In the fields of Eden

"Do not stray at will from nature, and do not think that you will be able to find 

something better yourself, you will only be misled. For in truth art is to be 

found in nature; whoever can pull it out, has it ... But the more accurately 

your work in its forms resembles life, the better the work will seem. And this 

is true. Therefore, never intend to make something better than God has 

made possible for his creation. For your ability is powerless in comparison 

with God’s creation". Durer.

"We are not engaged here with a plain naturalism that simply aims at the 'photographic' idea of depicting nature uncritically... There are artists, who can make good things through great knowledge and experience, from what comes from the heart, to depict what is truly beautiful". Rookmaarker.

There has been a whisper of spring in the air the last few days. Sunlight has been spilling though the doors and windows as the wind and rain has eased in measure, allowing thoughts of better and brighter days to be entertained. I actually managed to sit outside for a short time in the middle of the week, and enjoy the colours of the waking blooms as the sunshine warmed me. This is all very welcome after a very stormy and dark winter, and it's allowed me to begin to organize materials for the forthcoming 'tempest' exhibition in May, and to begin to display work on the net again after a very sparse season.

I received a very encouraging note yesterday from a fellow photographer regarding this. He wrote how delighted he was to find a photographer who "brings art to our craft". That was a very welcome dose of sunshine! Photographer's often discuss how technically competent a particular image is, but whilst I aim at good composition, my personal intent is to seek to include something in an image which 'speaks' of the inherent beauty of the person or location I'm seeking to capture.  As Durer says about our delighting in the naturalness of God's good creation, so viable art, I suspect, must derive from and express images, whatever the medium, which open a way for us to re-connect with the true splendor of divine art; to relish and 'play' amidst those unspoiled plains of the untainted garden.

Christianity provides us with a wonderful set of tools and context in which to do this. The Christian is truly free to work as an artist in a fashion which allows love, joy, peace and goodness to be expressed as the work is fashioned, and to provide art which allows others to truly delight in all that is good and honorable and lovely (Galatians 5:22, Philippians 4:8). As Rookmaarker notes, this is the only true context or framework for 'christian' art - any other impositions are contrived and legalistic. The aim of art, then, is to bring a joy or realization regarding both truth and goodness - a pointing to the maker through reveling in His handiwork.

I hope that 2014 will provide a few more opportunities to do just that!

Images: Wonder. Model:Joceline. Happiness is. Model: Kari.  Paint Play. Models: Loella, Magenta and Kari.

Continuing

" Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others" Jonathan Swift



It's proving to be a long, hard winter, filled with harsh winds and flooding rains, so the practical dimension of photography has been pretty well closed off since early November. Where the feet cannot reach, however, allows time, at least on occasion, for some conceptual 'days out', which can also be productive.



I spent most of this weekend assembling mounts and frames and sifting through last September's work with Magenta, as it's now been provisionally confirmed that an exhibition of our work will accompany a new local production of Shakespeare's The Tempest in May.





 I've also begun thinking about returning to certain locations in Cornwall during the Spring and Summer, as it looks as though fresh opportunities to work with Aurelie may prove forthcoming.

Life indeed moves apace, so it's vital that we see what is truly there, and appreciate it well. It never ceased to amaze me just how blind we can choose to be to the true value, intent or significance of others, of moments and of those precious opportunities when both blend into something so rich and rare that life truly becomes clothed in a beauty that feeds us.

Time to queue a little insight:


Images: Golden. Light & Grace and Aglow. Model: Magenta.

Grafitti

I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels.
John Calvin

We all get them... those hurtful moments. Anyone engaged in the public arena of sharing their art (and thereby, their life) will, on occasion, find themselves berated by someone for what they're doing.
It was waiting for me at the start of a New year - words which defined my work as immoral and demeaning were bad enough but the attack proceeded to define those I worked with as morally and socially impure purely because some of my images of them were nudes.

It isn't the first time, of course, I've encountered such miss-placed babble, but the question you always need to ask is why - why would someone bother to visit a section of an artist's portfolio which is clearly tagged 'adult' content, find the images which are labelled 'fine art nude' and then proceed to protest the 'public' display of such images, especially when there are far more public displays of material that are, generally, far more explicit than what was depicted in the particular image they had chosen to seek to so demean?

The aim of such violence is clear. The tongue is used, as  the Apostle James notes, to do evil - to seek to taint what has been done to praise what is good and lovely - to scar something that seeks to say to the very one who scorns it 'there is a beauty in this world we cannot escape, no matter how loud we bellow to deny its call".

I hope that person so troubled by my nude work finally finds a better way of examining what's truly involved here, and that my images continue to help people to see beauty, and the one who gives such splendor to our world.

Images: Within. Model: Erin. Arched. Model: Magenta. Outward. Model: Erin.

recollections at eventide

"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE." 

Ernst Haas, 1985.

It's not proved to be an easy year. Aging is providing some 'interesting' health issues (nothing fatal or debilitating, thankfully, but certainly noticeable in the day to day), and commencing my third year on a small, part-time income certainly brings its challenges, but these hardships have been matched with some truly wonderful moments, a few of which I've shared with you here.

The good news is that, in spite of the troubles life brings, it looks as though 2014 will also allow a gleaning of some equally special days - a few projects are already presenting themselves as possible opportunities for more creative work, so I'm relishing the thought of being there to participate in these.

Let me finish with a few visual reminders here (above) of the photographic joys of the last 12 months, and an invitation to share the work of a wonderful photographic artist recently discovered:

http://viviennemok.blogspot.co.at/p/blog-page_16.html

May this Christmas bring you a period of knowing, amidst the dark streets of our world, one has come who is the light, and because of this, there is genuine peace and goodwill.

Images: Spring. Model: Aurelie,  Summer. Model: Magenta., Autumn. Model: Magenta, Winter. Model: Aurelie. All images by Howard Nowlan.

Unexpected conversation

" The unexpected is always upon us".

Life is full of surprises. I had one, which I'll share with you, this week.

What do you think of this:

How would you describe what is composed and depicted here?
Is it beauty? Is it devoid of that quality?

My reason for asking is because, out of the blue, I found this image I'd taken of Magenta to be at the heart of a conversation by a group of photographers this week on a site where I have one of my oldest portfolio collections.

As I've noted in my contribution to this posting, I was a little surprised at the choice of this image - it was the only one in the gallery collection I hadn't forwarded for peer review, as I didn't feel it was as strong as the other work, but this is the image they chose to review. The anonymous group of photographers who commenced the discussion began by stating the theme of the composition was a "beautiful subject", but they had no more to say about the "strong" lighting or Magenta's pose, leaving this to others.

Again, as I've noted in my comments there, this was an experimental shot, and we obtained an image we found more satisfying:

What stunned me was the amount of negative comments made regarding the image selected for review. Yes, there's certainly room for improvement, I freely admit, but is it as entirely devoid of artistry as some state - were we totally missing the mark? I'd be interested to hear from a wider circle of artists and photographers about how they would approach such an image (both in terms of composition and critique), so please feel free to pitch in with some considered thoughts.









Many thanks.







Images: The Disrobing, Adorned and Satin. Model: Magenta. Images by Howard Nowlan.

Bared to the Bone

Walking wide eyed through this world
Is the only way I've known
Wrapped in hope and good intentions
Bare to the bone   Carrie Newcomer

There are seasons when we are ravaged by the fury of this life, and there are others where, though days may be warm or stormy, the soul is calmed and counseled by a wisdom beyond us. These past few weeks have been the latter for me.

After the amazing day on the North Cornish coast I spoke of in my last entry, my muse, Magenta, and I returned to work in a room which may well be described as a 'nest' for my photography. It was in this very room that Kay held what was to be her last exhibition - work by her students - a few short years before her death, and it was here, also, that I held my first exhibition of work after discovering the joy that Kay always wanted me to glean - of reveling in the magic of natural light and capturing images marked by that splendor.

This latest visit encapsulated the marvel of all of these joys, affirming once more the sheer wonder of working with a subject equally consumed with the goal of capturing moments of grace.

It is never easy, and never without cost, to truly engage with and discover the true value and intent of what we are - it means nothing more than an exposure of all to powers far above and beyond us - but there is one beneath all the pain and beauty who will hold us if we abandon pretense and seek what truly counts.

2013 will be very much marked for me by the days of the last few weeks and the richness of the gifts they have shared.

The Delighting

"If you live for many years, then rejoice in the pleasantness of the sun, for the light is indeed sweet". Solomon.

It's a most wonderful time of the year. The school holidays are ended, but the warmth of a pleasant summer endures, allowing opportunity for creative engagement with the winsome allure that is September.

After months of having to essentially wait for places to be less frequented, my muse, Magenta, and I reveled in a journey to North Cornwall this week. The principal aim was to obtain a set of images for a project for a local theatre production, most of which we captured within the first 40 minutes of arrival, which gave us several hours to simply delight in the moment, replete with perfect conditions, and enjoy the pleasure of creativity.

Magenta was truly adorned in the splendor of the day, skipping, playing, relishing the opportunity to be at ease amidst the clear air, the warm light, and the tingling breeze, whilst I accompanied her with my camera, seeking to capture her delight. It was all so deliciously natural and thereby "spoke" deeply of what it is to be us - creatures who readily connect with what is so naturally good.

Solomon notes that such "discipline" is essential - it is when we thrill in and at such splendor that we truly connect with what 'breathes' within the fabric of the real and the whole, and glimpse in our pleasure the one who truly cares for and provides what is good. Through our inner awareness and acknowledgment of such benefits, beauty woos and entreats us to comprehend the true value and magnitude of such riches, to comprehend the words of the true lover behind the thin partition which fades when we immerse ourselves in such goodness.

What is eternal surrounds us, but much of life is simply a noise which muffles its voice. Moments like those hours on the beach allow us to look at the world, look at each other, and see a richer purpose, a higher calling, than the vanity of the mundane, and such a view allows us to carry something precious back into our often impoverished world.

It was a truly wonderful to have such a moment. May we all know similar times!

Images: Blending, Held, Form and Sploosh. Model: Magenta. Images by Howard. Unison Photo Arts 2013.