echoes in a turtleshell

Seagull

2012-01-24T23:10:00.000-05:00

Peace, B

Blue Winged Messenger

2012-01-20T22:46:00.001-05:00

Peace,

Just Another Day With Mother Nature

2012-01-18T00:07:00.000-05:00

Communing with nature is always a lesson full of color and mystery.

She is very straight forward in her methods. I spent the extended morning in

the company of a friend in the wetland wilderness north of my home.

We were gifted with the cycle of life and death, and what beautifully

raw gifts they were. I was able to shoot my first Kingfisher.

He is a camera shy bird and doesn't tolerate people in his space. Thank

you, Kingfisher, for the brief chance to see you in action.

Then we were able to see a Cormorant fishing for his mid-morning snack.

Much to the fish's dismay, he succeeded.

As if this weren't enough, the highlight of the day was the opportunity

allowed us by Mother Nature and this otter who was sleeping on the bank.

We were able to sit in the grass about 15 feet away from her and shoot.

She would occasionally raise a sleepy head and glance in our direction,

then after about 15 minutes she rolled playfully and then dove back

into the water and was gone.

Not to be outdone, the Sandhill Cranes began their mating rituals and flew in

right in front of our vehicle and began their calling and prancing. The flashing of

the feathers and the calls back and forth were exhilarating. The colors on

these large birds are incredibly beautiful during mating season. The mixture

of browns and grays is something only nature could pull off successfully.

Oh, lest I forget the absolute opposite of the spectrum, there was the

alligator and his duck. He was a rather large gator also, I stayed in the car.

You never know when they might lose interest in the duck in their mouth and

find larger prey more inviting.

All in all it was an exciting day in the Viera wetlands and I left as I always do,

wanting more, much more. The messages in the outdoor arena are the ones that

remain with me the longest and carry the strongest resonance for me.

I wish I could take you all for a visit. It has become a sanctuary for my soul,

a place where I know I can go and drink in the sacredness of life. I leave filled

with wonder, joy and absolute gratitude that I am tolerated in such a

holy place.

Peace, B

For a larger assortment of photos you will have to visit me on Facebook, if you are my friend.

Roadway to Heaven

2011-11-20T21:46:00.001-05:00

The road to Heaven

is paved with stone & sweat

Who walks it?

Internal compass,

magnetic glory

leads one on

– B

Journey Onward

2011-11-18T11:32:00.001-05:00

Stairway to Heaven, ©2011, BLD

Today I travel to a corner in a countryside Honduran church, not far from the Nicaraguan border. The staging of statuary, artificial flowers, wall art, and color caught my attention. The absolute poverty of the parish is obvious in the photo, but, as always, is somewhat neutralized by the photographic process. Hence, I feel no guilt in manipulating my photos to further accent the truths I feel vibrate from the original site. The hope, the faith and the joy in God just seem to resonate in the atmosphere of this tiny corner of South America. Like sound waves, they permeate the space of the viewer, attaching quietly to the soul and traveling on with them. Such attachment is good, is welcome, even though its presence may not ever be distinguished from other steps in the journey.

Such small incidents knit together and build yet another block for the foundation of the soul.

Step by step, we are climbing a stairway to Heaven.

Peace, B

Note to Santa

2011-11-17T09:24:00.000-05:00

Oh Santa,

do you know where he lives?

– B

Where are you going?

2011-11-16T08:58:00.001-05:00

Smear the surface,

peer through the marks,

a soft & hazy world.

Rough edges, none,

no pinpricks of truth,

to fester.

Gently icing harshness,

simply cannot wash life

off of one's soul.

Must God smear the ether

when gazing down on us?

– B

How Beautiful Art The Feet

2011-11-15T09:27:00.000-05:00

Honduran Children's Feet, BLD

One cannot make poverty appear more poor,
one cannot make the discomfort go away,
the swirl of emotions
sucks me down
into a void of helplessness.
How do I erase such inequality?

– B

Christ & The Laundry

2011-11-14T09:25:00.000-05:00

This image is the one that jumped out to me this morning. I have spent the last 30 minutes 'digitally modifying' it as is my wont. I am pleased with the piece in the fact that it is bright, colorful, and full of mundaneness. This is a wall of a small Episcopal church in Honduras. Through the window is a clothesline in the yard of the home next door. The absolutely non-sacred placement is what struck me. Here God is where man is, there is no set-apart place for them. Poverty allows little separateness.

Photography, and my adaptations of it, tend to cleanse the images of the actual horror of the poorness of the lives in Honduras. It is a shame that we are shielded from that even in our attempts to share it. Perhaps that is one of the things that Christ pondered as he walked a line none of us would dare, as he was stripped of his 'laundry,' and hung out for the world to scorn.

May this day be flooded with clarity and may the layers of gauze be slowly stripped from our eyes.

Peace, B

Cyber Graffiti

2011-11-13T07:52:00.000-05:00

Honduran Angel - when poverty and worship collide

there is a profound eruption of beauty

that cannot be contained -

it beckons the soul to arenas

far beyond the physical,

to take up the sword of faith

and the blind willingness to

follow into the heavenly realms of ecstasy!

– B

I am going to attempt, for the next few weeks, to post thoughts and images from

our journey to Honduras almost a year ago. They have been fermenting in the

back of my soul over this past year and are now pushing to come forth. I welcome any

dialogue on whatever thoughts or observations may come from this exercise.

Peace

2011-11-10T19:34:00.000-05:00

Several people have commented this week that time is passing by too quickly.

I agree, it has seemed that way for quite a while to me.

My dad used to explain it mathematically:

When you are ten, one year is one tenth of your life!

Rather a large percentage.

However, when you are sixty, a year is one sixtieth of your life,

A much, much smaller fraction;

therefore, time has picked up speed!

I think my dad was a very wise man,

if not a little wacky too.

So, I guess I come by it naturally.

Thanks, Dad, I miss you.

Peace, B

PS: I find that walking along the shore

slows down the passage of time considerably!

I highly recommend it.

A Farewell to John

2011-10-17T19:21:00.000-04:00

Today we bid farewell to an amazing man,

he left us after a mere 90 years.

His marks are deep and lasting,

his contributions, invaluable.

He was a recipient of a bronze star for valor,

he was a soldier at Normandy on D-Day,

he served his country in unbelievable circumstances,

and went on to serve his community and his family

with the same faithfulness and devotion.

He always served his God in this manner.

He will be missed.

There are few like John left.

So, tonight, I send a single lantern off in his honor.

Your light was bright and consistent,

may it shine in Heaven for eternity.

Peace, B

Black & White

2011-10-14T19:43:00.000-04:00

We live in a grey shaded world. Black & white is an illusion, just as the concepts of 'freedom,' 'equality,' and 'fairness' are illusions. They are illusions that keep us sane, illusions that keep us hoping. Long live the illusion.

On the other hand, a friend gifted me with many branches of various plumeria to root and grow, to include 'Bridal Veil.' I am deeply grateful and hope not to disappoint her with my botanical skills.

Bless the garden, Lord,
but mostly, please,
bless the gardener.

Peace, Barbara

2011-10-09T22:26:00.000-04:00

A dear friend shared this link tonight. It is deep, different and comforting.

Peace,
Barb

Feathered Remains

2011-09-25T15:57:00.001-04:00

Jurassic cousins,

etched in spirit

Cave-like dark,

enlightened

Begun in flight,

completed in vision

– B

The above piece is a small portion of a larger work. It was created from many photographs I have taken of birds in flight. The wings were isolated and grouped to form an entirely new feathered shape. Then I pushed it and pushed it, until it became a digitized representation of a fossilized cave wall. The marriage of ancient and modern calls me. The union of technology and primitive intrigue me.

The full piece will be available soon for viewing or purchase on my etsy site. I anticipate opening by mid-November and will post a link here.

– September 25th, BL Desrosiers

Pelicans Squared

2011-09-17T12:26:00.000-04:00

Today I am playing with photos. I simply can't leave a photo alone, somehow I am compelled to mess with them and make them truly my own. It makes me happy, and right now I think happiness is much needed in life. Perhaps my messing with my photographs will somehow make you happy also.

Fisherbirds,

stately white,

feathered flight,

fish-to-fill sac,

adorns outstretched neck.

Open,

wide,

stand,

tall,

pelicans squared.

--B

2011-09-14T21:39:00.000-04:00

Tonight I am taking a stroll through patterns,

what a designer is Mother Nature.

The colors, the shapes, the designs,

small, large, in between;

it doesn't take long to find such beauty

in a semi-tropical paradise.

– B

Tiny Angel

2011-08-30T22:45:00.001-04:00

Sometimes we all need a little angel to look over us,

Tonight I know there are some of you who do more than others,

This little angel is for you.

Peace & Love

B 2011

A Balanced Life

2011-08-21T19:27:00.000-04:00

BALANCE

It is my aim to lead a balanced life, one of emotional, spiritual, physical and societal balance.

Not such an easy task most days. How many of us can balance it all on our own? That persistent ache that keeps pulling you back from a balanced set of exercises, the persistent puppy that keeps me from a balanced time of work. . . Ah, perhaps that is not true. It seems the puppy forces me to balance my time away from the keyboard with some time outside breathing the fresh air and observing the grass grow, and, of course, getting my share of furry love too. Perhaps the persistent ache keeps one from going too far off balance by over-exercising and re-focuses the vision on the reasons for the ache, the imbalance of skeletal use.

Nothing in life is constant fluff and peace. We learn life by torment and turmoil. We learn love by pain. We learn value by loss.

I find Asian styles fascinating. They are beautifully balanced in all elements, laden with lessons for living. Perhaps we Westerners should contemplate the Eastern forms of design and life to learn a better way to balance our life of over-consumption, over-indulgence, over-activity, over-achievement.

Are we over the top? Have we unbalanced ourselves to the point where we cannot right ourselves again? Or are we teetering on the brink and still capable of pulling our selves back to a balanced stance, one firmly planted in fairness, love and equality.

I pray this is so. Pray, pray for balance.

– B

Floating Light

2011-08-14T19:17:00.001-04:00

Floating Lantern, Morikami Park, Delray Beach, FL

Lately I have begun to think a great deal about different customs of honoring or remembering the dead in various cultures. We were lucky enough this past weekend to attend one such ceremony at Morikami Museum in Delray Beach, Florida. (Okay, some of us weren't quite as lucky as others; they sacrificed their option of exploring the festival by reserving the wonderful photo spot we had staked out early in the evening.)

It was a lovely event, spoiled only by a sudden thunderstorm at the very moment the lanterns were being released to the lake. Paper lanterns were floated on the lake in honor of the dead. There were messages written on some of them, others were plain. Hundreds of them were being released last night.

The park itself is lovely and made up of different Japanese gardens from different time periods. It is a place I would like to revisit without the accompaniment of the thousands of other tourists who were trying also to enjoy the area. The photos were plentiful and lovely. I have about 1500 to edit from the weekend, including photos also from the American Orchid Society, and Blowing Rocks in Jupiter, Florida.

The lantern ceremony, as brief as the weather made it, was the most influential on me. It floats in my memory, much as the lanterns themselves. The symbolism, I hope, will remain with me as a spur to research and begin a visual journey down the road of remembrances of those passed on to the next realm.

Stay tuned for occasional and infrequent updates and photos.

Peace,

Birthdays Aren't For the Age Conscious

2011-08-12T21:37:00.000-04:00

Another year, another milestone.

The zoo, a few hours with the animals in the heat.

Home, a few hours clipping the dog so he can stay cool in the heat.

Out, party with friends -- great evening.

Gifts that were thoughtful, wonderful, perfectly suited and incomparable.

A lovely day, quite a lovely day.

Peace, B

Just that kind of night...

2011-08-07T22:20:00.002-04:00

¹ LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory

in the heavens.

² Through the praise of children and infants

you have established a stronghold against your enemies,

to silence the foe and the avenger.
³ When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?

⁵ You have made them a little lower than the angels

and crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;

you put everything under their feet:

⁷ all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,

⁸ the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹ LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8

Just that kind of night.

Peace,

2011-07-09T23:39:00.000-04:00

This is the wing of a Roseate Spoonbill.

I do believe that God was having a grand time on the day HE created this bird. It is the strangest looking bird, but, oh, it has the most beautiful feathers! Pink, and what a glorious pink it is. Shades of pink, enough to make any girl's heart flutter!

Feathers fascinate me, and pink ones? They are the ultimate in feather wonder. Why do I mention pink feathers on a very funny looking bird tonight? Perhaps because sometimes that is how I feel, beautifully bedecked and yet somehow ackwardly misfit. Isn't self-consciousness a hard thing to juggle?

Ah, I take comfort in the fact that the Spoonbill is completely unaware of his or her misfitedness in the world of avians. We could learn some lessons from this humble and strange bird.

Use your strangeness to the best of your ability, make the world a better place.
Sift your opportunities with wild abandon, as he sifts the water for fish.
Raise that wing, who cares if a feather or two are broken, the wing still flaps and will lift you high.

Ah, Spoonbill, or Rosie, as the case may be, thank you for your simple lessons, you never let vanity get in your way.

Peace, B

2011-06-02T08:20:00.000-04:00

By A Slender Thread, ©2011
Encaustic collage with digital and iPad montage on rice paper
BL Desrosiers

It appears I'm committed to making a go of this encaustic media. I have to confess, it is like coming home from a journey far away. The return to molten wax is something I have fantasized about for years and now that I have taken the plunge, I can say that I won't be straying too far from it again. (So, dear unknown soul who stole my wax delivery off my front porch, your efforts will not impede my determination to create.)

I began my love affair with wax in the 1970s in Taiwan where I took batik lessons from an artist, Sammy, in our village for two years. We created paintings in batik, not fabrics such as is commonly practiced, or was at the time. I then continued to batik for another 5 years once we returned to the states and loved it. I gave it up due to the toxicity of the dyes at the time and my daughter's asthma. I have always missed the aroma of the melted bees' wax and the challenge of getting the molten wax to the surface and laid as I wish before it hardens. Now I can cheat and use a heat gun, oh joy!

I owe a great deal of gratitude to my friend, Judy, who has been gracious enough to share techniques with me and be my mentor in encaustic art. Thank you, Judy.

Encaustic is so much more fulfilling also, I can play with the surface and leave texture. No more boiling it all off! My initial efforts are, well, a beginning. I hope to improve with time and continual practice.

The above piece is entered in the show, Elements, at the Art Gallery of Viera. It is 16x20" and is a marriage of my digital work and wax - a perfect match if there ever was one, at least in my heart!

Peace,
Barb

Revelations

2011-04-12T10:15:00.000-04:00

B.L. Desrosiers

revelation comes in tiny flashes,

unless it comes in a bolt

time will aid assimilation,

patience will yield its fruit

the spiral walk will continue,

my step a bit more soft

conscious of the world around and in me,

awareness of my part

and so I will continue to adorn this life I live,

gently wrap in filigree, touch with gilded prayer

small offerings of love,

in this ritual dance of mystery

BLD

Prayers for Japan, and all of us by connection

2011-03-31T08:26:00.000-04:00

Please send your prayers of love and gratitude to water at the nuclear plants in Fukushima, Japan.

By the massive earthquakes of Magnitude 9 and surreal massive tsunamis, more than 10,000 people are still missing, even now. It has been 16 days already since the disaster happened. What makes it worse is that water at the reactors of Fukushima Nuclear Plants started to leak, and it’s contaminating the ocean, air and water molecule of surrounding areas.

Human wisdom has not been able to do much to solve the problem, but we are only trying to cool down the anger of radioactive materials in the reactors by discharging water to them.
Is there really nothing else to do?

I think there is. During over twenty year research of hado measuring and water crystal photographic technology, I have been witnessing that water can turn positive when it receives pure vibration of human prayer no matter how far away it is.

Energy formula of Albert Einstein, E=MC2 really means that Energy = number of people and the square of people’s consciousness.

Now is the time to understand the true meaning. Let us all join the prayer ceremony as fellow citizens of the planet earth. I would like to ask all people, not just in Japan, but all around the world to please help us to find a way out the crisis of this planet!!

The Prayer procedure is as follows.

Name of ceremony:
"Let’s send our thoughts of love and gratitude to all water in the nuclear plants in Fukushima"
Day and Time:

March 31st, 2011 (Thursday)
12:00 noon in each time zone

Please say the following phrase:

“The water of Fukushima Nuclear Plant, we are sorry to make you suffer. Please forgive us. We thank you, and we love you.”
Please say it aloud or in your mind. Repeat it three times as you put your hands together in a prayer position. Please offer your sincere prayer.

Thank you very much from my heart.

With love and gratitude,
Masaru Emoto
http://www.masaru-emoto.net/english/e_ome_urgentmessage0316.html

Not for the gentle of heart

2011-02-18T23:02:00.000-05:00

Please, exercise caution with the accompanying photos this evening. They are quite graphic. If you are a delicate vegetarian, don't go any further.

Duck Soup

It was a day of adrenaline rushes like I haven't experienced in quite a while and I surprised myself. R and I spent the day in the Florida wilderness, a place she has spent many a day and a place I am rapidly growing an addiction to myself. Each time we go we stumble upon something fiercely beautiful, but today we encountered an experience the likes of which I hadn't imagined ever being witness to.

The day began quietly, water like glass, sky blue as, well, sky, a beautiful morning. The white pelicans were gorgeous, but elusive today. So, we went in search of other subjects. In our pursuit we pulled over to try to capture some shoots of a raccoon who was patrolling the water's edges, but he hid himself in the reeds and refused to pose. His distraction though brought us to the ideal spot to photograph this creature.

Please meet Stumpy, as we came to name him.

Stumpy had apparently just found lunch, a ring-necked duck, and was just beginning his repast when we encountered him. He was most cooperative with us and our cameras until the other tourists began to show up.

He then decided to move to a quieter spot. So, we trailed him. This happened three times. Again, as long as it was just the two of us he was quite content to allow us to shot his dining experience. He didn't have good manners though and played with his food for a couple of hours. I shot over 800 shots of him and I'm sure R did so, or more.

The images, now that I look at them, send shutters down my spine. I find gators to be quite fear-inducing and don't normally go seeking them out. At the time I wasn't the least bit scared, he did seem quite content with his mouth full and not interested in the two-leggeds some 10 feet away. He appeared to be about 6 feet long himself, not huge at all, but then, not a baby either. We didn't spend a great deal of time on the ground, after his first move, we chose to stay in the car and shoot. It's a much more secure way to experience gators.

Life and death were right there, raw and uncensored. The coots swam around him and quacked happily ignoring the fate of their cousin. A water snake four times approached him and then thought better of it and turned away. The drama was quiet, brilliant and completely natural.

My apologies if these photos offend anyone, but I did give you fair warning. Please know that this was an experience that I will treasure and hold dear. It was near the end of our shoot that we finally noticed that Stumpy has a leg missing, hence his lovely name.

A 3-legged gator, testament to the ferocity of life, and the persistence of the same. What a gift from God today.

Peace,
B

Creative Storms

2011-01-24T22:34:00.001-05:00

ELEMENTAL MARRIAGE

digital montage with photo and ipad drawing printed and collaged with mixed media

2011

This is what almost drove me off the cliff. The storms have just begun. It will be on exhibit at The Art Gallery of Viera beginning Wednesday and through most of the month of February.

B

Awakening...

2011-01-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

(Or just an indulgent, egotistical rant...)

Shhh...Silence is Golden

digital montage, mixed media/2011

I fell again today.

I seem to be developing a talent for it. My unconscious is apparently trying to shake me out of my comfortable life, my sweet, indulgent, cushy life. Take this seriously or you will lose it. I don't want to lose it, I've felt the repression of art and, it's a dangerous place to be, if that is your calling. So, 61 years after the flame began, today I am allowing it to consume me, heart and soul.

No longer can I pretend to be an 'artist,' while secretly thinking myself not good enough. My calling is ARTIST with all the obsessive craziness associated with it. I am blowing off my obligations to the church, my family, and yes, myself, all for the sake of one piece of art. One, not a bunch, just one. I think this is a milestone and my work has taken me to a very different level of awareness and thinking.

This new dawning has been approaching me slowly, and it's appearance shouldn't surprise me one bit, but somehow I'm taken a bit unaware. Perhaps my years of putting my creativity last have conditioned me to take such change with doubt. Doubt won't do it this time; I have fallen off the cliff I have so carefully trod for a lifetime - flirting with art, and yet being a terribly responsible person because art isn't a responsible person's arena.

My work, which isn't mine at all, will continue, but it, too, has undergone a tremendous upheaval. There has been a shift in my methods, my eye, my presentation, my work habits. There is yet another shift coming soon. I am praying that this final one will allow me to settle into the channel of voyaging along the creative flow without the interruptions of method dispute.

This is an ongoing struggle but one that has taken a major leap today. Today I fell, into myself. Praise God.

Peace - B
(PS: Shhh...Silence is Golden is not the piece, although it had a strong part in this process.)

Yes we have no more tea...

2011-01-18T08:05:00.000-05:00

Today I will whine a tiny bit. I drink tea, as those of you who know me so patiently are aware. I drink organic Ceylon tea from a company on the other side of the country and today I am facing the fact that I have to give up this addiction and find another source for my tea. Alas, shipping costs have gotten so high that it is now just as much to have it shipped as the tea is itself putting it in the rather overly expensive realm.

I will mourn the loss of my tea and am now on a hunt for a suitable substitute. Oh, if only I had a reasonable source of Honduran coffee I might be comforted. But then, no, there is no substitute for a glorious steaming cup of fresh tea to start my day. Woe is me.

Perhaps God has some other glorious leaf in store for my mornings, or perhaps it is time for me to live a bit more simply.

Peace,
B

(No, I will not submit to bags...)

•2•0•1•1•

2011-01-03T12:34:00.000-05:00

January 3

Round & Round, BLD 2010

I can completely understand my 5-year old grandson's out of control behavior when he has too much stimulation or change in routine; the New Year finds me feeling like I've spent the last 6 weeks in a blender trying to keep ahead of the blades - and the speed was set to puree. Scrambled isn't even adequate. The look on the merry-go-round horse above pretty accurately reflects my state of I'm running as fast as I can - and I'm going in circles!

Another year ~~looms~~ lies ahead, I am trying to view it with gratitude and joy, but frankly I'm too tired to muster any emotion right now. No resolutions, well, I do need to lose weight, seriously, but that isn't a resolution, it is a requirement.

My soul is processing the entire season just past, holidays, a mission trip to Honduras, the death of a dear friend, and glorious time spent with my children and grandchildren. It has been a melange of highs and lows, a mixture that has kicked up the speed on the blender to an unbearable pace – hence my fatigue. Creation is still my main calling, and I intend to continue on that path. For now I leave you with a photo of sunrise in the Smokies.

Peace,
Barbara

Sunrise in the Smokie Mountains, BLD 2010

Oh Where, Oh Where Have I Been?

2010-11-28T15:50:00.000-05:00

I have been lost in the world of Advent preparation, chained to my sewing machine when I wasn't doing other art related projects. Here is the proof that I haven't been idling my time away with bonbons and TV. (Okay, an occasional bonbon)

May Advent find you watching and preparing. Blessings All, B

Standing Watch

2010-10-20T00:16:00.000-04:00

Guardian at the doorway to heaven

October 20, 2010

BLD

Sketch Crawl

2010-10-17T13:42:00.000-04:00

I did the local sketch crawl yesterday. It was part of a world-wide event. Had a great time and remembered what fun it is to work outside on a gorgeous day! I made three of the five locations. Here's one sketch from one stop. Peace.

Opening

2010-09-27T22:46:00.002-04:00

I have been accepted as a member at The Art Gallery of Viera, Florida.

Should you be in the area, please come to the Grand Opening.

The website link is now on my websites list.

On the Wings of ...

2010-09-12T22:24:00.000-04:00

Hovering Love

Tonight no thoughts...

I have 8 pounds of puppy on my shoulder

and typing one fingered isn't my style!

2010-08-05T09:46:00.000-04:00

wandering prayer

gaze long enough,

sight begins to blur.

ponder long enough,

thoughts begin to whirl.

sing loudly enough,

vibrations overflow.

pray long enough,

love begins to rise.

love enough,

love more,

love all.

Blue Beckons

2010-07-01T15:07:00.002-04:00

Blue

beckons,

tidal

drift,

flotsam

divine

sea.

2010-06-21T14:21:00.000-04:00

Bits & Minutiae

bits and minutiae,

moonbeams and seeds,

dew and fire,

stardust and tears.

BLD - iPad, 2010

Heart A Fire, Soul A Flame

2010-06-14T08:04:00.001-04:00

Heart A Fire 3

How do I

get through

a day

when the universe

exploding

inside?

How do I

make it

through

a night

when the universe

sears

my soul?

B.L.D.

Good Friday

2010-04-02T18:45:00.000-04:00

Reserve Sacrament

Reserved,

for whom?

For you, for me.

How long will you wait?

Wall, What Wall?

2010-03-22T08:41:00.000-04:00

I can't seem to stop myself,

from marking on brightness.

The flow of the light

makes my hand

want to wander

among the forms it creates.

I wonder if the cave artists

felt the same way?

Oh that I should be so led by such mystery.

B.L. Desrosiers, iTouch, March 2010

Color of Evening

2010-03-20T15:31:00.000-04:00

The color of evening,

danced around me,

like so much light

in a kaleidoscope.

BLD, itouch, 2010

Glow

2010-03-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

Glow

I'm beginning to think it's time to take the tiny pieces into Photoshop and

make them a bit larger. Hm, I will have to ponder that for a while.

Meanwhile, glow, just glow.

–B

Mildly Serene

2010-03-05T12:52:00.000-05:00

Balance,

Light,

Growth.

A mildly serene life.

B. L. Desrosiers, iTouch, March 2010

Fly Away

2010-02-22T08:41:00.000-05:00

i do listen during the sermon,

i just listen through my heart and fingers.

they wander while he muses,

they dance while he intones.

amen.

Collective Unconscious

2010-02-06T10:20:00.000-05:00

Where does my mind go. . .

When let loose?

Off on labyrinths;

color & line,

form & space.

When it returns

I am never sure

if it is mine anymore.

B.L.D.

The Path Of Least Resistance

2010-02-01T22:21:00.000-05:00

All Roads Lead To Home

Winding paths,

swirling winds,

maze of my intentions.

Turning,

seeking,

riding the tides.

Round and round I go,

where I end,

God only knows.

B.L.D.

Lift Up Your Head, Rejoice & Sing!

2010-01-28T22:54:00.001-05:00

Dance of the Sandhill Crane

He danced for her,

life partners,

he danced for her.

Waves of wind,

they beat the air

gliding above my head.

He flew with her,

he danced for her,

They moved as one.

One of the most beautiful creatures with which we share this central Florida environment is the sandhill crane. They stand about 5 feet tall and mate for life. Slowly humanity is edging them out of the area. One particular pair nest in a tall pine in our neighborhood. As we walked our dog this evening, they were standing on the side of the road.

It is wise to give them a wide berth. They aren't aggressive, but the male will defend his mate. We stopped as it appeared the female was about to cross the road to our side and we wanted to give her enough space to walk by without feeling threatened. But then the male began dancing. He jumped straight into the air, threw his head back, spread his wings and called out. He did this three or four times. She stood there, in the center of the road, politely ignoring him. We walked quietly by.

Turning back to look, we found she was even more firmly centered in the road; he moved to join her. My walking partner then did an imitation of the jumping dance we had just witnessed, in jest, and got a reaction we didn't expect. The pair cawed loudly and began to run down the road. As they lifted off of the ground the beating of their enormous wings was incredibly loud. They flew not five feet above us and retreated to the sky.

The dance and flight of this pair of grey feathered mysteries was a gift beyond my words.

Reflections of a Restless Mind

2010-01-26T23:36:00.000-05:00

Reflections of a Restless Mind

January 2010, BL Desrosiers

fractured air;

shards of light;

kaliedescopic mind

A Stream Runs Through You

2010-01-20T23:22:00.000-05:00

the streams of inspiration

run continuously through

the soul.

quick,

you can never touch the same

stream twice!

2010-01-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

This prayer arrived in my inbox last night and is very much worth sharing and passing on. It was written by a woman in Nova Scotia. Please use it, if it fits with your practices, and pass it on.

A Prayer After the Earthquake in Haiti

Lord, at times such as this,

when we realize that the ground beneath our feet

is not as solid as we had imagined,

we plead for your mercy.

As the things we have built crumble about us,

we know too well how small we truly are

on this ever-changing, ever-moving,

fragile planet we call home.

Yet you have promised never to forget us.

Do not forget us now.

Today, so many people are afraid.

They wait in fear of the next tremor.

They hear the cries of the injured amid the rubble.

They roam the streets in shock at what they see.

And they fill the dusty air with wails of grief

and the names of missing dead.

Comfort them, Lord, in this disaster.

Be their rock when the earth refuses to stand still,

and shelter them under your wings when homes no longer exist.

Embrace in your arms those who died so suddenly this day.

Console the hearts of those who mourn,

and ease the pain of bodies on the brink of death.

Pierce, too, our hearts with compassion,

we who watch from afar,

as the poorest on this side of the earth

find only misery upon misery.

Move us to act swiftly this day,

to give generously every day,

to work for justice always,

and to pray unceasingly for those without hope.

And once the shaking has ceased,

the images of destruction have stopped filling the news,

and our thoughts return to life’s daily rumblings,

let us not forget that we are all your children

and they, our brothers and sisters.

We are all the work of your hands.

For though the mountains leave their place

and the hills be tossed to the ground,

your love shall never leave us,

and your promise of peace will never be shaken.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

Blessed be the name of the Lord,

now and forever. Amen.

Copyright © 2010, Diana Macalintal. Permission is given to reprint.

A Thoughtful Challenge

2010-01-18T22:49:00.001-05:00

To all my creative friends out there, this is a challenge of sorts, or maybe just a gentle suggestion. I have been painting on my iTouch for months now, very happily. I even posted one on this blog on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. Lo and Behold, David Hockney has been doing the same thing, only he's been emailing his work to his friends. I refer you to the article http://www.nybooks.com/features/slideshows/hockney/

My challenge to you is to begin doing the same. I am compiling an email list and am now sending out my tiny works when the Spirit moves - which might be quite often as I've found this is the perfect pass time at night while I sit in the living room. Create your own list and mail out your tiny artworks from your iTouch. The applications are free, I use either Sketchbook X or My Paint Free, which also has an upgrade, My Paint 2. They are fun, colorful and very satisfying. Should you, by some wild chance, like to be added to my email list, please email me and I will add you. My email, though, is not the one this blog will take you to. I would get that, just not as quickly as by this: turtlespirit@mac.com

Here is one of my small images to get you motivated!

Peace & Joy - Barbara

Missing Autumn, 2009

Love is all you need

2010-01-03T10:39:00.000-05:00

I don't know how to post the video, so I shall recommend the link. Wonderful presentation!

Thank you Starbucks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7D2g5v-Sg

Dervish Moment

2009-12-08T16:56:00.003-05:00

cosmic soup,

flow,

cellular whirl,

dervish moment.

Fall Fell

2009-11-11T22:56:00.002-05:00

Fall fell in Florida

in the form of one leaf

floating in a shallow pond.

At least the alligator didn't object.

I Touch Light

2009-11-03T22:16:00.004-05:00

i touch light,

color splashes.

i touch color,

form swarms.

i touch,

i glow.

Shards Of My Soul

2009-10-25T22:24:00.003-04:00

Splintered,

Drifting on waves of light,

Veined interlace of sin and love

Shattered to unnumbered shards

Grace carries me higher

I am gone

2009-10-06T10:09:00.003-04:00

For those of you who may have noticed my infrequent appearances over the past three months or more, I thought I would give you a visual explanation of where I have been and what I have been up to. Most of the time I have been hunched over a sewing machine madly trying to complete these projects for our church's 50th anniversary. They are done! The big service and reception was on Saturday, the 3rd of October and I am now free!!!! Okay, not really, but it sure feels like it. My intention, and we all know where the good ones lead, is to concentrate on my artwork and photography now. I hope to see you on the web and, perhaps, converse with you when you wish to add comments or questions.

Above you will see the red set of paraments that a needle artist, Karen Smith, and I designed and executed together. She did the decending doves in Jacobean embroidery and then beaded them. In the close-ups you will see the smaller doves and flames that she embroidered also. The fabric in the patch work sections that looks like flames was designed by me, based on one of my digital paintings, and then printed at http://www.spoonflower.com. I did the final sewing, further hand beading, and construction of the entire set, which is completely lined.

Here you see the altar frontal along with the burse and veil. This has been quite the learning experience for me. I will be creating a blue set over the next year, but the timeline on that one will be less pressing, therefore, not quite as stressful a project, she says now under her breath.

These are the hangings from the lecturn, left, and the pulpit, right.

Below is the banner which hangs above the organ at the front of the sanctuary.

And, finally, you will find my husband modeling the chasuble and stole for you.

In addition to this project, I was also commissioned to design and execute a banner commemorating the golden anniversary of the church. It was based on the logo of the church which is a graphic of the H from Holy and the A from Apostles. I added a logo which I designed of a twelve pointed star to represent the 12 apostles. On the left side of the banner are 11 medallions which represent the 11 apostles shields that appear in our stained glass windows in the building. 11?, you ask -- they left Judas out and chose before Matthais. What can I say, that decision was made years ago.

Once I finished this banner, I turned my attention to the cakes for the reception. With the help from two women in the church we pulled this project off with no time to spare. We used two photos which I designed and had them printed on icing to top the cakes. There was enough cake there to feed almost 150 people. . . and it was really good, also. Thank you Kimberly, my daughter, who steered us in the right direction there.

There were several other projects during this time crunch also which involved photos, editing, and graphic design. I have never been quite so busy for such a prolonged period of time, and that includes art school. We are now finishing up our float project for the town's founders' day parade which will be in November. Photos to follow that event also.

Meanwhile I return now to the calm and sedate world of solitary art creation! . . . Oh, along with starting a photo business with a partner. I am grateful beyond words for my return to health and energy to be able to continue with this work. Stop by and visit once in a while. God willing, I will be posting with more regularity!

Blessings, Barbara

2009-09-14T22:34:00.004-04:00

(Forgive me if I digress from art for tonight.)

He was 14.5 years old and the sweetest boy one could ever want to have as a companion. Letting him go today was deeply painful and bitter sweet.

I've been a dog lover my entire life and will die one, I'm sure, but no dog has ever been more of a well-behaved, sweet, slightly neurotic companion than Max. He had to have been schooled by angels before he arrived for his earthly duties. He cared for my sister and tolerated her lifestyle with the patience of Job, or at least Job's dog. He came to us terrified of being deserted, but learned over time that we wouldn't let him go.

Max was my comfort during my surgical recoveries, my buddy when I worked alone in the studio, my confidant when I needed to talk. He loved every person he ever met, although he was less than thrilled with tall men. He didn't hate them, just wasn't sure they could be trusted. Hey, he lived with a short family!

I believe that dogs are one of God's gift to human kind. I know they started as wolves, I know they were probably domesticated as a food source, but they have evolved into pure wonders of devotion, affection, and absolute happiness when they are treated with the love and respect they deserve.

I miss Max terribly. I will continue to miss him for a long, long time, as I miss all my canine friends who had to go on ahead. But, oh, when I reach heaven I will be met by my wonderful dog pack(ed) family.

I ask for Max an army of angels to kick the ball back to him when he wants to play soccer, and he will, and a never-ending supply of fuzzy carrots to satisfy his fetish. Yes, he was an odd boy, but such a sainted creature. St. Francis, look over him please.

Barbara

Thunder Struck

2009-08-31T23:53:00.003-04:00

The sky roared

with absolute

authority

Winged Visitation

2009-08-29T16:30:00.003-04:00

WINGS

VEINED AS

PETALED SANCTUARY

MORNING VISITATION

SACRED

LIFE

I've been gone too long.

Passion Flower Sunset

2009-03-22T22:53:00.001-04:00

no words tonight, just image

1st Leaf

2009-03-16T10:25:00.003-04:00

Gold fringed glory,

sporting a spring-time halo,

first to greet me

on a late winter's morn.

Praise for your presence,

for your soft-spoken message,

your fiery radiance

branding my soul.

Foggy, Foggy Light

2009-01-05T22:47:00.005-05:00

There is a comfort in the grey,

stroking all with muffled touch;

Speaking in low, low whisper,

"Closer, closer, come closer, dear."

~BLD~

A Conversation With Vincent

2008-11-09T22:31:00.006-05:00

There he is again, watching me in this mud-filled pit.

What are you doing here, in this valley? This is my private valley, my valley of death, full of the bones of my ego-driven successes and failures. What say you, Vincent? As your star-filled night explodes and your influence reaches beyond the grave, what say you? I'm waiting for the answer, I know you know.

Contemplating Vincent

2008-11-08T23:09:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I just have to throw an artistic tantrum.

Reflections

2008-10-31T23:13:00.003-04:00

water and wind

distort reflection,

push – pull.

a peaceful space

to let life be - -

no more

yelling

Chimera, heal this sere soul

2008-08-29T00:47:00.002-04:00

Nike keeps a silent vigil;

phantasm of memory,

dances just beyond my reach.

Adumbral arms of Morpheus,

enfold me in cloak of night;

Chimera, heal this sere soul.

Fluid-like Reflection

2008-08-14T15:22:00.002-04:00

window to window,

through the looking glass,

a fluid like reflection of

mystery.

Besought

2008-08-08T13:55:00.002-04:00

Besought by unspoken word,

I follow.

Just A Tiny Bit

2008-08-02T21:08:00.003-04:00

It's all connected.

When do the ripples stop?

Perhaps never.

(a portion of a larger digital piece)

Asia . . .

2008-08-01T14:52:00.003-04:00

follows me everywhere

Picture - Windows

2008-07-31T15:48:00.004-04:00

Draw the curtains;

no matter.

Life will spill out the edges anyway.

Spinning Mandala

2008-07-25T23:17:00.004-04:00

Dervish dance of prayer,

only the center remains.

No matter how

far out I am flung,

You will always draw

me back to center.

Seriously Pink Jungle

2008-07-25T14:23:00.001-04:00

For Starshine, hope it was a happy birthday.

Waiting

2008-07-17T16:51:00.003-04:00

Time is of no importance.

It all comes around

eventually.

Waiting is all we can do.

Simply

2008-07-09T07:44:00.002-04:00

Simple conversation

– the spirits of love

Simple fascination

– the glory of life

Queens of Nature

2008-06-02T16:48:00.003-04:00

Muses of St. Francis,

Queens of nature,

Sprites of spring.

Youth and beauty

bursting with life and hope.

(see the full work on www.turtlespiritstudio.com shortly)

Buried Somewhere

2008-05-29T00:27:00.003-04:00

I am looking.

I know it's buried in here somewhere.

We are stitched together by wire,

by thread,

by flesh,

blood and earth.

I know it's buried somewhere under here.

Look closer,

dig deeper,

don't mind the bleeding.

It's buried in here somewhere.

Nature's Child

2008-05-19T16:38:00.004-04:00

Flowers can't disguise

the sternness of her soul.

Flower child, free spirit,

steel magnolia.

Power, cloaked in petals.

Rauschenberg

2008-05-14T22:05:00.001-04:00

RAUSCHENBERG is dead.

Love Live RAUSCHENBERG.

Out Of The Storm

2008-05-13T19:18:00.003-04:00

Out of the storm

comes a still, small voice;

beneath the violent waves

runs a peaceful current.

Let go, float,

hear the whispers calling.

Eye See Now

2008-05-06T23:06:00.004-04:00

Months. It's been months since I last thought seriously about putting up an entry. I was in retreat -- a cancer retreat.

Chemotherapy sapped my energy and I couldn't face a seemingly self-involved blog. Everything seemed very trivial for a while. Now, life is looking much brighter and more important, as are the cyber-spaces taken up by words and art. While I'm not sure I will ever be a once-a-day girl, I'd like to try to begin to become a more-often girl. (I use the term 'girl' tongue-in-cheek, age is such a flexible thing) It is unclear where my art is headed right now. But then, is it ever clear? I recently did two self-portraits, online presently at ecva.org for an exhibition. These works have pushed me, and a friend, to begin a portrait project for women in chemo who have lost their hair and, as a result, a sense of self-confidence that comes from looking good. We are hoping to make strong, beautiful portraits of them. Should all go well, perhaps we can even raise some money to help fund this project on a large scale -- to reach a much larger audience of cancer victims.

Past that, I don't know what I will create. I just know that I need to get back to it. I 'm taking up encaustic painting in addition to my digital montage. I hope to combine them. One thing that near death has taught me is that if you want to do something, just do it. Don't wait for the right time, or the reason, or the money, just do it. Nike is right. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. I don't want to reach the end of this voyage and regret not following an urging of my heart. Hence, my longing for hot wax is about to become a reality.

Namaste

Easter Vigil

2008-03-22T22:37:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter!

In the Pink

2008-03-06T10:37:00.005-05:00

She's right,

she always is

The Fog Is Lifting

2008-03-01T17:24:00.002-05:00

The fog is lifting

my heart perceives light;

and yet, the world

keeps on spinning

Cocooned in Silence

2008-01-07T19:33:00.000-05:00

A golden thread

runs through my days;

woven,

here tightly,there loosely,

with the darker and heavier fibers.

Pull it loose and warp the drape.

Gold, brilliant against the dark,

cocooned in silence,

wrapped in the atmosphere of dawn,

knowing it is my garb of healing.

Merry Christmas to All

2007-12-22T08:27:00.000-05:00

Dervish in a Pearlized Shell

2007-12-13T13:25:00.000-05:00

Traipsing the slow turn
of calcified skeleton,
I journey a labyrinth of light.

Fractured archetype,
Broken hint of spiral,
I dance in full madness.

Dervish in a pearlized shell.

Universe of Light

2007-11-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

lift up your head,
tiny blossom

shout for joy,
dancing beams

the universe,
encapsulated
in petals of light

Wings of Flame

2007-11-06T22:28:00.000-05:00

Flame of love,
ignite my soul;
fan me with
wings of fire

against a bright blue sky

2007-10-23T22:11:00.000-04:00

my own stubborness
wounds my soul,
tearing at the wire
between heaven and me.

self-erected,
a false fence,
to keep out the power
of the universe,

small meadow of
self indulgence,
with eternity beyond my borders.

Morning Meditation

2007-10-10T11:25:00.000-04:00

This morning I allowed myself to just paint with a digital brush and let the color dictate the form. It was a good exercise and allowed me time to just be. I seem to be in a mandala state of creation lately. The symmetry of the circle and square satisfy some need of my soul for balance.

Rising Tide

2007-10-01T22:25:00.000-04:00

natatorial hand of Neptune,
aroused by Eurus' fury,

seeming a watery chaos,
a shoreline melts away.

my soul
before my God.

Spiral Meditation

2007-09-28T11:54:00.000-04:00

life's tide
ebbs and flows.

spiraling,
in on itself
out of itself

the end is the beginning,
the beginning is the end.

in such constancy,
comfort.

2007-09-18T20:28:00.000-04:00

floating
on the prayers
of others

Lord, keep me afloat

Illuminated Peace

2007-08-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

psychodelic fireflies
spin electric aura
luminous conviction
sacrosanct bliss

2007-08-14T17:30:00.000-04:00

"The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?"
Ecclesiastes 6:11

A Burning Peace

2007-08-09T09:25:00.000-04:00

(technological failure + illness = absence; my apologies)

oh, consume my soul
with lambent tongues of longing