Don't Forget to PLAY!

Friends often remark that they don't know how I get it all done, yet I don't see myself doing anything extraordinary. I'm living. I love life. Even the crappy days are good because I always learn something about the world or my little microcosm. Yes, I get tired and I sleep. Yes, I get frustrated BUT I keep on keeping on. Usually, the good things happen after the initial few steps of "keeping on." Okay, some times, it might be a half mile or so into the matter until things start to look and feel a little better. Henry Rollins recently did a great -- and funny --video about being the master of your own destiny. Check it out.

Rollins got me thinking about whether there is anything important that I give up in life to do what I do. In other words, what are common things that I DON'T do and that I don't miss doing? They are:

• watch television. The rare exception is the news.
• hang out. I am not a hanger-outer or a chit-chatter and, for as much as I love people, I relish solitude.
• talk on the phone endlessly. It's like hanging out to me.
• Manicures, pedicures, body wax, hair waves, weaves, perms, color jobs, etc ... My stylist wants to color my hair. I tell him I cannot sit long enough for this process. Besides, I want to see how I look with my naturally-occurring, ever-increasing salt and pepper highlights.

For folks who like any or all of the above, go for it! Live YOUR life the way you want. Do what makes you happy.That's the point. It just so happens that I am one of those production-oriented types who likes to learn stuff, likes to make stuff and likes to be busy all the time. Even when I am cleaning house, my head is working on paintings or photographs or writing or processing something I read. Rollins also talks about saying "yes to everything," meaning opportunities, which often give you the benefit of new experiences with folks who you would not have had the chance to meet. A while back, when I was feeling particularly tired, I thought that I should say "no thanks" a lot more than I do, which is almost never. I've just never been good at saying "no" to doing something, even things I don't necessarily like because there is always something good that comes out of saying "yes."

I rise early (5:30ish on weekdays; sixish on weekends) and go to bed at a decent time (usually between 10 and 11 p.m.) Sometimes, I even get in a 20-minute nap. Early morning is when I do my first round of exercising and a lot of my outdoor photography. Evenings are for art administrative tasks and play. Using "playtime," I made this digital art, which is based in a photograph I shot several weeks ago in our garden. Playtime for me is also a learning experience, wherein anything goes and, if it does not go, then nothing is lost. Nothing. I still learned SOMETHING about what works and what does not, about process, about ME.

Don't Forget to Play

 I am convinced that play leads to production. I am a better person, partner and professional for giving myself permission to play. Whatever you do, whatever changes you make toward living a full life -- PLEASE remember to PLAY!

Goldbeck's IPAD2 sleeve design voted among BEST!

Mornings are always good, but this one …

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Christine Goldbeck

Is especially nice.

I woke up to find that my IPAD2 design was accepted for best designs. The case features a shot from my white daisies series of photographs.

Daisies

Happy Friday!

Learn how to use your new digital camera

In just a few weeks, the new semester of classes at Art Association of Harrisburg will begin. Below is a description for my six-week course. If you have a new camera or just want to learn how to use your camera technically and creativity, contact the Art Association and sign up. In addition to learning about your camera, making prints, uploading, etc ..., we have a great time.

Basics of Digital Photography
(Ages 19 through Adult, AAH Second Floor Michener Gallery, 6 weeks)
New and intermediate photographers will develop and improve their skills in pixel-based photography. Through demonstration and hands-on experience, the course will cover important creative and technical principles. Students will learn about composing, editing, storing, and outputting (printing/website) digital photographs. Automatic and manual-camera settings, white balance, composition basics, file formats, photographing art and products, and editing will be included. Students should bring their own cameras, manuals, and a notebook. An online component of the course encourages students to engage with one another outside of the classroom by posting their images and offering online feedback.
Instructor: Christine Goldbeck
$70.00 | Jan. 15 – Feb. 19 | Saturdays, 10am–12:30pm

Documenting a Day

So, I challenged my digital photography photo students to document a day in their life.

This challenge is meant to do several things: compel them to carry a camera at all times, compel them to use the camera, compel them to make many, many shots of ordinary things while looking at composition, compel them to not worry about making art until they feel comfortable with their machine.

Here's the teacher's version. I documented last Friday ... long day ;-)

Scenes from the Garden

This afternoon, I put down the paint brushes on an oversized mixed-media painting that is on the easel and brought the cameras outside to the garden.

We all enjoyed the shoot. I made about 150 photographs (a handful are decent)  and I shall struggle with the painting from hell again tomorrow. 

Paper-making Addiction

I am having way too much fun at Elaine Brady-Smith's collage class. So much fun, in fact, that art admin stuff and most other things are not getting done. Elaine is teaching at the Art Association of Harrisburg, where I will teach digital photography this summer and fall.

This collages "Evening Walk 1" features a print from my original Holga photograph "Vespers" and homemade papers.

Papers! Ohmigosh ... What fun. I have become addicted and may never purchase another piece of paper in my life. I'd rather make my own and barter with other artists who also make their own papers. I stay up way late into the night to make paper. I fail to update my website, my blogs, etc ... because I MUST make paper. Elaine has created an addict!

At left is "Morning Light," which I liked so much that I mounted it, as is, on board, applied a varnish and it now hangs for sale in the gallery.

School's IN for Summer

I love to learn. I love to teach and, as I see it, teaching is often learning. It's a sharing experience from which I always come away feeling fulfilled, feeling like I have both given and gained knowledge.

So, last evening, I attended the new teacher orientation at the Art Association of Harrisburg, where this summer I will teach "Digital Photography for Artists." In the fall, I will also have a course designed for students who want to learn more about their digital cameras and how to use them to make good photographs.

Go ahead and sign up for the summer course. If you need more details, visit the Art Association website. I promise you will find the staff more than helpful.

I will probably enroll in at least one summer class as well because, as usual, there is a full slate of courses from which to choose. A short while after joining the association in 2007, I enrolled in Linda Benton-McCloskey's "Experimental Mixed Media" course. I had THE best time and I learned so much from Linda and fellow classmates.

Last fall, I took a drawing class with Maaike Heitkonig Hickok. She can draw! Fellow classmates ranged in age from teens to senior citizen, male and female, and we had fun doing poses and flash poses for one another. What's more, I accomplished my goal of overcoming being so slow with a drawing. I wanted to do better at observing and getting it on paper.

Classmates are the added benefit of the experience of learning. I met interesting and diverse people, many of whom did not aspire to make art for a living but wanted to stretch beyond their comfort zone and learn something new.

Go ahead. Check it out. Sign up for my course or several. Another good one that is offered this spring (beginning Monday) is Elaine Brady-Smith's "Collage" course.