#contemplative

[catalisst]

[sictransitgloriamvndi]

[fenrir74]

The Botanist

[gbiechele]

Winter Sun Yashica Yashinon 5.5cm f/1.8 Sony A7

[alexthebordercollie]

No special reason but I felt like drawing Sam Manson. I woke up with this mental image in my head and wanted to draw it. I wanted to try to capture the vibe of sitting at the back of the bleachers and trying to tune out another mandatory pep rally while writing or drawing in your journal. Trying to capture the look of the 2000s emo kid crowd. As I inch closer to 30 I find myself increasingly nostalgic for the comforting familiar aesthetics of being an edgy introverted art kid in the noughties. I gave her a more realistic body, making her slightly chubby and frumpy looking like most teenagers who are still growing and filling out and learning how to dress themselves.

Looking back on Danny Phantom as an adult, I can't help feeling frustrated by Sam's character's missed potential. I remember loving her as a kid because she was one of the few characters I could see some aspect of myself in. That being said, she was written by very out-of-touch middle-aged men who clearly didn't understand the things the subculture Sam represented actually cared about.

If I were to rewrite Danny Phantom I'd call her a vegan because that's an actual real label that means something. I'd probably call her an anarchist. I'd have her say insightful things about the politics she claims to care about instead of making all her dialogue shallow and performative. Even if sometimes her politics were still naive or half-formed because she's young. I'd make her a queer ally instead of threatening to blackmail her male friends with a picture of them cuddling. I'd make her home life a struggle. Either make her family more toxic or just give her a struggling working-class family or maybe both. Most goth/emo kids I knew growing up had good reason to be depressed, disaffected, and rebellious. We were going through shit. Genuine real problems the adults around us didn't care about.

It would be really nice to see Sam written by someone who actually knows what it's like to be an edgy goth teen girl from her generation.

[stanford-photography]

Portrait of Leah, Lancaster, Pennsylvania By Jeff Stanford, 2024 Buy prints at: https://jeff-stanford.pixels.com/

[imaginal-ai]

"The Meditation of Saint Tariq" (0001)

(The Meditations and Ecstasies Series)

[389]

Contemplative meditation house + prayer chamber Marwan Zgheib

[lakisfourouklas-blog]

She likes more than anything to walk in the woods, as it makes her feel more like herself - a self that she's seeking in vain somewhere in the city streets.

She loses herself in nature as often as she can, but she always feels a bit empty inside, as she no longer seems able to enjoy its beauty the way she should, the way she used to. Many times she thinks about giving everything up and, better late than never, going back to her roots, but then something happens that doesn't allow the thought to become an act. If it did…

If it did maybe she'd once again feel just as happy as she once was. Like when she knew all the names of trees and flowers and could recognize the chirping of most birds. Like when… but…

Lakis Fourouklas

Photo taken in Troodos mountains, Cyprus

[eirene]

Portrait Of Elizabeth Falconer, Mrs. Stanhope, As Contemplation

Sir Joshua Reynolds

[marlasingeruniverse]

[gbiechele]

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

“Contemplative Photography: Meditations in the Woods”

I am having a photography exhibition at the Levi Heywood Memorial Library, 55 West Lynde St., Gardner, MA. The exhibition will run from March 1st until March 29, 2024.

Artist's Statement:

Instructions for living a life:

Pay attention

Be astonished

Tell about it

Mary Oliver “Sometimes”

Mary Oliver’s instructions above have become the guiding principles for my photography. Photography has gained importance in my life since it has become a spiritual practice. I try to spend time in nature on a regular basis. It is a time for meditation and a time to clear my thoughts. With a quiet mind I wait to see what calls to me, what “shimmers”. Then I try to capture the subject in a personal, intimate, and emotional way. I am not interested in simply documenting the world, but trying to reveal something essential about myself and the world around me.

If I have been successful, some of these images will touch you, make you feel something of the beauty, astonishment, and wonder I felt during the time I spent creating them.

Each image is accompanied by a Haiku poem, written to express in a few simple words the connection and feelings that I experienced at the time I made the photograph.

I hope you enjoy the time you spend with these images and their invitation to journey inward, enjoy some serenity, and see the world with fresh eyes.

[life-imitates-art-far-more]

Paul Klapper (1865-1928) "Lost in thought (Male back nude lying on a divan)" (1896) Oil on canvas

[poppingmary]

Grace Kelly on her wedding day, looking contemplative. Wonder what she’s thinking?

[stanford-photography]

November Blues By Jeff Stanford, 2024

Buy prints at: https://jeff-stanford.pixels.com/