friends & family

this is a slideshow of my dear friends
i hope you enjoy as much
as i did photographing them!
not only are they a
beautiful family outside
but inside too!
for more information
on photography sessions
www.csheamayfield.webs.com

This was probably the last time our "bunco" group got together... with all of us. Stupid, crazy, silly, with notions of nothingness... we never played bunco but rather gathered for fun. Usually created our own event of madness with a whim of girly sillyness but all the same, it was fun. I love this picture. For a number of reasons but mostly because of the lighting, the setting, the faces, the whole capture. It's hard to get one of these even at an actual wedding! Take a look and enjoy!

The Bootlegger's War

Late November random opportunity #52.
Teaching a couple how to use a computer and always a new friendship... I called making an appointment.
I must say, somewhere, translation of the task was misinterpreted because the husband had written a number of books-typed-rather and was interested in having them published but couldn't do it because he was not familiar with a computer- hence Microsoft Word.
Upon our first meeting, I learned about the books. Quite intriguing actually. Fantastic story lines for middle school students, high school students, history buffs, and even those who lived during the 1940 era. I saw great potential in the books and agreed to help him with his project.
Before I knew it we had two books in the works, were working with a publishing company and shooting for early spring of publication.
As the project progressed, my thoughts wondered about the time we actually spend blogging about nothingness and what my author put down as history fiction.
If you are not familiar, the 1940's was a sensitive time for our Nation as we were attacked by the Japanese sending our nation into a frenzy. The books are more about children, the adventures & trials they faced during those times. Both have excellent plots with endings that will leave you full of wonder.
History seems to be fascinating to me, especially those real life stories of what individuals saw, felt, faced, endured, hoped for, and evidently lived through. I have also found a new hobby of preparing books for publication!
www.michaelspringer.webs.com
www.outskirtspress.com

L'Abri

Finding new ventures is sometimes better than Christmas morning or finding a piece of chocolate. I have had the fabulous pleasure of going on many ventures of which I am thankful for... Keflavik, Iceland... St.Augustine, Florida.... New Orleans, Louisiana... London, England.... Scottsdale, Arizona... ALL of my journeys with the Nantahala Outdoor Center... living at the Gulf Coast could be considered a journey for many! Of course, there are always road trips to small cities, but it's the community of people I've met along the way and the pictures painted on my heart after I leave that I find so endearing. Sometimes a place will linger on my heart for years and years because the people there are just fabulous and what I gathered from them was truly amazing... God created us each so beautifully in our own individual ways... every once in a while I'll stop and think - what was He dreaming about.... when he created that random person.

A very good friend of mine shared an untold chapter of her life this evening... and it was when she spent time at a sweet little place called L'Abri. What a treasure to discover. Sometimes I wonder about this friend, and maybe she's just an angel... Who would ever know about a place or places called L'Abri.... At any rate... I hope you enjoy this link as much as I have. And perhaps look at new ventures of community in your life in a whole new way.... one where pictures are left on your heart...

A Shelter....L'Abri

Moving

Who likes moving? More than that, why would someone want to stay in one location thier whole life?

I was born in Birmingham. We moved to the coast when I was 5. Since then I can tell you everywhere I have lived, from Tuscaloosa to North Carolina back to Birmingham and Back to Gulf Shores. In the round about way, I've returned home only to have an aching to leave, again.

One thing I have grown to love is the idea of the water, not a river or lake, but the Coast.... if you ever live here you'll know what I'm speaking of.

So, I decided to rent my condo for a while and move.

Everything happened so fast... I truly have no idea where I want to go.... This is going to be fun!

The Farm House

I've been going to Western North Carolina, for, well as long as I can remember but my parents tell me that my mother rafted the Nantahala River when she was pregnant with me... I don't doubt it. She seems like super woman, especially these days. The hills roll there, the mountains range to a point where you wonder if you are truly this... high, the colors are so blue... that your eyes will deceive you beyond all imagination because of the fog and the pines... But in the midst of it all, there are these valleys with beautiful farms... and old homes that seem invincable which reside on them for years and years. Just as you come over this one particular hill near Bryson City, headed towards the gorge where the Nantahala River is, there is this old farm house... with an amazing porch, a beautiful layout and a magnificent view of the mountains. I attempted to paint it at some point in time, while I lived in Birmingham. I had taken some photographs of it in black and white and used those as my point of focus. I used only white house paint, black dye and a muted green dye. Before I knew it, I loved what had come to be. It was a bit distorted but it was mine and no matter if that house went away, I will always remember it, and I will always have it because I painted it!

Having Faith, Believing

These two pieces would not be complete if they did not reside together. They are happy! I did them quite a while ago, and I remember the first go around they were each one large flower... and I wiped it off and loved the background it left me... so I created this spring like picture with sprouting flowers... they are a beautiful bright green... which can be dangerous... and a sweet ruby red grapefruit as the color for the flower! There is much texture to these and nothing about them says classic painting... it's done of glues and house paint with small bits of oils. It was one of the first times I really used oils... I fould they are bright and a little goes a long way! I thought for sure my Aunt Pam would want these but she has never said a word about them really, she always has a ridiculous amount of flowers growing in her yard and it kind of remind me her her and her silly joyful self... but it's also a fresh painting... reminds me anyone who needs a fresh start with a little encouragement... it can happen! Having faith... believing... as dad says. ;)

Pressing On

This piece resides in Mobile, AL with my friend Susan right now. I was happy to leave it with her. We were in college, working together waiting tables, and had no clue it would be about ten years before we would catch up again... but we did and this past year I was able to see she and her family a few times. They have a house in Gulf Shores, and she truly is a delightful friend I hope to hang on to till were old and silly!

This particular piece, went through many phases before it became what it is. The background is primarily shades of dye and the picture itself is dyed glues and textures with hints of gold all through the painting. There is one flower in the painting and it stands out. This painting is seen best in morning or evening light or perhaps under a black light. There is fabulous depth unseen to the natural eye. It reminds me of pressing on... in the fall, it's amazing how flowers still manage to bloom... and colors burst... just like in life... when we're down, Jesus gives us hope to press on for what is better... because he has great plans for us to prosper... not to harm us! ;) It's high grass, dead with a bloomin' flower in the midst! ;)

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Phillipians 3:12-14

Gold Water.

This is a favorite of mine, and I can't remember who I gave it to... for what. I suppose I painted over this piece 1000 times and it was on my blue kick but I wanted to use some red in it as well... I have this great view of some yellow flowers sitting in water from about 5 years ago... and I thought it would be perfect to make them blue... and the water gold. It's a smaller piece but I loved looking at it in the morning when I woke up... just as the sun was hitting it.

Love.

I got on a blue kick for a while. Perhaps I was blue, who knows. It paid off though. This piece went in the Starbucks show... which was fun and more hype than anything. I only wish we had a Starbucks to do it in again! Guess we'll have to take it over to the new Coffee Merchant. While I was mingling like chatty cathy at this show... Brock and Debbie Hattox decided they wanted this piece, I thought Debbie was pulling me to the back of the room to talk because it was quiet back there. But she wanted that piece. I could not have been more thrilled. Debbie has created a soft house that is extreamly comfortable, classic and includes all of todays modern technology. She asked me to even come over and hang it for them... I was floored! In her main hallway. I'm glad they enjoy it and I love that they have a piece of my work. Great friends. In the process of creating this piece there was a ton of gold paint, red, and green, but of course ... blue. Paper and dyes with a bit of oil. It reminds me of a wedding bouquet... love... perhaps.

Peace

Up close, this has tiny layers, and if you look in the photo you can kind of see the swirls on the right side in the background. It was my floor cover... while I was working on some other pieces. One night I needed something else to work on so I picked it up. I wanted a blue flower... the color in this flower is fantastic. It's almost the color of a sea or gulf near an untouched island. It reminds me of a blue flower floating in water... so. There. Glues, dyes and paper are the main source on this piece. It's on a thin board and square. It reminds me too, of peace, there is only one place, I find complete peace and that is in Jesus Christ... digging daily in His Word helps remind me...

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14: 27).

Singing Flowers

I can't remember a day that I've been to my parents house when there was not some sort of flower in bloom. They say... you know... they whoever they are... that plant life, flowers in particular are extreamly good for the heart... the soul... when we are sad or troubled they can make us happy. When we are good... they can make us even more happy! Wow. Flowers are a good thing. I suppose that is why I love trying to capture them. ;) This one sits in my parents bedroom. It's a fun piece, especially in person. There is quite a bit of texture to it and it's on canvas rather than on board. Dye and paper were the main sourse of color. It reminds me of just after a rainfall, when a flower has been covered up with water... and the sun busts through the trees... only to allow the petals to jump up again! Almost like they are singing! Mom loves this one and it reminds me of her... she jumps for her family and sings for us daily!

White Marsh One and Two

Two of my favorites for numerous reasons. These were in the March Starbucks Show in 2008. They came together at the last minute after the frames were on them and I just let go... started having fun with them... often my best work comes out when I do this. These two remind me of a marsh... I've never named them really. The pictures don't do them justice do to the layering and the depth. There is almost every media of paint on these canvas, but the final touches were dyes for color. There is a technique I can't seem to grasp my hands around, of which I have conducted before... that provides amazing depth. This perhaps comes close to it. I may call these "White Marsh One" and "White Marsh Two" 2009

Soft Love

I honestly can't remember if this was the final on this piece. A friend of mine needed a presant and asked if she could buy a piece of art. I wanted to get this piece out because it was frustrating me... the dyes were bleeding just right... everything was working how I wanted it to... but I could not get a grip on my picture and where I wanted to take it. The depth was not where I wanted in the end and yet the form was fine. Mystically it looked like a flower floating in water. It had a very romantic look to it, one that would resemble that of soft love. So, I will call this... "Soft Love" 2009

Often we think we love with all we have... and yet, just like I gave up on this piece, we give up and end up with ... soft love. Love is Hard. The ultimate lesson in life.

The Wellspring of Life

After a few more touches to this one, I placed it in a gold frame and love it now. Originally I did not like it due to the red. Red is not really one of my favorite colors to work with but I have come across the opportunity to work with some great reds lately. This piece consists of papers, dyes, plaster, flat paint, and a little glue. Overall it took about a month to put together. It stands at around three feet tall or so... maybe a little more. It reminds me of a storm that has hit the first spring, and a flower with water soaked... not knowing what to do with such blessing! Life... we are blessed! I know I am... for sure.
"The Wellspring of Life" 2009