Te Amo, La Nina!

I shared in my email update that I'm feeling a little stuck at the moment, artistically speaking. It's not that I'm not inspired, it's that I'm not inspired by what I'm creating.

But I do have some great subjects I'm working with, including some semi-abstracts of my husband's fine physique, and the wintry weather we are supposed to have this year thanks to Senorita Nina. This image is hopefully just the first of many snow and ice inspired shots.

So here's a question, Blog Reader: Are you on Facebook? I'm starting to feel like I'm repeating what I post there, and perhaps will discontinue the blog if FB is meeting the needs...? Opinion?

It's here! karen ussery fine art photography

I honestly wonder (and seriously doubt) if there has ever been another time in human history when it was so accessible, so possible to re-invent oneself or one's business/expression. What an amazing, crazy time we live in. I'm so grateful I have created the kind of life in which I get to do that.

I must thank my husband, Raymond, but there won't be enough right words to do the job. We both made a choice when we moved to Seattle to pursue our art first, and have jobs that support that. Every now and then when we feel like there isn't enough, we remember that we chose this. I could go get some high-paying, full-time corporate gig but I know my art would shrivel. It's hard enough squeezing it in now. But I have, and that is the point of this rambly blog: karenussery.com is open for bidness!

The site layout is designed to work for both my art consultants and designers who need to be able to skim quickly and find a particular color or pattern. But it's also designed for those who have the time to really soak each image in. If you click on a photo, you can see its details, and use the "next" button to keep scrolling from there.

And art buying has been a little sickly lately. I have made what adjustments I can to prices, and also have three items for sale on my site for less than $100 each: An 8x8 or 8x10 canvas image of your choice for just $99, and a 16x16 or 16x20 paper print for $95. Also, the 2011 wall calendar is at the printers and ready for pre-orders for just $19.95 each. (All have additional shipping.)

The point is: thank you for all your support. I appreciate Raymond and my family, my friends, my new friends at Artist Trust, and you. Here we go!

summer shots

I can't believe it's been almost six months since my last post. But when I think about all that's happened, it feels even longer. First, Raymond and I bought a house here in Seattle that needed a good bit of work. (Maybe taking a kitchen down to the studs qualifies as more than a "bit" of work...) So doing all that took an amazing amount of energy. And then I applied for a six-week intensive class (called the EDGE Program) for artists through The Artist Trust that I half-hoped I wouldn't get accepted into, simply because the summer was already packed. But thankfully, I did get in and the class rocked. Was soooo worth it. I used the time to reinvent my business but more importantly, to reinvent myself as an artist. More to come in that vein soon.

But for now, I wanted to share a few of my favorite images from the summer. (I honestly can't say if I would have even been inspired to pick up the camera if not for the EDGE class. The other thirteen artists in the class were inspiring for me as well. I had strayed so far from my art making...)

These lovely rocks were submerged by the waters flowing into Snow Lake, which after hiking for two hours, was a welcome temperature for the feet. But not for long. I am repeatedly drawn to water as a subject, or as a filter for a subject, like it is here. It has a very transformative effect physically, as well as symbolically.


I call this image "moon rock" for obvious reasons. I wasn't setting out to make this rock look lunar, but in playing with the focus, that's what happened. I'd like to see this huge on a wall.

There is a Japanese word for these circles of light -- it's "bokeh." If I tell you where I shot this it may ruin some of the romance and magic of the image...

All right, I'll tell you -- it was the sun coming through the screen on the window. I did quite a number of these that I will post as a series when I get my site redone.

The site redo is now fall's project. The house is about 85% done, and we'll keep chipping away. But the kids are going back to school and I am going back to work. It feels great. It was a needed sabbatical, and I'm happy to be back in sharing mode with you all.

More when I get the site done! Thanks for your support.

Karen

through the funky glass

Oooh weeee, did I have some fun today! This photo is my favorite from all the images I took of a pink camellia blossom (props to the obliging bush by the front door) created by shooting through different types of textured glass.

Here is my original subject:


Thanks to Fern at White Center Glass for all the cool samples! She hooked me up with different patterns, some of which I was sure would work yet didn't, and some I thought certainly would not but did. I am grateful she was so generous or I wouldn't have gotten my favorite shot of all (at the top).




It's fun to see what the bending of light will render. I'm not sure I'd want some of these on my walls, but it's all about experimenting, right? As an artist, I must kill my need to create perfection right off the bat or I won't grow.





So what do you think? Do the effects speak to you? Which is your favorite?

Mixing it up

I seem to have entered a blogapathetic state (made up word alert) and am simply unwilling to rewrite all the lovely details and insight about these images which I'm actually quite excited about. That's kinda weird. I've really been enjoying what I've been up to so if you would like to read more about it (and I hope you do) please go to my site and check out all the back story on these new images. Please accept my apology for being lazy.

Mental Margarita - Agua para ti!

I just want to dive right into these images.


It's probably a good thing that I like a lot of the work I do (duh) but these are the first in a while I really want to print on huge canvasses for my own house.


There is something so soothing and luscious for me about the play of light and color on water.


And I love the accidental contrast that got created when I posted the images from Seattle's waters on my site. (See fotos de karina - new to check it out.)


In looking at these Salish Sea water images, I have been struck by the patterns reminding me of the flow in the Native American art up here. I thought maybe I was imagining it but look!


Sigh. I love it here.

Oh, by the way... Need a 2010 wall calendar? I got 'em! Please support your friendly artist at fotos de karina calendar.
Enter the code CALENDAR25 for 25% off for one week only!

Mental Margarita - iPhone Pictures

I wouldn't say that my many many flower pictures mean I'm in a rut, but I do seem to be attracted to the same type of imagery in nature again and again. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

So I'm loving this app I got for my iPhone called Best Camera because it's giving me some new tools. Plus my iPhone has nowhere near the macro (close up) capacity of my camera, so I can't rely on my usual methods. I'm having to step back a bit.

I feel like some of the shots I've taken with the iPhone are very Photo 101 but that's ok. You start where you're at.

Here are some of my faves (the rest are on my site)...