Zooming In

Knob

Testing out the macro on my new Sony Cybershot WX7 Digital Camera. I know it does not come close to the high performance DSLR’s but it looks good to me. I always remember my photography teacher saying that great photos can be taken with any camera. It is all up to the photographer.

This is simply a small drawer knob which attracted my eye. The morning sun was casting a strong shadow and the camera caught the detail well. My old camera could never do this but it did a lot of other things very well.

Later in the day I discovered a tiny weed which was managing to survive and grow in our long dry period….. about 60 days. All around it is dead. So out came the camera again and after many shots I give you this one. The weed is only 1.5 inches or 4 cms long. I thought if it could struggle to survive in the harsh environment it found itself in it deserved to be given world wide fame and recognition.

The Weed

I did do a lot of painting as well today but will save that for another time.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

The Red Washing Machine

The Red Washing Machine

Today’s new artwork is something very different. I stated as one of my aims to take the ordinary and make it the extra-ordinary. Well that was the task I set myself here. Take an ordinary washing machine and turn it into an extra-ordinary piece of art.

Tell me if you think I succeeded.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Morning Walk – Flowers and Movie

Morning Walk Flowers – One

These are flowers I met on my morning walk and who said they wanted to be photographed and shared with the world. With such beauty I had to agree. Unfortunately I did not get their names so if you recognize them please add a comment.

Morning Walk Flowers – Two

The morning walk is often the inspiration for many photographs. It is an endless source of discovery and amazement. I have even made three videos/movies and taken hundreds, maybe thousands of photos.

Now I have just visited YouTube and noticed one of my Morning Walks movies. I will share it here too. It is a very uptempo fast moving movie unlike most of my others. The song refers to the boy from New York City which is myself. I was told that I was a New Yorker after living there for 7 years even though I ended up living there for 15 years.

I hope you enjoy my Morning Walks as much as I do.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Could This be Love?

Could This be Love?

One of our two little visitors Ewok (https://burgessart.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/two-little-visitors/) often sits at the window looking out at the world. A very good Magpie friend often drops by the Chateau for some food such as oats, nuts etc., and occasionally croissant (he unexpectedly grabbed one off the table one day).

The Magpie is quite large at present as he is feeding new chicks which should arrive any day. Our little visitor will continue to see the family from inside the Chateau….not outside. When he sees the smaller birds he gets very excited and would love to get out amongst them. The magpie is just too big and for some reason he seems fascinated by him or…… could this be love?

There is never a dull moment at the Chateau. Lots of locals drop in for food.

More Visitors

If you look closely you will see an amorous visitor at the top left of the photo. These colourful parrots are fun to watch as they hop across the ground. I made a movie of this event with a Bob Dylan song as the soundtrack. Would love to put it on YouTube and here but wonder about the copyright issues of the Dylan song (Ain’t Talkin’). Anyone out there that can add some advice?

Will keep you posted if and when the magpie chicks arrive.

Roundabout?

Roundabout?

Here’s an image I captured one morning while walking. It is ……… No I won’t tell you what it is. Rather you are welcome to guess what you think it is.

I love random shots which force us to see things in a new way….from a different point of view. I believe anything which gets us out of our familiar, routine ruts and makes us think or feel to enrich our lives is good. I hope that an image such as this does that.

Let me know what you think.

Had to add this photo taken later today which shows the complete bubblegum dispensing machine. I love this photo as it is full of colour, shapes and fun. And the first reply was right. Thanks.

The Bubblegum Dispenser

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

This and That

This – The Burn Off

I got this (photo) while I was taking that (photo).

I got the above photo while I was taking the image below. Here we are near the top of Mount Tambourine which is about 40 minutes drive from the beaches area of the fabulous Gold Coast in south east Queensland. One side of the road you see the view to the Gold Coast while the other side looks inland across distant mountain ranges and sometimes…….smoke.

It’s amazing what some smoke and firemen can do for a photo.

That – View of the Gold Coast

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

A Palette of Words

A Palette of Words

More rambling from an artist who is out of his mind (and in a better place…thank God)

The walls of my studio are expanding

They are taking in Words.

This is not poetry or writing but Words

Words are forming like paintings.

A bit of bold interface here or transcendent orange there

wrapped in the warm glow of purple peacefulness

Maybe a Saturday night of shimmering succulence.

This palette glows with passion – Words

Electric words

Peaceful words

Powerful words

Knowing words

Loving words.

All colors of words.

Bold words

Forgotten words

Be silent………..

Ah! perfect words!

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

New work – The Painters

Art One – The Painters

New work. The Painters or maybe it should be called The Great Painters. This is in my normal grid format with color and words. In the past I did lots of work with numbers. Maybe it is time for some words.

Came across a quote I love and want to share with you…

Be realistic,

Plan for a miracle.

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Last night I wrote more but on the lighter side wrote this….(oh must tell you I am a Numerologist even though I don’t do much these days)

What do the numbers says?

Is today the day to clean my teeth?

I don’t think so, wait until tomorrow….a Six day.

A day of home and domestic chores.

What about winning the lottery?

Last week was perfect, you missed your chance but your money luck will return in 18 years.

That’s when your 8 pinnacle will begin again.

Advise for the future : Become the best that you can be….no less no more!

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today

The following is another 2.30am wake up call to write. The words came freely with no conscious thought on my behalf. It can be difficult to understand although the message towards the end is very clear.

Yesterday, Tomorrow, Today

The fountains of youth explode before the sun

No preparation for life untold, behold!

Walk slowly to thy sorrow, for tomorrow never comes.

Today has told the truth and that is all that matters.

Walk through the door of now and you will find a moment of sheer joy.

Walk upon the earth without sorrow with your head held high.

Each child of the Universe sings with joy through flames of triumph and delight.

No danger will come their way until they know it.  

The passages of time walk besides us all

Unfolding truth and sunshine

Walk quickly for as night descends

Your sleep must occur

And the joy of past experiences are set free to walk the night

So what is the message?

Bring forth joy not sorrow

Define this moment with Love for it is like no other

Exquisite joy awaits you now. Just embrace it.

No fear of tomorrow. It will never come.

There is but one moment and it is…… now.

 

Any comments are welcome.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

 

The Threshold of Desire

Threshold of Desire

I have always been fascinated with the concept of desire being the first step to achieving anything. With this artwork I have tried to captured the moment before “a desire” has formed. All thoughts and emotions are pouring over the edge of our unformed substance and beginning to come together. Emotions are stirring and gaining power. Desire is being born.

To me the title describes it best…..here we are given a special view of that time just before the desire has taken form……. the Threshold of Desire.

You may be interested in what Wikipedia says this about Desire

Desire is a sense of longing for a person or object or hoping for an outcome. Desire is the fire that sets action aflame. The same sense is expressed by emotions such as “craving” or “hankering”. When a person desires something or someone, their sense of longing is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of the item or person, and they want to take actions to obtain their goal. The motivational aspect of desire has long been noted by philosophers; Hobbes (1588–1679) asserted that human desire is the fundamental motivation of all human action.

In Buddhism, for an individual to effect his or her liberation, the flow of sense-desire must be cut completely; however, while training, he or she must work with motivational processes based on skilfully applied desire. The Buddha stated, according to the early Buddhist scriptures, that monks should “generate desire” for the sake of fostering skillful qualities and abandoning unskillful ones.^[2]

While desires are often classified as emotions by laypersons, psychologists often describe desires as different from emotions; psychologists tend to argue that desires arise from bodily structures, such as the stomach’s need for food, whereas emotions arise from a person’s mental state. Marketing and advertising companies have used psychological research on how desire is stimulated to find more effective ways to induce consumers to buy a given product or service. While some advertising attempts to give buyers a sense of lack or wanting, other types of advertising create desire associating the product with desirable attributes, either by showing a celebrity or model with the product.

The theme of desire is at the core of the romance novel, which often create drama by showing cases where human desire is impeded by social conventions, class, or cultural barriers. As well, it is used in other literary genres, such as gothic novels such as Dracula by Bram Stoker, in which desire is mingled with fear and dread. Poets ranging from Homer to Toni Morrison have dealt with the themes of desire in their work. Just as desire is central to the written fiction genre of romance, it is the central theme of melodrama films, which use plots that appeal to the heightened emotions of the audience by showing “crises of human emotion, failed romance or friendship”, in which desire is thwarted or unrequited.

Prints available at Saatchi Online  http://www.saatchionline.com/art/New-Media-Art-Digital-Painting-Threshold-of-Desire/348950/188830/view

Copyright Burgess 2011 – 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

“I do not seek. I find” Picasso

Found Image

“I do not seek. I find.”
― Pablo Picasso

“I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”
― Pablo Picasso

This is another photo manipulation artwork where I have just begun and let the process guide and influence my direction. Picasso’s two quotes above describe it best.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

A Gift That Keeps Giving

Memories

One thing we all have in common is MEMORIES. My normal direction is to look forward not backwards. The above was recently given to my wife as a gift. It must have had a subconscious effect on me as I awoke at 2.30am  this morning and wrote the following.

Memories

Our memories are a fail-safe organism.

They distinguish in shared redundancies.

Their purpose is to cast shadows of yesterday

And softens the heat of today.

Attached to us they bring forth the glow of past events

And summon our fears of tomorrow.

When the portals of our being open

They flow abundantly,

Giving joy, sorrow, hope.

No amount of light will extinguish them

Nor pain cause them to forget.

They are embedded in our souls forever.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

An Eye For It

An Eye For It

An Eye For It in black and white.

Pure, simple lines. Rhythm and flowing movement like a dance. Swirls and turns. Like an eye for it.

Behold the earth is turning. Time to sit down and reflect. This is our time. A moment when we have an eye for it.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Sometimes Things Just Happen

The Time Traveller Meets Vincent

Sometimes…….things……just…..happen.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour.

William Blake

Yesterday I wrote….

“My art is about the every day, the common place, the ordinary

and attempting to make it

the EXTRAORDINARY, the MOST UNCOMMON, and the SUBLIME!”

The inspiration and source of this transformation comes from within.

This image began as something ordinary. I hope I was able to transform it into something extraordinary.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Beer, Wine and Spirits

Beer, Wine and Spirits

Well if you have been wondering what The Gold Coast looks like then here is a pic which gives you a good idea. This truck is delivering beer, wine and spirits to a local business and I had to photo the banner.

You can see all the highrise along the ocean (Pacific) and the hinterland and mountains in the distance (where the Chateau is located). So if you love all things water…surfing, boating, swimming, fishing, diving, whale watching just to mention a few the Coast has it. Or if you prefer mountains, rainforests, bush walks, etc. then the hinterland and mountains will suit.

The Gold Coast will host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Not a bad place to visit.

Upon returning to Australia from New York I wanted somewhere that reminded me of NY (the highrise) but was much more laid back. This place fits the bill.

Another closer view is of Main Beach below. I had many long walks along this beach both morning and late afternoon. Magnificent!

Main Beach

 

Like everything in life there is a drawback. Just can’t think what it is.

Still, no place is like New York.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place

I normally avoid car parks wherever I can. I was forced to use this one as there is no alternative. However I did do something very unusual there ……….     I found a quiet place.

This is another panorama image. An underground car park. It looks peaceful and calm at present but all that changes from 8.00am when cars start pouring in. Noisey engines running, the smell of petrol, horns sounding, people everywhere, it becomes intense. That is how most people see this place. I prefer it as it is here… peaceful and quiet.

Now something also just hit me. This is the basement car park of the Southport Australia Fair Shopping Centre I featured in the post

Southport Panorama

The Big P..anorma of two days ago.

And these two images link to my post on What is Beauty
In that post I showed the beauty of a tree above ground and the beauty of it’s roots below. How amazing the shopping center is featured in the same way without any planning on my behalf. It just happened and I now see the link. Since all my art is intuitive I make discoveries like this all the time.

Another added note about my art

An observation… my paintings, drawings etc. which I physically create are mostly intense and very busy contrasted with my photographs which are mainly peaceful and still. Not sure why that is so. Maybe it will become clear in time. Most things usually do.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

First Movie

Here is the first movie I made sometime ago. It is titled

Still Life – The Movie

As you will see my still life is not traditional and some might notice that several items appear in another later post referring to a magic box.

The original sound tack was different but when I released it on Youtube there was a copyright issue so I used this one. I do have other movies/videos that I have the same problem with i.e. choose the perfect sound to suit the images but then have to select a generic sound track for copyright reasons. As an artist I appreciate copyright however I would think that anything that promotes the song or music would be good for the artist……..but that is another issue.

Have made about 8 in all. I was deeply moved by a Bill Viola slow motion movie some time ago. Also Julian Schnarbel’s Basquiat movie. Mine is a poor attempt compared to those but you need to start somewhere and it was FUN. Guess mine relates more to Andy Warhol’s.

Hope you enjoy it.

The Big P..anorama

Southport Panorama

I love PANORAMAS. How about you? Here is one I took recently with my old camera and stitched together. You can see the stitches and I suggest you click on it to enlarge and get better viewing. It is taken from the front of the Southport Australia Fair Shopping Centre and shows a little of the massive water ways and nearby Pacific Ocean in this area. Of to the right you can see the highrise in the distance of Surfers Paradise, a very famous beach area of Queensland/Australia.

It is winter here now and this is a typical winter’s day. Bright sunshine! Perfect days and cool to cold nights. But they do not last long and the hot summer returns. Some Like it Hot….. that sounds like a good movie title. I prefer cool.

Will post some more panoramas if you show you like them.

 

 

Muybridge – A Portrait

Muybridge – A Portrait

Eadweard Muybridge (9 April 1830 – 8 May 1904) was an English photographer important for his pioneering work in photographic studies of motion. His work has had a big influence on artists particularly revealing difficult to see detail of bodies of humans and animals etc. in motion.

So why am I interested in his work?

A definition of motion is “a meaningful or expressive CHANGE in the position of a body”. My art is about CHANGE and the essence of CHANGE so I can easily relate to his work. Everything is changing all the time whether we see it or not.

The definition also happens to mention the expressive nature of change. This is a very important part of my work too. Showing CHANGE as an expressive act.

So with my portrait of this extraordinary man I have attempted to bring together several important aspects of my art. Firstly a tribute to a man of vision, a pioneer. Secondly a reference to the way he changed the way we see the world, like Cezanne, Picasso and others. Thirdly, the nature of change itself. How everything is evolving into something else all the time. And finally the expressive quality of change. How things are always breaking up, reforming, disintegrating and moving to form something new and different.

CHANGE is something many of us resist or are fearful of…. including myself. Often it involves pain. Nobody wants that. Yet to accept it as it really is…….. simply as a necessary part of growth to something new and better, it will transform our lives and help understand and accept the process of change.  (Some may choose the negative attitude of change as worse or decline even though it must eventually lead to renewal). The bottom line is if we do not accept change LIFE will impose it upon us anyway.

Finally and most importantly we have power to influence the direction of the change. My art aims to show this too.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Time and Temperature

Time and Temperature

This is another photo taken with the new camera. I could give you the camera Exif info like Focal Length, Exposure Time, Aperture, ISO Value etc. but frankly I don’t give a damn. All I want is a good image. This one interests me as it is totally not composed. It does not obey the rules of good composition, balance etc. That is why I like it. Structure is thrown out the door. However there is something going on that I like. Truth maybe. Or could it be I just love the new camera and the crystal clear images?

What do you think? ………and can you see or guess what the temperature was?

One thought about this image. This has universal significance.. time and temperature are two things that effect everyone everywhere in the world even in New York which is partly shown on the calendar.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Diver

Diver

Here is an image I took with a new camera. A Sony DSCWX7 Cyber-shot Digital Camera. Bought a demo model for $150 at a local electrical store with 3 years unconditional warranty $175. I had been looking around and was impressed by several others including the new Sony DSC WX150 model. When this was offered at a very good price I grabbed it. Specs look impressive and it even has 3D though I don’t think I will ever need that. Compact cameras have come a long way in the last few years.

I took this photo to see how blurred a fast descending diver on TV would look. No attention to settings or any idea of what the camera needed for this shot. The flash did not go off and it was a quick hand held spontaneous photo.

My old camera would have shown the diver and surrounds as a complete blur. Now that can be good too but not if you want to capture the image. I think with a few settings adjustments and maybe a tripod to support the camera it would be brilliant.

However I do like it as it is. How about you?

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Gold Medals for Artist?

I was amazed to find that Art was part of the Olympic Games in the past. Maybe one day it will return. Here is a little of what I found.

Currently the Olympic Games is all about the PHYSICAL. Could it also include the SPIRITUAL showing how important it is to develope the WHOLE person. I would really appreciate your vote in the poll at the bottom of the post.

“Art competitions formed part of the modern Olympic Games during its early years, from 1912 to 1952. The competitions were part of the original intention of the Olympic Movement’s founder, Pierre de Fredy,Baron de Coubertin. Medals were awarded for works of art inspired by sport, divided into five categories: architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture.

The juried art competitions were abandoned in 1954 because artists were considered to be professionals, while Olympic athletes were required to be amateurs” (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) …… (now that has changed today e.g. Tennis).

Here is another article about it….

When the Olympics Gave Out Medals for Art

Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/When-the-Olympics-Gave-Out-Medals-for-Art-163705106.html#ixzz232xV79IM

 

Top Notcher

Top Notch Pigeon

The Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes, also commonly known as the Top Notch Pigeon) is a regular visitor to the Chateau. They make an amazing helicopter sound when they are flying. They are very confident little birds and are not intimidated by others. We love feeding them.

This one seemed to enjoy having his/her photo taken.

I draw your attention to the pattern on the wings and the tiled roof pattern in the background.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

The Chair That Became a Bridge

The Chair

Before the chair became a bridge it was a chair. Here I tried to show how grand a chair it is. You can see how much it loved this photo shoot. It twisted and turned before finally deciding to become a bridge… at least for a while.

I love it as a chair. It is supportive. It is strong. It has a smooth, warm, honey colored finish. This was a chair that was being thrown away by somebody. They did not see how remarkable it is.

Now it does remind me of another person’s chair. It is very different and he loved it and created a magnificent painting of it. I have always loved it too.

Vincent’s Chair

Well Vincent van Gogh’s chair never turned into a bridge but it did become a very famous chair. At this time I have not attempted to paint my Chair/Bridge. Maybe I will. At least I have a camera which has captured the Chair transforming into a Bridge (my previous post at…..  https://burgessart.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/the-bridge/ .)

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

The Bridge

The Bridge

Like many photographers images just hit you in the eye. Also as mentioned in my previous blog magic is all around us so I am always looking for it. Suddenly this chair said I am not a chair…I am a bridge. What could I do except say……..yes you are and a very good bridge indeed. So plain and simple just like the image.

However I must add that it was not quite as simple as it looks. Once I saw the bridge I had to find it in the camera. Now that took some doing.

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Magic is Revealed

Magic No1 – Light from Above

Since the initial discovery of The Magic Still Life in a Box reports are coming in that reveal the source of it’s amazing magic.

A lady in Toronto Canada reports that upon meditating on it a Higher Light revealed itself from the area of the lampshade at the top of the still life. She thought this was a sign from above. This was confirmed when with just one session of meditation a philanthropic neighbor agreed to pay off her mortgage and she is now debt free.

Horn of Plenty

Another young man in New York said that a virtual Horn of Plenty has opened up to him. His boss gave him a 100% increase in pay, he met the girl of his dreams and won the lottery …….. all in one day!!!!

Yellow Heart

A little girl in London UK says she sees a yellow heart every time she looks at the image and took this photo with her iPhone to prove it. More importantly her mother and father stopped fighting after many years and decided to go on a long family vacation together. This was a big dream of hers.

Symbolism No1

Symbolism No2

Symbolism No3

People all over the world are reporting various symbols which seem to to be attached to this image. Above are just three but many more are coming in. The first links the image to the great magical powers of the pyramids of Egypt. The second, the Number 63 is a little known but very powerful ancient healing number which is said to open the Door of Eternity and give ever lasting life. One of the most bizarre stories is that a map of Australia superimposed over it touches the mid points of all objects.

As you can see there seems to be mounting evidence to prove the magic in this image. I must admit I was a skeptic but it seems that this image really does have magical properties.

Regardless of what happens in the future it is already clear that magic is all around us and all we have to do is OPEN our eyes to find it every day. The world is truly an amazing place and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Keep watching the Box!!!!

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

The Magic Still Life in a Box

The Magic Still Life in a Box

Here is for the first time …….. the mighty, the extraordinary, the amazing…..           Still Life in a Box.

No it’s not going to escape, turn invisible or something like that. It’s simply “magical”. Why? Because it is. In fact the more you look at it the more it turns on it’s magic. Don’t ask me how or why…. it just does. If you’re lucky you might see it move. Maybe just a little or maybe a lot. If not keep coming back until it does. Another effect is it will make you feel dis-orientated. Then you will know for certain the magic is working.

Now the magic continues when you stop looking at it too. You will find magical things happening in your life like never before. And every time you need a bit more magic in your life just return to this blog and recharge yourself.

Before you tell everyone about this amazing discovery remember……… it was made just for you! To put extra magic in your life.

If you love the magic and want your own print it is available at Saatchi Online

http://www.saatchionline.com/art/Photography-Color-The-Magic-Still-Life-in-a-Box/348950/185852

Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.

Two Little Visitors

Two Little Visitors

Meet Princess and Ewok. Guess you can work out who’s who. They are currently staying at the Chateau and are excellent guests and it is a pleasure to have them. Both are kind, friendly and very loving and currently enjoying the morning sun. With a face to melt the hardest heart they are so endearing and bring constant joy every moment of the day.

It is cold here at present although the days warm up. Nothing like a New York winter. Never snow and cold means 9 C or 50 F. Everything is relative in life and that seems cold after normal daily temperatures around 20 C or 70 F.

Here is another photo of a scene from a shopping center on the Coast.

River View

While shopping you can have a break and sit and watch the passing boats etc. Some people even park their boats to do their shopping. The Chateau is closer to the mountains which you can just see in the distance in the center of the photo. Very, very, very different to New York.

Here is a little local trivia which you might find interesting.