Quincy Arts Festival-Mentoring Young Artists

I haven't posted on the JOS blog in quite a while so when the events of this weekend unfolded, I thought it might be a good time to get back into the habit. One of my goals is to enter into my photographs into more juried shows. One of the first of the year is the Quincy Arts Festival held at Merrymount Park in Quincy, MA.

This year I entered three images into the Quincy Arts Festival. It was really exciting to see them on display in such a highly visible arena and in such fine company. The three images I entered were "Carriage Ride Through Central Park", "Abandoned Car" and "Gateway To Zion". This was actually the first time I placed images into a show and felt really strong about each of them. I think these three are my best work to date and am quite proud of them. None of the three won anything, but that is okay. They pleasure of seeing them on display was worth it. But I do know two wonderful, very talented young photographers who did win a ribbon!!

My two grandsons had photographs entered. Kameron, who is now 6, took the photo "Hi Little Puppy" when in Lake Placid over a year ago. Richard, who is 14, entered a beautiful shot he took in the Grand Canyon, "Deer at the Grand Canyon". Both boys won an Honorable Mention and the older one also won an Award of Excellence! I was (and am) very proud of both of them...and hope that they will be inspired by this win and enjoy photography for many, many years. And kudos to the Quincy Arts Festival organizers for enabling youngsters like Richard and Kameron to experience art in its many shapes and forms.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience.

Quincy ArtsFest 2012

Photo by Susan O.

The 15th Annual Quincy ArtsFest is this weekend, September 15 and 16.  Last night was the gala reception for the artists and photographers.

Dew on Lupine

What a fantastic and fun time it was!  We were able to walk around and see all the beautiful work that was submitted, along with those works that had won awards.  In addition, there were over-the-top delicious appetizers, pasta and meatballs provided by the new restaurant at Presidents Golf Course in Quincy, The View Restaurant & Tavern.  I cannot say enough about how delicious this food was.

Cables

These two images are my entries this year, "Cables" and "Dew on Lupine".  Sadly, they didn't place, but the joy at being accepted into a juried show is a thrill (sort of like being nominated for an Academy Award, but not winning).  

If you have some time, stop by the ArtsFest this weekend.  The hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

New cards have arrived at Donna Capozzi Designs

 

 

You can order my new cards and other fabulous cards at www.donnacapozzi.com

Macro Workshop

Attended a great macro workshop today, taught by a fellow member of the South Shore Camera Club.  We were shown all the various equipment a photographer can utilize for shooting macro and close up images.  Since I don't own a macro lens (yet), I used close-up filters on my 18-55mm lens.  I love this shot of the flower from the underside.  It's not necessarily a "macro" shot, but I like the form, the softness and the colors.  I'll be adding this image to my site on FineArtAmerica.com.  .....Peggie

Pembroke Arts Festival 2012

Very, very exciting!  This black and white image of the Gloucester Schooner Race has been accepted into the "juried" Pembroke Arts Festival 2012.  It's always fun to take the chance to enter and hope that the judges like what they see!

The Pembroke Arts Festival 2012 is this weekend, August 11 & 12.  For more information check out their website, Pembroke Arts Festival 2012

Slow the Pace

So this week has not been a good one for me as it relates to short-term memory. I won't go into detail. To be honest, I'm really tired of listening to myself and reliving the trials of the past few days..and I don't want to let minor nuisances mar the memories of the wonderful vacation I just returned from. Let's just say that I need to start paying much more attention to the little, seemingly harmless, details in my life. I feel like I'm soaring over the mountain tops...and ignoring the valleys and rivers below me. Time to slow down the pace and immerse myself in the details of my personal life...the same way I immerse myself into the details of my corporate life. The former is as important, if not more important, than the latter. I want to do so much, see so much, live every minute of every hour that I'm constantly in overdrive. Sooner or later it will catch up, especially as the inevitable era of aging, absent-mindedness and all that comes with it sneaks into our life...and this week it did. So I am making a promise to myself that I will slow the pace, schedule time for rest and/or meditation, and make conscious decisions...even if it is only remembering where I put a memory card.

Out of the Box

Went on a two-hour, leisurely cruise out of Hingham just before sunset.  Hoping for possibly a spectacular sunset and some good shots of the Boston skyline, I took the camera along.  Alas, there was no sunset as the clouds came in, and by the time the "leisurely" cruise made it to Boston night had fallen.  After trying, unsuccessfully, to catch some skyline images, I gave up, until........I thought "out of the box" and discovered that "abstract" night shots were pretty cool.  In this image I see a group of runners, with one prominently in the lead!  What was great was that I took my initial disappointment of not being able to shoot what I thought I would get, and discovered a whole new world of "creativity"!  What do you think and what do you see in the image?    ------ Peggie