“Take Your Best Shot”

 

Figure 44. Thompson’s Revolver Camera, ca. 1862. Courtesy of the George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film. from ‘The Miracle of Analogy: Or The History of Photography, Part 1,’  by Kaja Silverman.

“However, it wasn’t until the 1880s that the verb “to take” decisively replaced the verb “to receive” and “shoot” became a synonym for “take.” It was also only through the industrialization of chemical photography that this shift occurred. Most of the terms through which we conceptualize the medium were manufactured for us, just like our equipment and material.” from “The Miracle of Analogy: or The History of Photography, Part 1” by Kaja Silverman.
…

In 2000, well before my own photographic efforts began, and well before the arrival of archival inks, I found myself daily testing multiple papers (substrates) from multiple manufacturers, to create custom profiles to match image-to-monitor-to-printer. This was an elusive process, given the nature of technology in those days. Especially with a client who was insistent on his goal of achieving a museum level print with 99% reproducibility.
In simple terms, I held the raw textures of whites and surfaces and had the luxury of holding the image print post printer. (More like holding my breath).

Eventually archival inks arrived and print stability emerged as well. In my 17 years that have followed, I have been intrigued by how the earliest photography groups behaved as they struggled with the new born medium. I am dating my interest specifically to the time period of Gustave Le Gray and his works of 1850 – 1860. And of Société Héliographique, the first photographic society, whose members included photographers, scientists, and intellectuals. Their charter missions was  ‘To Hasten the Perfection of Photography.’

They lasted a little over 2 years and then collapsed before a deluge of commerce.

I feel we inherit a haste to purchase the latest technology with but scarce glance over our shoulders at how we have inherited the language we use around our photographic experiences. And we diminish our giving back to the image, the portrait, the landscape.

The question of what we might contribute back to an image, I will hold for further discussion.

Gustave Le Gray, Brig Upon the Waters

 

 

 

What Shall I Call You…

“What shall I call you? Look, my lips are lame.
You are the beginning of all that gushes forth,
I am the slow and fearful Amen
that timidly concludes your beauty.”
Rilke, The Duino Elegies

Copper Beech Initial Trees

I am preparing a story telling related to the Copper Beech Initial Trees of Pigeon Cove and Rockport. The story telling will take place May 21 at the Marblehead Arts Association at 2 – 4 pm. This is an Artist Event for the SQ & LB Artist Collaboration installation on “The Resilient Landscapes of Marblehead and Cape Ann,” now showing at the MAA. And we are fortunate to have master storyteller Judith Black as part of the afternoon.

I’ve located one more initialed Copper Beech, inside the John Kieran Nature Trail, inside Marmion Way.

Has anyone knowledge of any other initialed  Copper Beeches on Cape Ann?

Thanks,

 

Yes

 

Abraham Lincoln and the The Rockport Granite Company

The large granite monument slabs behind Lincoln are sea-green granite from Blood Ledge, Lanesville, Cape Ann

Standing Abraham Lincoln Sculpture

The Lincoln Monument on the West Plaza of the Nebraska State Capitol is the only structure on the grounds that predates Bertram Goodhue’s “Tower on the Plains” begun in 1922.

Abraham Lincoln Sculpture

The Nebraska Legislature created the Lincoln Centennial Memorial Association on April 14, 1903, and authorized it to spend ten thousand dollars in state funds on the memorial, provided an equal amount could be raised from private contributions.  Nebraska’s great orator William Jennings Bryan spoke to a crowd of thousands at the September 2, 1912 dedication of the statue.
When Daniel Chester French received the commission to produce the Lincoln statue in June 1909, he was one of America’s leading sculptors with works like the Minute Man in Concord, Mass and the Gallaudet Memorial in Washington, D.C. to his credit.

French collaborated with architect Henry Bacon to provide the Lincoln statue with its architectural setting.  French stated he “purposely tried to represent Lincoln bearing the burdens and perplexities and problems of the Great War.”  The statue’s attitude is one of reverence over a grave in keeping with the speech delivered at the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863.  The bronze statue is standing on a granite pedestal with the Gettysburg Address carved into the Rockport Granite Company’s sea-green granite monument blocks (from Blood Ledge Quarry) backdrop.

In My Fathers House, There Are Many Rooms

The house we are born into and the house we dream are rarely the same space.

The house we are born into is rarely the house our father has built for us.

The wood of my father’s house was seeded when he was but a child.

….

In the year of my father’s engagement, he and his father cut and planed,
then framed the house in which I and my brother grew up.

Here I learned the words ‘vertical,’ and ‘horizontal,’ while watching
the sway of tall red pines, waving in the summer breezes, groaning below
the winter snows.

Here the eye of the soul commenced a dream…

Leslie D. Bartlett, June 19, 2016

 

This is my daily work

“This is my daily work over which
my shadow lies like a shell.
And even if I’m like leaves and loam,
whenever I pray or paint
it becomes like Sunday once again, and in the valley,
I’m the voice of a praising Jerusalem.”

Rainer Maria Rilke, Prayers of a Young Poet, No.49
[translated by Mark S.Burrows]

 

The Lamentation

THE LAMENTATION

“The body of Christ with the full
sweep of its arms and with the
powerful simple curve which
extends from the toe to the lofting
hand giving an affectionate
blessing, forms the liaison between
heaven and earth.
He has nothing left for himself.
He gives Himself to everyone…”
Paul Claudel, A Poet Before the Cross

The Lamentation

No Fooling…It’s Time To Wake Up To Your Dreams!

(Please take the time to read, and then the time to dream little dream for yourself —Leslie Bartlett)

NO FOOLING….

 

 IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP TO YOUR DREAMS !

 

How would you like to have exclusive access to a Life Coach 

who is totally devoted to your well-being 

and works with you on the night shift?

What guidance and insight are your sleeping dreams trying to share with you?  

Would you like to know?

Lesley Zaret and I have a deep and joyful passion when it comes to helping people access the profound inner wisdom and guidance that is available in their sleeping dreams.   Since 2009, when we met at a Dream Conference (go figure!), Lesley and I have been on a mission to share this deep and transformational work with individuals and groups.  Our workshops have received rave reviews…and we absolutely love doing them.  

 

COME JOIN US on April Fool’s Day for 

“STORIES FROM THE NIGHT SHIFT” 

 

6 CEUs approved by  NASW

222 Arts and Wellness Center

Gloucester, MA 

on Friday, April 1st from 8:30 am to 4 pm

This fun, informative and insightful workshop has received excellent reviews from previous participants including therapists, coaches, counselors, healers and curious individuals.  Here are a couple of comments from a recent workshop:

“After attending a dream work seminar, I was surprised and so happy to realize that a couple of hours of working deeply on a dream can be the equivalent of hours of therapy!”  -PLL, Mental Health Counselor

 

“Clients often bring their dreams to me in therapy sessions, asking what do you think this means? Attending the workshop, “Stories from the Night Shift: Dream Work in Clinical Practice”  last May, helped me to step forward  to explore this experience in a creative and positive way that draws on the thoughts and feelings of the clients as well as understanding of the therapist.   The leaders were both very experienced in working with dreams and shared their  knowledge and love for the process with the class with great warmth.  I left the class feeling really happy about being in the group, and  with a deeper understanding  of how to connect more deeply with the rich insights that dreams can offer.  Thank you Lesley and Beth!”  – MaryBeth, Psychotherapist

Will you join us?  

You can register and learn more about this workshop here:  

www.therapeuticdreamwork.com

In this workshop you will:
– Learn simple techniques to increase your competence and confidence in working with dreams, personally and/or in clinical practice
– Integrate historical and scientific perspectives, including neuroscience and physiology, into your understanding of dreams 
– Enhance your understanding of how to access dreams to enhance self awareness and improve problem solving, conflict management, and relationship skills
– Develop an understanding of the relationship between trauma and dreams and how to create a safe space
– Experience a variety of dream work techniques for personal and professional use during the workshop


We’d love to have you spend this time with us to enhance your understanding of how to access your own personal treasure chest of self-awareness, wisdom and guidance.   

 

You can find a more detailed brochure along with registration information on the website.   You’re also welcome to contact Beth at 781-248-9877 or Lesley at 603-733-4536 if you have questions about the Gloucester workshop or the upcoming Exeter, NH workshop:

 

WSW Center, 111 Water Street 22 

Exeter, NH

on Saturday, March 19th  from 8:30 am to 4 pm

 

Register and find more details here:  www.therapeuticdreamwork.com

 

This workshop will offer plenty of time to working actual dreams and experiencing 4-5 dream work methods, so plan to bring a dream or two with you if you’d like to work on one while you’re there.

Please DO pass this email on to others who may have interest !   

With excited anticipation, 

Beth and Lesley

I, an old soul

I, an old soul

WHY do photographs need to be shown under glass?
WHAT IF photographs were displayed without a frame?
HOW would the viewer engage?

WHY do my photographs need to be held under glass?
WHAT IF I choose to display my photographs after the manner of a scroll?
HOW do viewers engage with my work?

Pursuing these questions for 15 years, I have some conclusions to share and speak from…

I, an old soul – Leslie D. Bartlett February 9, 2016

Reflection Upon the Floor of Being

/And if the soul/
/is ever to know itself/
/it must gaze into another’s soul:/
~George Seferis

Reflecting on the year’s end with my beloved Beth….