“Inspiration” Stained Glass Art by kenne, of kenne
“It behooves any of us who would mediate on the subject of artistic inspiration to open the doors wide into the night
and welcome into the house the spirit of inhabitable awe.” — Edward Hirsch
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Experiencing the Van Gogh Immersive Exhibit (Scottsdale, June 15, 2022) — Image by kenne
We have wanted to see the Immersive van Gogh exhibit for some time.
So, since we had planned on attending Jeri and Ron’s 50th Anniversary,
June 16-18 in Palm Springs, we drove up to Scottsdale on the 15.
The exhibition, conceived by Creative Director Mathieu St-Arnaud and his team at Montreal’s
world-renowned Normal Studio, is an immersive experience that features more
than 300 of Vincent Van Gogh’s iconic artworks and takes the art lover
into a three-dimensional world that exhilarates the senses.
— Vincent van Gogh
Video by kenne
— Vincent van Gogh
Sunflowers — Photo-Artistry by kenne
— Vincent van Gogh
Leaves On A Log — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Went looking for faith on the forest floor,
and it showed up everywhere.
In the sun, and the water,
and the falling leaves,
the falling leaves of time.
Morning Rainbow In The Desert (Tucson, Arizona, September 29, 2016) — Image by kenne
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
General Store In Rural Sonora, Mexico (January28, 2016) — Images by kenne
— Jostein Gaarder
Eastern Collard Lizard — Computer art by kenne
— Frank Barron
“Universal Flight” — Computer art by kenne
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
“Sisters” Joy and Jody (June 2, 2003) — Image by kenne
― Toni Morrison
Old Habits — Image by kenne
— Bertrand Russell
— from Landscape With Two Graves and an Assyrian Dog by Federico García Lorca
La Milagrosa Canyon (February 28, 2014) — Images by kenne [Click on any of the images to see slideshow.]
“Aren’t the clouds beautiful? They look like big balls of cotton…
I could just lie here all day, and watch them drift by…
If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud formations…
What do you think you see, Linus?”
“Well, those clouds up there look like the map of the British Honduras on the Caribbean…
That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor…
And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the stoning of Stephen…
I can see the apostle Paul standing there to one side…”
“Uh huh… That’s very good…
What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?”
“Well, I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsie,
but I changed my mind!”
― Charles M. Schulz, The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 5: 1959-1960
“Hi, Little Friend” — Image by kenne
“The Ultimate Sacrifice” — Image by kenne
It is common when leading nature walks in Sabino Canyon to talk about the signature cactus of the Sonoran desert, the saguaro. One of the common bits of information is to point out how the young saguaros are near trees that help provide protection to this very slow-growing Sonoran desert plant. These trees can be mesquite, palo verde or ironwood trees, and are referred to as “nurse trees.” The faster-growing nurse tree provides shade and shelter from the harsh desert elements, and as the saguaro grows, becoming more acclimated to the desert sun, the nurse tree may die, leaving the saguaro alone. As the saguaro grows larger it may compete for resources with its nurse tree, especially where several saguaros are receiving protection from the same tree, which may hasten its death. Even so, the faster-growing tree will not outlive the typical life of a saguaro cactus.
kenne
Desert Spring Computer Painting by kenne
When Wolfgang and I first met by the pool two years ago, we would talk about philosophy and share other common interest topics. Often, conversations would begin on whatever book he was reading by the pool.
Two years ago, Wolfgang spent about three weeks here in southern Arizona, enjoying the hot summer sun. It was not his first time visiting Tom in Tucson, and he indicated he would be visiting again next year. But, that didn’t happen – I didn’t ask why distracted by the pleasure of seeing him again.
Since Joy and I had just returned from vacation, I assumed he had just arrived. However, he had come while we were gone, during which time he and Tom made a road trip to northern Arizona and southern Utah and was now in his last week here in the states.
Wolfgang was anxious to share the time they spent in the Navajo Nation territory, taking in some of its natural beauty. However, his most memorable moment was a conversation he had with a Navajo woman, whom he greeted in Navajo. Although his Navajo vocabulary is limited, she seemed to be impressed. Upon departing, she told him that he would speak in Navajo when he comes back.
“No, I won’t,” Wolfgang said.
“That’s the right answer,” she replied.
Now Wolfgang has a kindred spirit in the Navajo Nation.
As in the past, I was curious as to what Wolfgang’s poolside reading was. As the title was in German, I only know the author’s name; Peter Sloterdijk. I now plan on reading some of Sloterdijk’s work, especially learning more about his theory of the human as a practicing, training being, which may give me additional insight on why “becoming is superior to being,” and the process of becoming (improving) as individuals and groups can result in a more convivial society.
Related to this thought, I shared a poem I first heard in the late ’50s from my high school English teacher:
“Good, better, best,
Never let it rest,
Till your good is better,
And your better is best.”
This little poem has been my life’s anthem.
(Until recently, the author of the poem was unknown, but a recent Google search gives credit to professional basketball player Tim Duncan. Look at what media exposure can do for you!)
We also talked about the concept and philosophy of “feathering,” which I will post later.
Keep on feathering, my friend.
— kenne
Wolfgang P. Theiss — Images by kenne
Image taken at Shale Ridge by kenne
. . . first stanza from William Wordsworth’s, “The Thorn”
Becoming is Superior to Being 