Category Archives: photography

Oh! those summer nights

14 Sunday Aug 2022

Posted by in Art, education, Health, photography, therapy

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This post contains scenes of nature therapy, art therapy and memories of teenage love.

First, let’s pay tribute to a talented actress and songbird, Olivia Newton-John who recently passed away at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.

The summer of 1978 was one of adventure and romance for me and my best friend. We met cute boys whose families owned cottages on Georgian Bay. The days and nights were full of giggles, kisses and hopes. I remember exchanging letters and pining for my American boyfriend months after his family returned home and everyone fell back into weekly routines. I held onto the sweet memories for months until they were buried and cooled by the winter’s snow. We saw each other the following summer, only in passing, exchanging polite greetings.

Olivia Newton-John sings Hopelessly Devoted from that cult classic, Grease

Fast forward to summer nights occupied with glamorous household chores, mellowing out with TV sitcoms, and adjusting fans to cool off my sweaty, menopausal body. Some of the perspiration is caused by frustrations with a geriatric Cat.

Closing off a well-appreciated vacation week, I recently joined members of my Rotary club and a dear friend for a forest therapy guided tour of nearby woods. It was refreshing to get outdoors plus meet people whose faces I had only seen on the screen during Zoom meetings.

One tree endured ten minutes of my sensory attention during a forest therapy exercise
The author appreciates the sights, sounds, and aromas during a forest therapy guided tour

I admit to hugging a tree during this event. I struggled to quiet my busy mind that constantly needs to identify and classify my surroundings.

You can learn more about this forest therapy practice at https://www.foresttherapyottawa.ca/.

One daily activity this past week was to evolve a piece of art as homage to one of my favourite, underappreciated artists. It also provided me with mindless dotting of colours while watching TV or listening to music with a really good beat.

Night forest – a study in pointillism, markers, August 2022 TAJ

I think one can appreciate the final result after viewing the progress. Let me know what you think: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5ZQ2dW3kx5P7FhX99 .

Now it is Sunday, a day of reflection, household chores and preparing for the return to the downtown workplace. Let us pray that the Busing Gods will be kind.

Thank you for dropping by, especially if you are a real person and not the creator of a made-up blog.

T

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Art appreciation during a pandemic

20 Friday Aug 2021

Posted by in Art, community, Health, photography

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I ventured into crowds outside of my community willingly last week for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.

I don’t experience wanderlust nor do I rebel against science-based protocols and restrictions on personal movement. I bite my tongue in passing judgement on others I know who have been travelling across country and borders for pleasure this summer. It has been two years since I have seen my grandchildren.

A friend and I made plans in June to aim for attending an arts event in town this summer after we got our two COVID-19 vaccinations. We had hopes for a pleasant time considering the circumstances.

We needed to experience the beauty of art during a social outing again.

A Van Gogh self-portrait painting image

The exhibit: https://vangoghottawa.com/

We navigated with her car through summer road construction to Lansdowne Park. We navigated the underground parking facilities. We respected protocols by waiting with masks on, ground level in the time slot visit queue of art lovers then followed slowly at a distance through the maze of digitized art displays and meaningful quotes that led to the immersive experience.

Boats on water at night – Beyond Van Gogh exhibit in Ottawa, ON

The venue was warm with very little air flow. In general, the immersive experience was entertaining and enjoyable. All the while though, the risks associated with the pandemic were on my mind. Even the beautiful images of Vincent’s Starry Night and floral arrangements struggled to calm my concerns.

Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting image in a digital display
Van Gogh Irises and Sunflowers

After 45 minutes of that, I made sure to purchase a souvenir at the boutique on the way out, an over-priced notebook with reprint images of his popular paintings.

Lunch out was a challenge with filling out the electronic contact tracing form before being allowed into the restaurant. Management made safe distancing arrangements for diners. It seems that trendy restaurants are still playing background music way too loud for my preference in enjoying a conversation. Half-way through my salad, I declined the offer of dessert. I just wanted to go home.

There are other art gallery and museum exhibits I want to see this summer. My desire is dampened by reports about the COVID-19 variants spreading about.

I am okay with delaying the satisfaction of my selfish desires for a little while longer, and finding safer alternatives.

I would rather be deprived than dead.

Thanks for dropping by.

T

Impermanence

23 Saturday May 2020

Posted by in Art, Health, philosophy, photography, therapy

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It’s the weekend. At least I think it is.

It’s a good thing I write these things down, making short lists of tasks for each day on scraps of paper.

I was moving slowly this morning, emerging from the fog and deep in thought. Like many of you, I was wondering when this pandemic would pass and we could spend time closer with family and friends again, when we could do a stress-free trip to the grocery store, and when we could go back to the workplace.

I was feeling thankful for the opportunity to work from the home office these past ten weeks and not have to wait for – nor venture onto – crowded buses in to the city.

What could describe this feeling about something that will not last long? Itching to express, I sought out my Buddha Board. 

Buddha Board Impermanence

Impermanence

It demanded patience to stand in the same spot and take a picture every few minutes as the water evaporated off the drawing surface.

I present to you a time-lapsed photo project called “Impermanence”.

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Thanks for dropping by. Stay well. Stay safe. This too shall pass.

T