate it well, onto the paper or canvas. SIGH.

To start this discipline, I took an art class from my friend Karen Cain-Smith. (You can see her amazing work by going to the links listed) She is an fabulous artist, very patient and encouraging with those of us that are novices. Her challenge for the class was to take a photograph or an object, then do 7 or 8 quick sketches of it from different perspectives and angles.

I could feel the blood drain from my face. I am totally intimidated by this!! Give me the paint, the textures, the creative brainstorming but make me draw and my confidence level, crawls out of the room like a slug avoiding salt!

I am a bit embarrassed to share my "caveman" like drawings in this post. My goal is to encourage those of you who are novices or those that have struggles with drawing or other aspects of art. Don't give up!! Drawing isn't my strength but I can learn to do this better and get stronger in this area. It will make my paintings have more impact and help me not hide behind the paint and color.

This was a photograph I took about 10 years ago with a terrible camera. But I love the mood and mystery in this shot.

Okay, I misunderstood my friends instructions a little bit and my imagination took over. There is no mouse in the picture but I thought there should be one! LOL

Caveman drawing exhibit "A"
I realized after sketching this, the shadows on the columns and the floor were all wrong. That is WHY you are supposed to look at what your drawing instead of making it up as you go! My poor art instructor.

Back to my over active imagination.......No this wasn't in the picture either.

Well, this sort of WAS in the picture. I just added a little something.

Different angles, I heard that at least?

So there you have it. Caveman drawings but practicing drawing nonetheless!

Hope you are encouraged. Keep learning and have fun being creative!!!

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt

Never a Bored Gourd!

2009-06-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

After a long HOT day of yard work. My sweet husband was reclining in his chair, reading through the "nickel" news paper ( a free news paper filled with want ads ,garage sales and stuff) says to me, "Hey Hon, here is an add for some gourds." What a guy! So we called on the add, only to find out she was our neighbor down the road.

We headed over to people's home to look at the home grown gourds. He was a sweet warm man, retired Fireman and she is a wonderful artist in her 70's and I'm thinking she could literally run circles around me!! Wonderful people. And wow the gourds!

As you can see in the above picture, this particular gourd was massive! My constant sidekick, Gabriel, wasn't amused by the strange object or having to sit and stay by it so I could take a picture. Not all of the gourds were this massive :) The ones I usually work with are much smaller.

These gourds are well dried but haven't been cleaned yet. LOVE the colors and patterns in these. The spots remind me of the leopard seals in my last post!

Gabriel's expression in this photo made me laugh! I think he thought, it was going to come to life. And it just may, in an artistic way!
I learned this fun gourd art in an art class I took several years ago. The woman I took the class from is an amazing artist and teacher. Her enthusiasm was contagious and her encouragement put wind in your creative sails.
Half the fun was finding all the goodies,do-dahs and thingies to glue and attach to the gourds! We even went to several junk yards looking for metal shavings to old rusty wire and iron remnants.

Okay,here we go. The gourds are all cleaned and sanded.

Next, I drilled some holes to attach a stand and a base to the gourds. I use a strong 3 minute epoxy to glue them into place. (wearing gloves,eye protection and in a well ventilated area)

Next is a couple of coats of acrylic gesso. Now I have to wait for it to dry well.

The next thing I am going to add is pictured down below.

Any guesses what this creature will be??

Take some time to breathe, have fun with some paint and be creative :)

Have a great week friends!!

Spiritual Barnacles

2009-05-30T06:22:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends! Here are a few pictures I took at the Oregon Coast last week. My husband and I went there to celebrate our 21st anniversary. Where does the time go? I am so thankful for this man God has blessed me with. I don't deserve him.

Also wrote a few thoughts on what God has been working on and doing in my heart recently. Hope somehow it encourages you!

For the most part I am a very private person and most definitely an introvert, a square peg of sorts. I do have a lot of wonderful long time friends and new friends. I care about and love people.But I have had an ongoing struggle. As I have just turned 44, I have been taking a closer look at and dealing with a particular issue. Maybe you can relate? Maybe not?
I feel like the majority of my life, people have tried to change me into their extroverted traditional skills and social expectations. Big sigh.

I so appreciate people and their different giftedness, however at times I don't think they quite understand that God didn't make us with ALL the same dispositions. (only 1 out of 4 people are introverts)
I think they mean well, however the scriptures about God making us with different gifts and abilities somehow gets lost in translation. (1 Corinthians 12)

I confess, this has been a real struggle for me through the years and I admit it has built some resentment in my heart. And so God is very faithful and is working on me :)

The problem with resentment, bitterness, anger and the lack of forgiveness is that these powerful thoughts and emotions are like Barnacles on our spiritual life and soul.
Barnacles are literally a drag. They slow the boat by increasing the resistance in the water. Instead of smooth sailing, the boat has to use MORE ENERGY,more fuel just to navigate and to move forward. Barnacles impede progress.

I have been walking with the Lord most of my life. That is not a statement to look impressive or to sound piously religious.(yuk, gag) The way I see it, to be quite honest, He had to grab me early in life because I am so stubborn, narcissistic, thick headed and a real piece of work. Did I mention stubborn? HA HA
The problem for me, is that with growing up in “church", one can get a little bit “churchy” and out of touch with what Christ really meant in His Word. We start sounding like a parrot repeating vocabulary that has been heard, without really grasping deeply and understanding the context and impact that it is meant to have.

This reality, really came into focus for me when I took a class at a local Bible college .(Pacific Bible College) I took the class for enrichment, to stretch my thinking and I just want to KNOW Christ deeper. I got my desire met but not in the way I expected.
He knows what we have need of to make us grow. For me, He is removing the spiritual barnacles! OUCH!

In the class, the teacher said something that hit me like a sneaker wave.I haven't been the same since. (yea!) I quote the teacher loosely from memory and not verbatim.

" The things we hang onto, the hatred, the lack of forgiving someone, bitterness and resentment do more damage to us in every way, than it ever does to the person we have those feelings toward. The very fact that we hang onto these things without giving it a second thought, shows that we really haven't understood or grasped Christs' own extravagant forgiveness and unconditional love for US."

I could barely contain myself. My heart felt like it was going to explode and the tears began to stream. I thought, is it HOT in here? I looked over at my friend. She was tearing up, we smiled and giggled at each other. Then I could hear the sniffles from around the classroom. Women and men, attorneys, mechanics, doctors, housewives, college students and artists all hearing the impact, connecting with the reality that we don't get what HE did for us.

This made me reflect on the bigger fish to fry in my life. Those barnacles that are much more serious to my spiritual progress, than petty differences in personalities, social traditions and expectations.
I grew up in a very abusive,violent and dysfunctional home to put it mildly. The people keeping the statistics on kids like me, did not give me much hope for normal healthy life. But they never factor in God being real either.

I have begun to realize, I haven't forgiven my parents.

I have a new parent, a wonderful Father. He has given me His life
literally. And I trust Him and His character fully.

This forgiveness is super natural, beyond my human natural natures ability. I know I can’t do it without Him and His power. I fall short of grasping the depths, my limited mind just can't wrap around it. However, I want to move forward cooperating with His will and purpose. The barnacles are being chiseled away from my spiritual hull.
I want to love and forgive people as He loves and forgives me. I am SO aware I still have such a long way to go.
This passage of scripture that I leave you with is one of those passages that we hear quoted ALL the time. It has become all too familiar and we don’t study it, up close and personal. When I read it, I can hear more barnacles being pried off!! Oh so many more to go, but He is faithful to do the work.

1 Corinthians 13

If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

There are three things that will endure — faith, hope, and love — and the greatest of these is love. NLT

Enjoying Simple Gifts

2009-05-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!!

It's that time of year when spring inspiration is in the air. Literally, when it came to this butterfly. The first butterfly I've seen this year. I was watching it flutter around when it flew directly into a spiders web. I thought for a minute the web was going to hinder it's flight but the butterfly gained altitude and continued on it's mission. So I continued on mine taking pictures. Look closely, it has a passenger. I love these little unexpected surprises when taking photographs. This gives a new meaning to "an in flight meal" or "biting off more than you can chew." The spider lowered itself to safer territory via it's silky web. I could almost hear the "mission impossible" theme music as it descended.

The butterfly was unharmed.

Sometimes when I am taking pictures I get so caught up in other mental notes about what I am doing I miss the obvious. But not this time! I noticed a curious creature following my every move as I pivoted around this Iris to get a good shot.

Well, that's all for today. Nothing to contemplate. In these days of stressful times and uncertainties, I like to stop, breathe, observe and enjoy the simple gifts. His art work of light, shadows, colors and little creatures. Hope you are being creative and exploring your mediums.

What inspires you?

Little Jewels of the Spring

2009-05-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

The spring time always brings a flurry of these little jewels back into our lives.They are so much fun to observe. They posture for territory, like acrobatic fighter jets in the sky. They sing at the top of their little lungs rain or shine every morning. Just before the sun sets, they must send a "memo" out that it's time to eat. It's like a feeding rush hour!!

I took this picture just as sun was peeking through the clouds, the rain looked like droplets of light. The hummingbirds took full advantage by sitting in the weeping Birch tree and did funny birdbath dances in the rain. It was so funny to watch!!!

I grabbed my mono-pod, camera and stood outside for quite a while before they would get close enough. I took a about 75 to 100 shots in just a few minutes of this ONE humming bird.

I am thinking, I definitely need to take a photography class this summer.

One picture out of 100??

Oh well, I am happy (for now) to get at least one good picture.

One Month Anniversary!

2009-05-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

It has been a little over a month since I first started this blogging adventure, Woowhoo!

When I started blogging at the end of March, I felt like a racehorse OUT of the gate. Wrote several posts, one right after the other in just a few days. Now I'm learning to pace myself and relax a bit more as to enjoy the blog writing. This article is actually the very first post back in March. But I think I buried it by posting too fast and furious :)

I am having so much fun meeting fellow animals lovers, photographers, writers, artists of every genre, and my brothers and sisters in Christ. You have been so encouraging to me and I hope, I can in return somehow encourage you too.

Thank You and may He continue to bless you and your creativity!!!

Creative Wobble Room

As an artist, the masterfully fashioned works of God captivate me. I observe His creation with all its complexity, simplicity and beauty, and I'm struck by the vast contrasts.

It reminds me that His handiwork points directly to His Character. I see His Majesty in the Alps and in the delicate form of the rose. His power stuns me with the vastness of the universe and the force of the sea. His tenderness brings tears to my eyes as I watch a wobbly puppy or a wren feeding her bare fledglings.

So many images appear in our minds as we contemplate Creation.

We all have favorites that we want to paint, sculpt or photograph. However, I am learning to appreciate Gods creative license. Now even the bizarre creatures fascinate me. Job tells us that God created the ostrich, which lacks wisdom, yet is faster on foot than a horse. Why would the Lord make such a creature - so dumb and yet really fast?

The oddness of it all sometimes evokes awe, wonder, sometimes fear, sometimes just thoughtfulness and more questions. Frankly Gods art can disturb us as well. Like a big hairy spider, poised in her web waiting for the in-flight dinner. Bugs that have large prismatic eyes, wiggly mouths and prickly legs that like to jump and cling. Snakes moving about quietly, eyes that don't shut to sleep, sleek , dangerous and mysterious.

Go into the depths of the ocean floors and we find creatures that look like they are straight out of a horror film!

Why did He create bats, or rats, or gnats?

What is there about the Lord's art that bothers you a bit, makes you question, forces you to think deeply about Him? Human art may at times faithfully do this, too. We were created in His likeness and have the capacity to produce images that inspire awe as well as stun us to silence and deep thought.

My goal as an artist is to enjoy, embrace, and reflect the Lord's creativity, even those aspects of it that cause me to question at times. I want spiritual and biblical discernment to shape my artistic expression. When I look at what the Lord has done in His grace and truth, I see that often His artwork has "creative wobble room."

His material is not all beautiful, at least not in the same ways we think of things being beautiful. But it reflects His craftsmanship and His infinite creativity. His creative works can produce in us a deep profound fear and wonder, incredible love and joy or more thought and contemplation. All our emotions are engaged and drawn back to His glory.

God didn't create with a cookie cutter, stamped out images. Neither do we. Just as God's craftsmanship is expressed through many mediums, different forms and design. He designed us and gives us the privilege to do that as well. I want to honor Him in that pursuit of creativity. Especially, since I see that vast creative examples of expression in my God's own masterpieces. Sola Deo Gloria.

(A very special Thank You, to a friend who kindly helped me with this Article)

She stands faithfully shining His light

2009-04-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

This is a painting for a person in my life that has been and is a positive influence and a powerful encouragement to me.

I am not going to tell you her name because I would hear her say, " Honey, you are going to steal my reward in heaven."

So I'll call her "E".

It was 13 years ago that I first met E. I really can't express myself without tearing up, how much E has blessed me with her friendship. Whether it has been through e-mails, coffee's, phone calls, teaching in a group or sharing her heart in deep conversations, one on one with the likes of me, she shines His light and love.

E is one of those rare delightful souls that understands and gets it, that God made us with different gifts, abilities and temperaments. (1 Corinthians 12) She never tries to mold you into her image.... walk this way, talk this way, look like this and do that. Her encouragement is KNOW Him and then glorify Him in how He made you to be. Reflect Him in everything that you do. As a fellow artist and blogger wrote to me in the comments of the last post "Whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...giving thanks to God the Father through Him." He gets it too!

I remember going through a pretty rough season and E called me out of the blue. Her warmth and encouragement gave me strength. I remember her comment was "crushed flowers bring forth fragrance." That gave me hope that there is a purpose in the rough seas and storms. She reminded me to focus on what our Abba says throughout the sacred scriptures. She didn't give canned self righteous sermons or pretty cliches. She is always REAL, compassionate and honest with humility.

Alas, my feeble writing attempts can not adequately express my heart and how much I love you E.
I Thank our Lord for your friendship. I pray I can be the same kind of friend to others as you are to me.

( sorry for the poor quality of the photograph, I forgot to take a picture of this before I had it framed)

Let there be LIGHT!!!

2009-04-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Let There BE LIGHT! WooWhoo... the finished studio!!

For quite some time I have been painting and creating in a dark crowded little room. Not a complaint at all,just a fact.It must be my age but I am needing more light to see these days. So as I said a couple of posts ago, I was working on moving everything to another room with more light. This room was built 8 years ago for my husband as an office space. Things changed and he kept his office in town. I don't know why I waited so long to invade the space!!

One trip after another, I hauled brushes, paint, papers,canvases, doo-da's, thingy ma-jiggars, and oh I can't throw that away "stuff" because I just KNOW I can use that for something!!

This is something I need to finish. It is a gourd that I have painted and tweaked a bit with polymer clay,wire and papers. I still have a little ways to go before it's done..... just wait until you see the others!!!

This guy is called "Fish gone bad"

This is a photo of watercolor paint tubes and it was boring, so I used Corel Photo shop to give it some funk. This effect was called neon glow. Kind of cool?

AT any given time there is always one or more furry creatures in my studio. I don't know how many times I have picked fur out of my paintings and other art work. Sometimes I just let it stay in the piece and call it texture.

The natural light has already inspired me. I am thinking of all the things I want to paint and now I can see them to boot!! LOL

Hanging with Friends Watercolor

2009-04-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Zoo’s in Australia are fabulous!! My husband said to me while we were visiting there, “ You are smiling so much that your teeth are going to dry out!" He was right. SO many amazing creatures in this big land of Australia. At one of the zoo’s there,we walked into a huge open cage.The door squeaked from the rusty hinges then shut behind us. We proceeded to walk forward anxious to see what we‘d observe in such a massive cage. Beautiful large and lush native plants, water falls and well, nothing…..absolutely nothing?We wondered why such an elaborate cage? Then the zoo's personnel man said to us, in his Crocodile Dundee accent “you’re goning’ta have’ta look up mates." The smile left for a moment from trying to understand what he meant. We looked up. The cage was alive!!!! Hundreds of bats hanging quietly on the cages ceiling.“Hanging with Friends” was inspired by seeing these Flying Foxes (bats) at the zoo in Australia . They were very friendly creatures, curiously quiet and observant. They looked like Chihuahua dogs, but with wings!

(Hanging with Friends by Anni Jones)

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sola Deo Gloria.... Happy Easter!!!!

Dog-mological Contemplation

2009-04-11T09:44:00.000-07:00

I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it."~ Abraham Lincoln

(click on pictures to see close up)

Last week I spent most of my time transferring my art studio from one small dark room to another place with much more natural light. Wow what a difference and oh my, I am a pack rat!! In my art studio I have pictures all over my cork boards of things that inspire me and put me in that artistic frame of mind.Those things that bring me joy and make me laugh.Pictures that make me curious and fill me with wonder. The majority of those pictures were of all my dogs! These furry faced creatures are so much a part of my life. Each one of them with their own unique personality and quirks. Each has their own way of frustrating you and making you laugh. I feel like a mom bragging about her "Johnny & Jane" so to speak.....however, they just happen to have 4 legs and fur. (big grin)

Gabriel, our white boxer had to be one of the ugliest puppies I had ever seen! So ugly, that he was SO cute kind of thing. He always has the camera in his face. There is just something so intriguing about capturing all those wrinkles and droopy eyes. He is our clown and a snuggler. I tell him he is a very handsome boy :)

"If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around." ~Will Rogers

"no matter how little money and how few possessions you own, a dog make you rich"~Louis Sabin

Sheba was our first dog. She was half wolf and half German Shepherd. Loved the snow!!She was one of the most gentle and loving dogs to people and other animals. So extremely intelligent. She lived 16 years of being spoiled rotten!!

"We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment." ~George Eliot

"I hope I can be half the person my dog thinks I am"~author unknown

Who needs to speak softly and carry a big stick when there is a big dog to do it for you? Jeremiah is a loving, powerful, playful,always watching you dog. He goes with me on my hikes and long beach walks.He always has to find the biggest stick or maybe I should say "LOG" on the beach to carry.He is also one of the most expressive dogs I have ever known. He talks a lot or at least tries to talk, about everything and it's usually very loud and sometimes embarrassing! He is wonderfully protective and loyal.

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." ~Agnes Sligh Turnbull

"One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're feeling blue is that he doesn't try to find out why. " ~Author Unknown

This this Lilah the delightful. She was a pound puppy. She is Australian Shepherd mix. She is so intelligent it is scary!! Very independent, athletic,super fast and is the alpha of our dog clan.This is the view I most often see of her.

"Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog." ~F.P. Jones

"The more I see of man, the more I like dogs. " ~Mme. de Staël

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. " ~Roger Caras

"The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue." ~Author Unknown

Zack was a pound puppy too. He would wake up in the morning and come over to the bedside wagging his tail like a big propeller, round and round,in big sweeping circles. SooOOoo Happy!!! Then as I got out of bed, he would grab my hand and escort me down the stairs to my morning cup of coffee. I miss him. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could hug him and see his sweet face again.

I am so thankful for these loyal loving furry friends.

Alive and At Large

2009-04-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he said to his disciples, 2 "As you know, the Passover celebration begins in two days, and I, the Son of Man, will be betrayed and crucified."

Matthew 26:1-2 NLT

This photograph was taken almost 18 years ago, while my husband and I were in Australia.

We decided to explore and take a "walk about".We were in a tiny little town that sat next to a meandering river with giant Eucalyptus trees lining its banks.
Our adventure took us along the side of this peaceful river and massive trees. We walked for miles until we came to a spooky little grave yard positioned near the river. The grounds appeared minimally cared for and forgotten.
Very quiet atmosphere with the exception of a few tall weeds rattling in a slight breeze and the sound of a bug buzzing by. Most of the tombstones were from the 1800's. The epitaphs read like an epic novel. Life was terribly difficult and painful for these people. We both felt an overwhelming sadness as we took turns reading the dilapidated stones out loud. One could not help, but to feel a sense of hopelessness as you realized what these people went through.

But then, there was this one tombstone that stood out and brought it all into perspective for my husband and I.

This statue of Mary holding Christ after the Crucifixion. It was radiant in the suns rays as they peeked through the dark clouds and blue sky.

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.
How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. "1 Corinthians 15:55-58 NLT

The Good News is He didn't stay lifeless in Mary's arms. As it says in Corinthians:

"But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised first; then when Christ comes back, all His people will be raised." 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NLT

As one of my favorite Bible teachers often says "Jesus is alive and at large."

And I also might add so are His people who have graduated from this world to the next!

In this fallen world, Christ must be where our hope is anchored. This kind of hope is NOT a wishful, not sure, maybe kind of hope.

"Hope in Christ is a confident knowing and expectation of real future blessing."~( Rick Booye)

Christ said, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."John 16:33 (NASU)