Ken Smith Photo Journal

Narcissus Gift

By next week my crazy race will be over for a time. I have all the shows prepared. I have made the two week trip to the midwest for the show in West Des Moines, Iowa. I have printed the 14 prints for the insurance building commission. And, I have done little new creative work. Or, as one can see, I have not been updating my presence on the web. First things first.

I have been thinking alot about passion in my work, but have put few words down that can adequately describe its importance. Maybe as I begin making new work again, the words will come. There has to be a certain breathing space in order to be spiritual about the work. The confinement of framing, meeting deadlines, attending show receptions does not allow for idle roaming. In the meantime, I have revived an older work, Narcissus Gift. It originally was made with the 4×5 on a paper negative, printed and toned in the darkroom. I have recently scanned the print and will be printing Gift now in the new method.

Leaf Heart

Hiatus sounds like a relaxing pause, but it has been the opposite around here. Since the first of June there have been shows, deliveries, new work, auto maintenance…..you name it. Little time to catch one’s breath. I am not complaining, for in this economy to be prospering is a joy. I only wish there was a better vitamin, or maybe that ‘hiatus’ that means ‘peace’ for just a brief time.

I am working on new work for a couple shows coming up. At the same time, brewing in my mind, is a dissertation about ‘Passion’ and being an artist. I hope to have that written soon. So please stand by and I will fill in the spaces shortly with pictures and philosophies.

Moss

Spring has finally come to the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. On a rocky outcropping on the land where I live at 3200′ elevation, the moss has begun to propagate.

Water Plant 2

One of the reasons I started this blog was the opportunity to show images I have made or are making that may never be part of my fine art photography website. In the lee of the recent Valentine’s Day celebration, I thought this rose image appropriate.

I titled it Rose Spider, tho I’m sure there isn’t such a spider in existence, except for maybe this one day. The image was made years ago with my trusty Canon F-1, and 50mm f3.5 macro lens. Remember Kodachrome film?