Jane

Artistic Physique

Just a dusting of snow here.  Going into January and the ground is bare.  Seems odd, yet I don't mind one bit.  

Tomorrow....pizza

Artistic Physique ~ "Rape of the Sabine Woman"

Last night I decided to make home made turkey pot pies for dinner.  I had never attempted this before but figured it would not be difficult to create some way better than those pieces of crap you get at the store.

Well let me tell you...   If you have never attempted this you have no idea what is involved.  After about four hours my kitchen looked like a tornado had gone through it.  Every pot and pan I owned was piled on the counters and both sinks were full of used utensils and bowls.
I started by cooking a turkey and ended making a pie crust.

The results were wonderful.  A masterpiece of culinary art.  But my gawd, the mess.

I will spend the next two days cleaning up.

Kinsey submissions are in

Thyia

After several days I have finally narrowed down my submissions to the Kinsey Show to the final three.  

I selected one of Thyia, one of Artistic Physique, and one of Kelsey.  It would be nice if the one of Thyia was selected as she will be at the show, but better yet would be for all three images to get in.  Ha!

One might have a chance at that if you did three small prints of 6" or less, then they might go with a grouping, but my large gallery prints are not something they will want to eat up gallery space with and the chances of more than one being accepted at that size are nil.

I made the submission today.  No turning back now.

I have gone a week now without reading or hearing any news, and life is grand.  I don't know who are Government is killing, at war with, or who is doing what on the candidate home front for president.  And I don't miss any of it.  I have been much happier.

I don't care who gets elected president because there is not one person running that I would want running this country.  They are all morons, even the one currently in office.  Nothing will change.

On the local Marcell news:  Gerts Tavern is in such a poor state at the moment I suspect the bank will own it shortly.  No customers.  Gert has run all the locals away.  I won't miss the place.

Still no snow here in the north woods to speak of.  A light dusting here and there.  The lakes have been wind swept and are snow free.  The snowmobilers have nothing to ride on.  Life is wonderful!

Second visit

Thyia ~ "Forest Delight"

It was time for me to go back through the images of my first shoot with Thyia.  We had worked a small patch of woods in a Chicago suburban park where walkers were busy trampling all over the place on their lunch hour from the nearby businesses.  But a little ways off the main path we found this beautiful area and I lit up.  

This was one of those images that I skipped over on my first go around but found to be to my liking on this second pass through.  This is normal for me.  I usually pick out my favorites right away and let them sit for six months to a year before I revisit the, where I will no doubt find a new treasure trove of nice stuff.

moodybibleinstitute.xxx

Photographer at work ~ by Dave L.

If you have not been following the .xxx thing let me fill you in.  They decided to sell domain names with .xxx with the advertised intention that porn sites would adopt this.  It was one of the most brilliant ideas ever conceived.  

Of course no porn site would ever register a domain under this .xxx idea and be lumped into a category that could be tracked; blocked; or monitored.  

What it did do was sell a million .xxx domains to companies; churches; school; etc that did not want their name registered as a .xxx by someone else.  

Like I said, brilliant.     

Several years ago I grabbed up shadowscapestudio.net on top of my shadowscapestudio.com that is my web site.  I figured if I wanted to start an erotic site that would be a natural transfer.  To date I have not used that .net address but have been playing on building such a site recently and may launch it this coming year.  I will keep everyone posted when I get close. 

Over and done with

Thyia

Well this holiday is finally over.  I don't look forward to Christmas like I once did.  The tree with it's lights and some fresh snow on the ground are a pleasant thing.  The rest that goes along with the holiday I could do without.  

But I am good for another year now.  364 days of non Christmas is a good thing.

Thyia from our second outing together.

Kinsey Show Time

Artistic Physique

It is time to start weeding images down to three for the Kinsey Institute Show.  I threw some of my favorites in a folder from this past year and ended up with about 35 in there.  Now comes the tough part.
I will be taking Thyia with me this year to the show so my urge is to pick three of her, but I don't know if that is the best route to go.  There are three jurors once again and I can work with two of them in selecting images that might get in but that third one is the one who hates nude work.  Why they keep allowing her to jury the show is beyond me, other than she is the director of the gallery where the show is held.  Still!
This is the third year she has been involved.  The first year we ended up with all abstract art.  Last year at least she allowed some nude work, but nothing to daring.  Could be she has loosened up her Lutheran morals, or maybe she drinks a lot before selecting images.   Any rate she seems to be getting better.
But now I have my work cut out for me.  This will take a few days.

Oh, and Merry Christmas to you all.

Nothing noteworthy today

kelsey

From our single light studio session.

Model for room and board????

Kelsey

Winter funk has set in.  I am in need of a model that will spend  few days hanging about the place and model for food and shelter.  I need to play.

Maybe after this silly holiday stuff is over I can find another wayward waif that is willing to trade a place to stay for some studio time.

Brown Christmas

Kelsey

Three weeks into December and little to no snow on the ground here in the northland.  If you live here you have one wish, that it would snow six feet over your septic system for insulation but no where else.  There are going to be a lot of septic systems freezing up in the next month.  

On another note I walked across the lake and through the woods to get to the post office yesterday.  A very pleasant walk where I didn't need snowshoes for the first time in years.  There is about a foot of clear ice on the lake.  If only I was younger I would don a pair of skates.  You can skate for miles on smooth clear ice.  A skaters dream year.

Looking toward spring

Kelsey

Kelsey and I worked with a single light source in Dave L's studio.  I asked her for some contorted poses and she turned out with some dandies.  

Tomorrow we start gaining daylight.  This may prove to be one of the shortest winters with the lack of snow so far here in the north land.  

Screw with a good thing

Kelsey

Blogger has thrown another monkey wrench into the works and it seems I can no longer use their old style of posting and had to go to this new format.  Well, you probably can't see what I am talking about but trust me, this new format sucks compared to the old one.

Beside this, life is pretty good in the north woods.

Jungle Princess

Claudine

I think the U.S. is toast in terms of any chance of returning to a civilized country and is a train wreck moments away. Therefore I will not read any news paper or listen to any news what-so-ever from this point on as it proves nothing but what I stated above. There is no hope at this point.

I will quietly and peacefully wait for it to fall apart without any more knowledge of why, or what this Government is doing to bring it to its end. When it comes it comes and no need to fill my head with further thoughts of what stupid, assholes we have running it.

If it is not happening in Marcell, Minnesota I have no interest.

You finally get to meet her

While in Ohio, specifically near Cincinnati, Golden Hooves turned 350,000 miles.

I have spoken of her many times and a few of the all to small batch of readers have often asked me to post an image of her.

I stopped near Cincinnati to stretch my legs and have a cigar. On my way back to the vehicle I remembered I had a point and shoot camera in my coat pocket and snapped this shot of the old gal.

Broken turn signals lens, dents, scrapes and a missing grill that was kicked out so I could open the hood one winter when the cable was frozen. But there she sits sporting her new tires and looking like she is ready for another adventure.

I was thinking of letting her retire at the completion of this trip but somehow she got wind and let me know, with no misunderstanding that she was not about to be put out to pasture.

I would not hesitate to head off tomorrow to California with her.

Golden hooves was adopted. She was born an Isuzu Trooper but given up for adoption where Honda came along and slapped their insignia all over her. I quickly removed her from their cruel hands and made her a good home in northern Minnesota where she has lived since.

Golden Hooves has gone where most 4 wheel drive people are afraid to take their vehicles, and she had returned each time gaining knowledge about how to behave in rough terrain. I'm not saying she has not been stuck a few times. More than a few times. You might be able to see the tow hook under the front bumper is bent 90 degrees from where it should be. That comes from being pulled out sideways when buried deep in above door mud.

Her dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree with every warning light the automobile industry has ever invented. We pay no attention to any of them.

Her gas gauge did quit working on this last trip but a stop every 250 miles assures us we won't run out.

it has been noted that her hood is scratched deeply down to the metal in many places and i often get asked what happened there. There is no exciting story, I just walk on the hood quite a bit and the gravel on my shoes scratch her up.

Probably not evident in this photo but her windshield is cracked from one side to the other midway up. I have learned to ignore the line that seems to be right at eye level.

No nude woman today, but still a hot, sexy old lady.

Let's give them some rocket launcher

Kelsey

I don't think the Occupy People have a clue what they are protesting but I like that they are growing in numbers and revolting.

I'm for taking down this Government anyway possible, and if a bunch of misinformed fools do it, who cares.

I hope it grows beyond control and invades the White House and Capital Building. Make these politicians who care nothing about the people flee for their safety to other countries.

Then, and only then can we begin to rebuild this Nation so that the people have some vested interest in how it is run.

Go Occupiers!

Time to re-write

Kelsey

I see Blackwater private security force that was hired by the U.S. in Iraq but went overboard and killed people without justification, changed their name and contracted with the U.S. only to do it again, has now changed their name a third time.

I wonder who's brother-in-law holds large stock holdings in Blackwater that this foul Government of ours keeps hiring them back.

We have the most corrupt Government in the world yet we keep infiltrating and removing leaders of other countries with the lies that the people of those countries can't function with such corruption going on.

This Government is the one that needs to be removed. And I can't wait for it to happen.

I love our country. I hate our current form of corrupt Government. It has become a monster that needs to be severed and destroyed. The Constitution needs to be re-written so it applies to current times.

We the citizens of the United States, in order to maintain a more perfect union, maintain justice, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, establish this constitution for the United States of America.

Free speech shall have no exceptions regardless of changes in public moral thinking.

The Senate shall be made up of randomly selected advertising agents and rotated every other year.

The house shall be made up of randomly selected land owners who net worth is less than 500 thousand dollars.

The president shall be elected by citizens who own land but less than 200 acres.

The salary of any Congressperson or President shall never exceed that of the norm for middle class Americans.

Healthcare benefits for all members of the U.S. Government shall be those dictated by that Government for the people of the United States.

No member of the Government shall have a pension that in total value for their lifetime exceeds what they made while in office.

No member of Government shall own stocks or interests in any company.

The U.S. Military shall never be used beyond the borders of the United States for any reason.

Its a start.

The ball is in the Wimps court

Kelsey ~ "Beer Makes Me A Good Dancer"

(Another single exposure image)

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Arizona's case about enforcing illegal immigration laws that the U.S. Government fails to enforce, which clearly shows a catastrophic breakdown of the Federal Government in terms of doing what it is suppose to be doing.

I would like to see the Supreme Court find the U.S. Government negligent, but they don't have the balls to carry out anything harsh against their own paycheck machine.

The two bald guys

D.L.Wood and myself

D.L.Wood has always made his way to my art openings in Chicago. He and his lovely wife are one of the few things I can actually count on for a show there, along with my son showing up to support his father and being able to spend time with him. Both make for a great time and keep me coming back to Chi Town year after year.

This opening was rather slow and I attribute it to the time of year. A week earlier or a week later would have been more conducive to people being out and about but the second weekend in December has people holed up in their homes having already shopped for the holidays or not yet in the mood.

Still it was a good show and although sparce those who did come seemed receptive to the artwork.

Here we are standing in front of one of the images of Thyia that had been taken on my last trip to the Chicago are when we worked in one of the Cook County Forest Preserves where the mushroom hunters were out and about.

The depth of the image is phenomenal in this shot and makes for just a dandy print.

Back home and I have two weeks of house cleaning and laundry to catch up on along with dealing with some in-law issues that need addressing.

That and about 300 images to edit and get to the gals I worked with on this trip.

I should be very busy for the next few weeks.

The Pittsburgh show ended on November 19th. The host of the show told me in a letter that the artwork would be taken down and shipped out on the 21st of November.

Here it is the 14th of December and my artwork is still leaning against a wall in the backroom of that gallery.

I am pissed to say the least. I have work submitted to another show hosted by this person and I think I will pull my submissions.

A damn piss poor way to deal with peoples artwork.

Return to civilization. No people just civilization.

One of my favorite movie scenes.

______________________________

I'm home! Colder than hell frozen over, here. Somehow Ohio's 30 degrees sounds nice and toasty.

Way to spend my money

Kelsey

While the Pentagon sets about distributing old grenade launchers and other gear to help towns across America fight terrorism, a Homeland Security program in Michigan is approaching the war on terror in a less militarizing, more taste bud satisfying way. They are arming counties with snow cone machines.

The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, which manages Homeland Security operations, um, along the western Michigan shoreline, recently gave snow cone machines costing $11,700. to 13 counties under its jurisdiction.

Wooooooooohooooooo! More Government (people's) money spent well.

I hope the Occupy Wall Street movement bring this Government to it's knees. A revolution from time to time is a good thing. We are far over due.

All of me

Kelsey

(click to enlarge)

One of the more intriguing images on my camera. This is not a double exposure. I don't know how to take a double exposure with this camera. There probably is a way, I just have no interest in learning it.

No, this is a single exposure, hand held, taken from a stairway in Dave L's studio while he was shooting Kelsey. I had snapped a few images of the two of them in action and decided to concentrate on Kelsey for a couple of shots, as tacky a thing that is to do to another photographer when they are working. But I don't think Dave will mind me posting this version of his shoot as seen through my lens.

Time for this one to go home

Kelsey

After we were driven indoors with cold rain Kelsey and I did some studio work. She has an amazing body that lends itself to rim lighting with a wonderful touch. I was using Dave L's studio gear and found it to be very similar to my equipment which felt comfortable.

I should be on my way home when you read this. There are issues I must deal with upon my return that may prevent new posts here for awhile. We shall see. But if i appear not to be around for a couple of days, need not fret.

Rest of the world take note

Kelsey ~ Dragon Slayed

Ohio has a nice feature that I wish every state would instigate. They mark the roadway well by writing on the pavement what lane goes where so even if you are unfamiliar with the area and do not know if you should move to the right lane, left lane or stay put to get off the expressway ahead they tell you right there on the pavement where that lane will go. Saves a lot of wondering what is coming up in the way of having to jockey to get in the proper lane.

A very nice feature. Thank you Ohio.

Kelsey wet, cold, covered with mud and leaves.

Tonight I will be at the gallery for opening night. Odin willing, and the river don't rise I should see my friend D.L.Wood and his wonderful wife.

I went over to visit with Thyia last night. We planned a shoot at her place. When I arrived we began talking and ended up talking the evening away. She is a wonderful person to be around. I never did break out the camera, and it was alright. We will shoot many times before I die and there was no need to spoil a good evening of visiting together by changing gears for the sake of another photo.

Close Up Photography

Dave L & Kelsey ~ "This Looks Intriguing"

While my friend was working with Kelsey in his studio I managed to take a few candid shots of the action. Personally I think his interest was glued to the wrong end of the torso but that is just me.

Kelsey

Kelsey & The Dragon Tree ~ Unedited, complete with dirt and leaves stuck to her.

I'm sitting in a McDonalds having coffee and have lost my computer mouse so you get what you get.

Shot with Kelsey Dylan while in Ohio with Dave L. We had to give outdoor work a shot and ventured out in the rain and mud. And for our sins we got some great shots. Then we moved into Dave's studio and continued exploring the shape of this gal. A most enjoyable time.

Dave L. and his wife were perfect hosts and they renewed my faith in humanity..........sort of. If the world were full of people like them we would be in good shape. Unfortunately it isn't.

Travel notes II

Artistic Physique ~ Turkey Run Lodge

Back in Chicago. That was a nice side trip that killed time I had to spend. Tomorrow Golden Hooves goes in for her recall repair. We shall see how that goes.

Then I work with Thyia the following day. Eeeeeeeeeeeee! Don't have much of an idea what we will do but I'm sure it will be exciting.

Then the opening in Chicago at the Morpho Gallery and then I will get to go home. Home.... Sounds so good.

Travel notes

Abigail ~ No Shade

The above image is of the wonderful Abigail as we worked in the Badlands one hot summer. She managed to find this tree to sit on. A petrified tree, but a tree non the less. It didn't offer her any shade however.

When you are reading this i will be at the home of my friend, Dave Levingston in Ohio and about the time this will go up I will be waking Kelsey Dylan from her futon so we can get an early start on some outdoor shooting.

Yesterday I worked with a porn star in Cincinnati and it was.... different. We traded some of what I wanted for some of what she wanted.

We managed to come to an agreement where she got what she wanted and I got what I wanted and both of us ended up with good work to show for our efforts.

After I get back home and go through our work I will no doubt share some of it with you.

Now I get to shoot Kelsey Dylan. Yes!

Backing up

Local Gal ~ Phallus

Made note of a few things the last two days that I thought were, not revolutionary by any means, but noteworthy.

Went to a cell phone store with my son who needed a new one, I guess. Verizon I believe was the store.

It was a big store. When we walked in there were four people greeting us at the door and I thought how odd as Wal-Mart only has one.

When we got in I noticed they had a hand full of cell phones and accessories spread out so far apart in there you could had condensed it all down into one ten foot counter space. And nine employees standing around talking with each other and nothing to do.

Somebody is paying the bill for all this nonsense. Guess who?

Another reason I will never, ever own a cell phone. I don't want to have a 90 dollar a month phone bill because a bunch of worthless clowns are standing around talking all day with nothing to do.

My kid ends up with a phone and proceeds to go home and sit down and try and figure it out. When I asked him about what all it does he was not sure but said he only uses it to make and get calls and all the other stuff was things he will never use.

They are like cameras these days that are stuffed with a bunch of things we never use but must be made to pay for.

I think his phone was about $350. plus his 90 dollar a month phone bill.

I will stick with my 29 dollar phone bill and a 16 dollar phone that can't leave my house, thank you very much.

I have coffee with three fellows four or five times a week in the mornings. They sit there and push buttons on their phones and stare at the screen and never say a word. I wonder why they even show up.

I had dinner with my grand kids and daughter in law last night. Two of them sat in the restaurant and pushed their buttons on their phones and never spoke a word. Just pushing buttons on their cell phones.

We have bred a race of animals that no longer are able to communicate unless they have an electronic device in their hand, and the world is a much worse place because of it.

Don't try and tell me I'm an old fart that needs to join the 21st century. I see zero reason to down grade myself to that level. More inventions that make things easier does not always make for progress. In the case of cell phones it has caused us to revert to the stone age.

Recall Notice

Camile

I'm sitting around in the Chicago area killing time, as it were.

As long as I am near a Honda dealer I made an appointment to take Golden Hooves in for a recall notice. I know, 350,000 miles and I get a recall notice. Something to do with the steering giving out and crashing. So the earliest I could get in was the 7th. I will have gotten back from Ohio by then.

This will no doubt be an all day thing so I will bring some good walking shoes and hike around part of Elmhurst while they repair my girl.

More likely as this is in a "CITY", they will tell me on the morning of the 7th that they do not have the parts but could have them in a few days. At that point I will shove a ball point pen up the service managers nose and head back to northern Minnesota.

The image above was taken while we were lying on the rocks attempting to dry off and warm up after a dip in Lake Superior. Damn cold but the sun was out and the warm rocks felt good.

Wonders of a flashlight

Claudine ~ Midnight light painting

This image was taken in our campsite on one of the trips to the north shore of Lake Superior. Sitting around the campfire one night we decided to play. The only light source was a Mag-Lite flashlight I had to find our way about in the dark should nature call. It turned out rather well I thought considering all the factors involved that we had to deal with.

She is standing on the edge of about a hundred foot cliff face, hence the blue sky backdrop that wonderfully appeared where I expected nothing but blackness during the 45 second exposure where I was busy painting her and the trees with light.

And she held remarkably still. A rare thing for such a long exposure where I need to go over her several times with small amounts of light in order to blend the light directions together without having her look like a flash went off.

My Moose and I did some wonderful work with light painting that summer as well.

I miss my Moose.

No Canoe?!

Brooke ~ My 84" print on a wall at the Art Institute in Chicago.

I never got to see this print above. It was a dandy, I guess.

I heard it was to find a home in an office building in Japan somewhere. That was before the earth quake and tsunami hit. I have no idea if it is still in existence.

Today I should be dropping off my artwork in Chicago, then a quick visit with family and onto Ohio where I will be working with a gal I have never met but seems to be someone who will give her all for the cause. Then a side jaunt over to visit my friend, Dave L. and some work with Kelsey Dylan before I head back to Chicago where I expect I will tag up with Thyia for a day.

I almost feel naked making this trip without the canoe strapped on top of Golden Hooves. I'm not sure how she is going to react to it either. But when you are reading this we will have found out, having written this post last Saturday.