Sometimes it works, other times not, But today.......

Personal art in works:

I am working on a new idea right now.  It involves the far North, and the Northern Lights with a traditional Aleut dancer.
Now any that have seen the magical display that is presented by the Northern Lights knows that they are in a constant changing flux.
To try and represent them in a painting, one has to think in an abstract way so as to get the movement and clarity of them, all the while creating transparency showing them engulfing the land and sky.
I have been working on overlays of the lights, and think that I have finally achieved the look I want.
But.....again the proof of the pudding will when I bring all the elements of this painting alive on the Cradled Birch Panel I am using for this project.  Wish me luck today as I will be attempting to bring the whole lot together.

Farming:

On another topic, over the last four years, I have been documenting  the Seasons of Grain farming, by taking photos from our deck (which is about 25 feet above ground in the back) of our local farmer and his workers preparing fields for planting, actual seeding, spraying, and eventually harvesting the land.
I have always been fascinated with the huge machinery, and the grace with which these gentle giants operate.
Because of the height at which I stand, and the fact that the grain fields completely surround our home, I have a vantage point that is excellent for depicting the manner in which the fields are maintained.

Always in a very straight line, with a specific purpose in mind, over hills, atop rises and down gulleys.  Watching these machines is a fascinating thing, and hopefully I can impart the beauty of this tremendous operation.
To coin a very famous phrase
....."Nothing Runs like a Deere!"
(or the farmer that operates one)

Some time this year I will assemble the photos into a book.  A book that shows the great time, effort and Money that goes into a large grain farm.
A book that shows a farmer that has no problem stopping his Combine and picking up Little Boys so they can go for a spin with him. 
A book that shows him saying hello to our dog that knows and watches every vehicle he uses and laughing when the Dog gets very upset with a strange truck that should not be there.
Hopefully, I will be able to show the sensitivity of this man and his operation.  I so enjoy it!
Later everyone .

When is art a deception?

For a long while I have admired a certain photographers work.
I marveled at her detail and clarity, her ability to see beyond everything she photographs and her ability to capture colours.
As an artist (of the painting type) I can, and often do wonder at the many forms of art presented in different venues and styles.

Today I was looking at her latest posted photograph and asked her how she was able to photograph a scene and have it "Look" like a painting.
Her answer was "I take pictures as I see them."
Not an answer, but the best I was about to get from her.  

I was then informed (by someone else) that her photography was retouched in a photo type program that "Puts" different slants on the original picture.

Now, to my mind, if you want a painting, you paint it! and if you want a photograph you take a picture....but No!
What you do is take a picture and then manipulate it into a painting.
You pass it off as your own creation with no reference to the computer program that really made the image as it appears. 
To my mind this is lying, cheating, pulling the wool over the viewers eyes.
Yes, I know that a lot of photographers retouch portraits, and I can agree with this.
I can even agree with some colour manipulation, but we are not talking retouching here.
We are talking about changing the integrity of a photograph, turning it into something else and then sitting back and reveling in the accolades because your work is so unique and original.

If you are a photographer so be it!
And if you are a Painter, again, so be it.

But for a photographer passing off a manipulated photo as a painting is just wrong.
Worse yet, passing of a manipulated photo as an original work by yourself is just wrong and deceitful.
Especially since you do not even acknowledge the use of a computer program that actually does your work for you.
Is it a form of plagiarism?
Maybe a form of deception?
Whatever.

To my mind it is wrong. But then again maybe I am out of the loop.  I must say I was very hurt when I
                                           finally realized what she had been passing off as her work for so long.