Tag: Conservative Artist

Making A Wish

Back and White Photography

Close your eyes and take a breath. Hold it for just a moment. Somewhere, deep down inside your heart lies your fondest dream and with it is your most desired wish.

Close your eyes a little tighter.

Don’t peek or it won’t come true.

Do you have a good vision of the wish.

Good, now raise the dandelion gently to your lips.

Be careful not to lose any of the fluff. That’s where the magic is. We’re going to need all of it.

Check the breeze. Is it blowing in the right direction? Good.

Okay. It’s time. Focus on the wish in your heart and slowly blow.

Release the fluff into the breeze. The seeds will carry your wish to heaven.

I hope your wish comes true.

Like in many parts of the world wishing on dandelions is an Appalachian tradition. In some versions the angels collect the fluff from the air and carry your wish to heaven. In other versions if the dandelion seed lands on you that means that your true love is wishing for you.

Some people think of dandelion as a weed but to our ancestors it was a valuable resource for food and medical care.

The image above was taken in my yard in West Virginia.

The Blue Night

Color Photography, West Virginia

I look out over the Kanawha River in the evening as old Sol closes his sleepy eyes. The softening light melts into a deep blue leaving an icy chill in it’s wake. The blue night has arrived. Small flickering lights beckon the people of the city to come home for a warm fire and a good meal. The river holds a garden of gnarly empty branches as if a mirror world lies just below the surface. I take one last look at the silhouette of mirror world and begin my own journey home with only the blue night and flickering lights to guide me.

Image was taken in Kanawha County of the Kanawha River and overlooking Kanawha City.

Old Barn On Muddlety Creek 

black and white photography, Summerville, travel

What is that we love about old barns? Is it the rusty old tin on the roof? Is the texture of weathered wood? Is it the skeletonized framework? I don’t really know why but I love old barns.

I have taken several pictures of this one and processed several versions but it just feels right in black and white.

Image was taken on Muddlety Creek Road in Nicholas County West Virginia

Summer On The Lake

Color Photography, Summersville Lake, Summerville

Remember that trip to the lake?

Remember the innocence of our summer vacations? We spent warm days playing in the cool water. Remember the coins? They were not real money. They were aluminum disks leftover from a project but to us they were real pirate silver lost in a storm and found by two boys. We take turns tossing them in the water and then diving into the deep. I remember how the water got cooler as we dove deeply into murky depths. The real treasure we found was the adventures and the memories of Summer on the lake.

This image was taken at the Salmon Run portion of Summersville Lake in Nicholas County West Virginia.

Sunday… A day of hope

Back and White Photography, Church, encouragement, West Virginia

Okay, so I have written this and started over.

Then I didn’t like the way it sounded so I erased it and started over.

But, my writing wasn’t perfect so I deleted and started over.

And once again it wasn’t making sense so I started over.

Eventually I realized what God was trying to point out to me. Sunday is about a chance to start over. To delete the mistakes and have a fresh start. Christianity is about having the opportunity to allow Jesus Christ to erase all our sin and let us start over. It’s not just on Sundays, it’s every hour of every day for as long as it takes to be restored. That is the hope we celebrate on Sundays. That’s the hope we live with every day.

Image was taken in Deepwater West Virginia which is in Fayette County.