Thursday, October 30, 2008

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Manufactured Landscapes by Edward Burtynsky




Nature transformed through industry is a predominate theme in my work...These images are meant as metaphors to the dilemma of our modern existence...Our dependence on nature to provide the materials for our consumption and our concern for the health of our planet sets us into an uneasy contradiction.






View Mr. Burtynsky's portfolio here.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Compassion

"Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things."
- Thomas Merton

Monday, October 20, 2008

Hanggliding



My feeble attempt at flying.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Chuck Close




Twenty years ago, Chuck Close was a successful artist, painting photorealistic portraits with incredible technical skill. Then, one day he was suddenly paralyzed by a rare spinal artery collapse. Although the partial paralysis left him unable to paint with the precision he was renowned for, his art evolved into a more abstract and interesting form (see pics above). He talks about the transformation and its effect on the Charlie Rose Show.

Charlie Rose: What was the hardest thing about adjusting to what happened to you? I mean, you were a very healthy man. You were 49 years old.

Chuck Close: Well, 48, the same age my father was when he died. And it's interesting to have an event that corresponds...because I thought about every year that I had with my children that he didn't have with me. And as hard as my life was, I realized that every one of those years was a gift, and was to be cherished and appreciated. I think, in a funny way, it's made it a lot easier.

CR: How many years have you had since then?

CC: Nineteen.

CR: That's incredible. Nineteen years of gift to your children, that your father hadn't...

CC: Well, I'm not so sure they think it's a gift. [Laughing]. Some of those years I don't think they appreciated it.