Southern Creations Photography What a Wonderful World It Would Be

More on Cell Phones

2011-08-19T21:07:00.004-05:00

What did people do without them? We went to see a good movie for my birthday today ("One Day" with Anne Hathaway). For once, nobody tried to turn on their phones during the movie, which was amazing. BUT - the minute the movie ended, nearly EVERYONE in the audience immediately turned on their phones to check for texts, messages, or missed calls. So, I repeat - how on earth did people enjoy life without their cells. Then, we went out to eat. In the next booth, while waiting for people to join then, instead of enjoying a nice conversation, Mother, Dad and girl child were all playing with their respective cell phones. Will people one day forget how to talk to each other and merely text, "Please pass the peas" during dinner?

Save the Trees - Stop Junk on Cash Register Receipts

2011-08-13T21:29:00.009-05:00

Does anyone pay any attention to all of that extra junk at the bottom of your cash register receipts? It's the ones that want to give you something, but all you have to do is go to their web site and give them your information. For that, you either have a chance to receive a free short stack of pancakes from IHop, or fill out a survey, or enter Walgreen's monthly sweepstakes to win $3,000 in cash, or whatever. I would like to know if anyone has ever gotten anything for giving up their e-mail address besides more e-mail? Think about it - they all have that junk at the bottom.

It's rather a pain in the neck when you keep your receipts and are balancing your checkbook, or reconciling your debit card charges when your bank statement comes in to find the dates and prices in the middle of all of those offers. I end up tearing it off the bottom when I save my receipts to balance my checkbook, so it does them no good to put it on my receipts.
Think about it - how many trees are wasted with so much extra junk printed on the extra paper that can range from 2 " to 4" or more of extra paper on a receipt for practically every store you go into? This happens all over the country. Maybe all over the world. It has to be millions of trees yearly.
What can you do about it? I sometimes tear the extra off and leave it with the cashier and tell her to tell the manager to pass the word on to "Save the Trees". Sometimes they even agree. I wonder who thought this up? Why did the practice spread so fast? Do they really think that people are going to believe that you get something for nothing?
Plus, at the grocery stores they print out a foot or more of savings coupons for things you never purchase. That's more trees. Leave that at the check-out counter, too.
We have no privacy anymore. Everything we do online can be seen, especially by Facebook (that's another post for another time). Every time we give some company our e-mail address, it gets passed on or used.
So, stop the madness and Save the Trees! Pass this on to your merchants. Tell them that you don't want extra junk printed on your cash register receipts.

Off to the Gem and Mineral Show

2011-08-13T11:01:00.002-05:00

I'm off to the Gem and Mineral Show to see what I can find for my jewelry. Maybe some opals, or some nice sliced Geodes.

Cell Phones in Theaters

2011-08-12T18:03:00.003-05:00

I go to The Grand Theater in D'Iberville pretty often. After years of having people using their cell phones to check messages and text during movies and driving others crazy, they established a no tolerance policy concerning cell phones. The policy states that if you use your phone during a movie, you will be asked to leave and you won't be refunded your money. I thought that policy was wonderful until I tested it. Not long into a movie last week, a woman in front of me opened her phone and started checking messages. I told her that she needed to turn it off or she would be kicked out. She just turned around and grinned at me. I said, O.K. and got up and got the person who is in charge of enforcing the rule. She did get the woman out, but a few minutes later, she was back in her seat. After I left, my husband said that she tried to pass the phone to someone else in her party. Soon after, the man sitting two seats from me on my row turned his on. He saw that the policy isn't being enforced. I don't know how the inconsiderate woman got back in, but I think that they should have a No Excuse policy that includes grown-ups, not just teenagers.

The problem is - why do people pay good money to go to a movie only to check their e-mails and messages and text all throughout the movie? Don't they realize that the bright light distracts others? In the case of people who have had cataract surgery, bright lights really bother their (my) eyes. Besides the fact that when a bright light comes on, your attention is distracted from the screen and you miss part of the movie. People used to be able to live without thier cell phone as another appendage to their body. They used to go to movies and their only vice was talking too much. They used to be able to go grocery shopping without having to talk up and down the aisle talking non-stop. They used to be able to drive a car without talking on their phone. And, worse of all, texting while driving. Texting while driving is the most dangerous thing that any stupid person could do. What is wrong with people like that? Texts can wait - they can't be that important. Don't these people have any sense of self? Must they always be talking to someone else? I think is that it would be a Wonderful World if people would just "grow up" and use their cell phones wisely, - not be co-dependent on them. It makes me wonder, "What's the world coming to?" I shudder to think.

What a Wonderful World It Would Be

2011-08-12T17:43:00.005-05:00

I've always wanted to write a column to express my views on what would make our world and our lives a better and nicer place to live. I'm a fairly outspoken person, and I also feel that right is right and wrong is wrong - I'm a black and white person.

Since today's media and newspapers are so strictly driven by the everloving dollar, there is no room for easy reading. Newspapers delivers news (mostly bad) and is driven by advertisements.. Articles deal with rapes, murder, drugs, food, movie stars, world terror and lots of sports. You can't read articles about manners or self-improvement.

It is my aim to use my photography web site to still publish my photography while being to express my feelings about things that go on in the world. I'm hoping that you will not only follow me, but leave your comments.

2011-02-16T15:10:00.002-06:00

Wow! It's been ages since I've posted a blog. I have to blame it on Facebook, which is one of the (seemingly) necessities of the Internet these days. I have to check it and read it, so it really does waste a lot of my valuable time. I am making myself a promise to post more of my photography here from now on. However, today I have to do some work outside in the yard today.

Mother's Day Bird

2010-05-09T11:38:00.003-05:00

I had a glorious Mother's Day experience this morning. I had been hearing a little chirping sound since I got up. I looked out on the patio and there was a little fluffy baby bird flying all around the patio. It flitted from one place to another, chirping and trying out its new wings. I'll bet it had just come from the nest very recently, may be even this morning. It knew we were watching, but was too young to be frightened by humans. It tried to get into the water lily pond, but it was covered with netting to keep the falling leaves out. We figured it was thirsty, and discovered that all of our bird baths had dried out from the wind. I went out and filled all of the bird baths and little containers that we use for the birds to drink from. Then I came in and got busy. When I looked out the back bedroom window into My Secret Garden, there it was, sitting on the branch of a purple bush, preening its feathers. It looked like it had already been in the bird bath. It saw me but kept on sitting. Then, amazingly, its mother came and bright the baby some food. It opened its lttle mouth just like in pictures and accpeted the food. As I watched it she came back again with more food. It made me think about mothers and their children. As much as I love birds, this really made it a fantastic Mother's Day for me. Life it good! Nature is awesome! Happy Mother's Day, everyone. If you are't a mother, then all of you take time to enjoy nature today.

Spring is Here!

2010-04-12T17:51:00.004-05:00

This is my first post of 2010. Where have I been?

Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads my posts. If you do, please let me know by commenting, otherwise, why have the blog???

I've been working in the garden pulling weeds and planting flowers and plants. We just got the plants out of the greenhouse and they were direly in need of attention. I so enjoy working in the yard - it's much more fun than cleaning house.

The azaleas are blooming all over everywhere, and are absolutely beautiful. I've planted several new plants and am enjoying those in bloom now.

New Year's Wish

2009-12-27T19:07:00.001-06:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here's wishing everyone a wonderful and peaceful New Year.

Christmas in the City

2009-12-02T13:28:00.003-06:00

Vern and I will each have a booth at Christmas in the City this Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 - 4:00. We will be on the west end of the Vieu Marche in front of the Hospital parking lot. I plan to put a lot of my older, small works on sale for up to 50% off, so stop by and see if you can find any Christmas gifts. Plus, I will have some fresh homemade New Orleans Pralines for sale. I've made pralines for years and love them. Vern will have his pottery on display. Drop by our booth and browse.

Images in "The Virtual Travels of Two Soul Sisters"

2009-10-20T00:08:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the images that will be in our exhibit. We hope our friends will attend our opening (information in previous post). Our art is a reflection of our travels to different countries so it will be interesting and diverse. We will have photography, paintings, collages, pottery, and jewelry based on the influences of our travels.

The Virtual Travels of Two Soul Sisters

2009-10-20T00:05:00.002-05:00

Eagerly anticipating the opening of my art exhibit that I share with a good friend, Carole Marie Stuart. It will be Friday night, October 23 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at Gallery 782 located at 782 Water Street in Biloxi. The exhibit is now hanging and will remain up until December 23.

My Etsy "Southern Creations Photography Shop"

2009-08-01T01:18:00.006-05:00

I thought I would put in a plug for my Etsy Photography Site. The link to get there is Here. Below are some of the photographs that you will see there. I hope you enjoy your visit to my "Southern Creations Photography Shop". Every once in a while the time runs out for some of my items, so not many will show up on this little promo, but I'll be adding more later.

World Wide Photo Walk

2009-07-29T11:49:00.003-05:00

This is one of my photos from the World Wide Photo Walk. It was a fun afternoon, and I enjoyed getting out with a large group of other photographers. Just imagine, thousands of photographers (34,600) from over 900 cities all around the world. What an experience!

Pink Calla Lily

2009-06-25T15:49:00.002-05:00

Taking photography to a new level, I've fantisized a simple calla lily that was photographed in my garden. It looks like Victorian wallpaper!

Under the Spiral Moon

2009-06-25T13:30:00.003-05:00

Been working on a few collages / mixed media. This is pretty much a fantasy piece, with owls and comets and baby owl nests. Different to say the least. Prints are available.

Pendant Necklaces on Display

2009-06-25T00:39:00.002-05:00

At Gallery 782 in Biloxi, I have a display of wearable art pendants. These photos under glass are time-consuming to make by hand, and are interesting to wear. They come in a variety of styles. Drop by the gallery to see them in person.

Gallery 782 Co-Art

2009-04-29T16:14:00.009-05:00

I'm a founding member of Gallery 782 Co-Art, a wonderful co-op gallery in Biloxi, MS. It is located on Water and George E. Ohr Street, on the street right behind Mary Mahoney's Restaurant.

Below is a collage of some of my photography that is on exhibit durng this quarter.

Below is one of my Original Photograph Pendants-
II have created wearable art pendants using selected
photographs of mine that would be
appropriate for small images under glass.
The pendants are available in various images.
This is a butterfly on a Penta flower.

The Gallery is open Monday - Friday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Spring Has Sprung

2009-03-25T12:43:00.006-05:00

It is nesting time for the great birds. This one is a Great White Egret. She's guarding her twig nest with eggs. She was photographed a Beaux Bridge in Louisiana, a noted bird rookery, but we have many of them here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We also have beautiful pelicans, graceful sea gulls, and skillful skimmers.
At the moment, we have a flock of migrating American Yellow Finches in our back yard. This year, we have had more than we have ever had before. At times, there are 4-6 on each of our three feeders. We constantly have to refill the feeders, but it's worth it to watch them feeding.
I love photographing birds. The main problem is getting them in a position where the background is nice enough for a photograph.
With all of the flowers bursting forth in bloom, springtime is a most wonderful time of the year!

2009-02-28T14:48:00.003-06:00

Here I am with my husband, Vern, at the grand opening of Gallery 782 Co-Art. It is a professional artist's co-op with presently 30 artists, with more to be joining. I'm in front of one of my paintings that won several awards in art exhibits, "Gitchee Gumee Boat House".

The gallery is on Water Street in Biloxi, and is located just north of Mary Mahoney's. In fact, you can see it while dining in their garden room.

The gallery is housed in an old two-story building that has lovely nooks and crannies and many rooms that display a variety of art. If you are near the Vieu Marché, please come by to visit. One of the artists will be there each day. You may even see me there, as we are presently working one day per month in the gallery.

Below are a few of my photographs on display at Gallery 782.

Visit my Etsy Shop: Ladyphoto's Southern Creations Fine Art Photography

2009-02-11T16:15:00.005-06:00

I have opened an Etsy Shop that will allow you to browse through my photography images and order those that you like. Duplicate photos are mean that there two different sizes to select from. In addition, all of my images may be ordered in different sizes to fit your wall space and your budgets. Other images are uploaded quite frequently.

This shop features work that is different from my Southern Creations Photography web site, so if you would like to see things out of the ordinary for me, check my out Etsy shop.

Please drop by and visit.

2008-10-28T02:45:00.004-05:00

The Caboose Art Gallery - Long Beach

My work is just to the right of the hutch, and the black background pink flower just above it. In the photograph on top, the pink magnolia center on the top left is my photograph, also. I've been a member since just before the gallery opened in April of 2008.

This is one of my most favorite things...

2008-09-27T18:21:00.004-05:00

I will definitely have a framed photo of my little frog at my exhibit.

This is my wild pet frog. It lives in the little upright pond on our back patio. Where he came from I don't know - I guess from the little marsh creek down the hill in the woods. I had others come to live in my little pond, but Katrina was responsible for about six of them dying, and another had an unfortunate accident after one came back a year or so after Katrina. I had given up on ever having one again, but truthfull, I prayed for one to come back, and my prayers were answered. The froggie is every bit as loved as anyone's dog or cat, and he is so cute! In warm weather he either sits on the edge of the pond, or on one of the flagstones, like in the picture. Sometimes he sits half submerged on a lily pad. He sits still when I scoop dead leaves from the water, and when I lean close in to talk to him. I do believe that frogs have a brain and can remember. He knows he will come to no harm from me.

"These Are a Few of My Favorite Things"

2008-09-16T14:07:00.006-05:00

During the month of October, I am mounting a one-woman show at the Mocha Moose Coffee House in Ocean Springs. Mocha Moose features a different artist each month, and is to be commended for its support of the arts.

The theme of the show will feature photographs of some of my all-time favorite places and things. There will be landscapes and floral images; some old and some new, but all favorites of mine.The public is invited to a reception from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 4.

Portfolio Photography Project

2008-08-23T21:19:00.006-05:00

First Community Bank - Fort Collins

I just returned from Denver where I was hired to photograph my daughter's corporate art for a big magazine ad. I photographed her work in a number of places around Denver. In the future, I plan to place a link from this blog to my Portfolio Photography web page when I have added the images that I photographed; however, I have not yet finalized the images. This piece is in a niche in a bank in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Below is a wall mural called "Aqua Rhythms". It was commissioned for the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Cherry Creek in Denver. It covers an entire wall and contains hundreds of stainless steel squares that move with the breeze. Enhancing the wall are sections of exquisitely glass designed in clusters that shimmer in the sun.

So, why am I showing my daughter's work on my blog? Because this is one of the forms of photography that I do. And, because I'm extremely proud of my daugher's work.

Photography at Gina's

2008-08-23T20:36:00.006-05:00

"Gitchee Gumee Boathouse"
(Award winning photograph at two art exhibits.)

My photography can be seen at Gina's in downtown Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Gina is a genius at displaying the art, crafts, jewelry and antique furniture that she has available in her store. Going into her place is such a pleasant and enjoyable experience. I love the way she displays "Gitchee Gumee Boathouse" on top of an antique mantle, and the wooden shore birds and bird nest make a perfect setting for the subject of the photography. By the way, the photograph I took of the display is also a landscape photograph that is for sale. Wouldn't it look nice in a wall grouping?

At present, Gina is showcasing eighteen framed works of my photography as well as a few selected matted pieces and note cards in two different sizes. Next time you are in Ocean Springs, be sure to drop by Gina's and browse around at all of her delightful "finds", and check out my photography while you are there. Here are four of my photographs at Gina's behind a setup of jewelry and pottery that I photographed for a an advertisement for her store.

Mysterious Flower in Ireland

2008-05-03T23:07:00.008-05:00

While in Ireland last summer, we went through the formal gardens of a castle by a lake. The gardens were behind the castle and quite a hike uphill from the land. The flowers were beautiful! I took a lot of photographs, some of flowers I couldn't identify, including this mysterious one. This is probably because Ireland is farther north than Mississippi and has a much cooler climate; therefore, flowers that grow beautifully there can't tolerate the heat of the South. I found out that this is the flower bud just before it opens into a beautiful ball of tiny star-shaped flowers.

This photograph was taken on a cloudy day (as most of our days in Ireland were), so the photograph is mostly in cool colors except for the purple flowers in the background. Some of the buds seemed to glow with a blue iridescence. Not knowing the name of the flower, I couldn't easily search for it, so I joined an online botanical group, posted the photo and asked for help. Within one day someone had identified it as Globe Thistle. They don't grow in the Gulf Coast region, but so remember seeing one in Michigan a few years ago, although it was much larger. I wish I could grow them here.

Because I like the flower, I have designed a note card using this image and will place it in the shops where my art work is sold.

The Caboose

2008-05-01T12:42:00.004-05:00

Sounds like something related to a train, right? The Caboose is a new art gallery located in Long Beach right by the railroad tracks next to an antique shop. It opened quietly the last part of April, and will have a grand opening in May. It is a consignment art gallery where my photography and my husband's pottery will be displayed. There are other top named artists who will also show their art of various mediums. Pertinent information:

West Railroad Merchant's Mall
608 West Railroad Street
Long Beach, MS 39560
228-865-1056

I plan to post photos of the gallery here soon. My work is being hung later this week.
A ribbon cutting will be held on June 19, 2008 for the Mall and its three shops: The Antique Junction, the Caboose Art Gallery and the monogram shop, all under the same roof. It will be at 4:00 P.M. and refreshments will be served.

Award at Singing River Art Association Annual Art Exhibit

2008-04-27T23:19:00.013-05:00

"Angel of Sorrow"

I am pleased to announce that my "Angel of Sorrow" photograph, which was a 20" X 30" canvas gallery wrap format, won the award for Best Photography at the Singing River Art Association's 2008 art exhibit that runs through May at the Jolly McCarthy Depot in Pascagoula, MS. The honor was a great thrill for me. The juror was Victoria Lenne, noted Tennessee watercolorist.
This photograph seems to touch the souls of viewers, especially those who went through Katrina. One of the main goal for my photography is that it touch the soul and has meaning for those who view it. I like to think that she my Angel of Sorrow the angel who lifts our burdens by carrying our sorrows for us.
This photograph may be ordered using my photography purchase page.

"Misty Magnolia"

This is my other entry in the SRAA Art Exhibit. It is a Magnolia soulangeana from the magnolia bush in my front yard. It is my newest image. The judge always leaves comments for award winners, but didn't leave many comments for other entrys that didn't win an award. She left this comment by Misty Magnolia:
"Simply elegant."
This was also done on a canvas gallery wrap.

How did the photographer get that shot?

2008-04-21T17:24:00.009-05:00

Most of my photographs are fairly easy to take, although they may require a bit of hiking to get to the location. Then, as with all photographers, you have to decide on the composition and the angle at which you want to shoot.

A few, however, require stunts or extraordinary maneuvers.
On our trip to Ireland last year, we were driving along the eastern shore of the country from Dublin to Northern Ireland. It was a cold and rainy day (as were many of our days in Ireland, even in August), and we were enjoying the scenery. We saw a beautiful overlook with outpotties, so we thought it would be a nice time to stop, albeit the drizzling rain. It turned out to be more than just a pit stop.
Our plan for renting a car instead of going on a tour bus was that we would be able to stop anywhere and stay as long as we wanted to, so that is what we did. Once stopped, we noticed busloads of youngsters wearing red safety helmets going down a steep trail. Always curious, wanting to see what they were doing, and wanting to see what I might find to photograph, I followed them and went down a fairly steep trail.

What we found was another of those secret spots that you couldn't see from the road. We found beautiful cliffs and rocks going down to the Irish Sea, and a roaring stream that came from higher in the mountains, went underneath a bridge on the highway, and emptied into the sea at the bottom of the hill. I stumbled upon magnificent scenery and some beautiful flowers.
One such flower was a Fireweed growing out of the cracks in the rock.

Sometimes, to get the shot you want, you have to do some weird things, like lie on rocks while shooting. I knew I wanted a photograph of these gorgeous flowers, but didn't want to shoot them from above. Notice how the stems are deep magenta? They were also dripping with raindrops - hard to see in this small shot.
Yes, that is me - my husband took a photo of me while I was shooting the flowers. You have get down low, on the level of the flower.

There I was, laying on a rock with my feet propped up on another rock for balance. It was a bad hair day, what with the rain and the breeze from the water, but we had a marvelous experience, and I loved the challenge.
Fireweeds are beautiful flowers because the stems nearly the color of the flower petals.
Fireweed is a perennial with pinky purple flowers that grows from 0.5 to 3 metres in height. The flowers can range from rose, purple or mauveand are clustered along the top part of the reddish stems. They have yellow stamens. These flowers also grow in the United States, but none quite so pretty as these with raindrops on their heads.

Featured Artist at Foley Performing Arts Gallery

2008-04-17T15:28:00.000-05:00

This Press Release says it all:

Local Photographer Exhibits in Foley Arts Center

Biloxi – Biloxi photographer Linda Saxon Nix is the featured artist in the Middle Gallery at the Foley Performing Arts Center in Foley, AL. Nix, a member of the Art center since 2006, is showing nine of her favorite images and a number of matted pieces. All of the works may be purchased. The exhibit will hang through April, at which time selected pieces will be moved across the street to be displayed in the Colonial Bank. Foley Art Center is located at 119 West Lauren Avenue (Highway 98), with viewing hours from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Friday and 10:00 AM 2:00 PM on Saturdays.

The Foley Arts Center is a very nice art gallery, and is really one of those "little well-kept secrets" because most people head for the outlet mall in Foley. They miss the best part of Foley when they bypass the lovely little town. Foley is one of my favorite places because of all of the civic landscaping that is done there. No matter what time of year, you can count on beautiful beds of flowers in bloom year-round.

My husband and I have been members for the past three years. I display my photography and Vern his pottery. They asked me to be featured in the Middle Gallery for the first time, and I was pleased to mount an exhibit. The grand hotel that has always housed the gallery is being sold, and the gallery will soon move across the street.

Fats Domino's Cadillac Tale

2008-04-17T00:20:00.002-05:00

"Fats Dominos Cadillac" Photograph

This photograph was just accepted into a juried exhibit - "First Annual University of Mobile Juried Art Exhibition" which will open to the public May 3-30, 2008 at Thomas T. Martin Hall on the University of Mobile campus. If you are in the area, you may want to drop by to see the exhibit.
It was was also chosen by the National Endowment of the Arts to illustrate a story in their NEArts Magazine (Vol. 5 2006). The article, "Restoring the Quality of Life: NEA Assists Hurricane Ravaged Arts Organizations", focused on how the NEA assisted art organizations and artists with the aftermath of Katrina, and featured two other of my Katrina photographs.
I was asked to contribute to the article because I was the recipient of a $1,000.00 grant from the Hattiesburg Arts Council to attend the Bruce Barnbaum Photographic Workshop. The workshop grant was funded by a parent grant from the NEA to assist artists in the area affected by Katrina. This workshop gave me the opportunity to take my art to a new level and am grateful that I had the opportunity to have attended.

The Story Behind the Photograph

"Fats Dominos' Cadillac" is yet another artistic photograph that came out of the vast destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Back in 2006, some of our same photographic workshop people had the opportunity to go into the Ninth Ward of New Orleans to document the damage of the flooding of the Ninth Ward. Our intent was to create artistic images out of a disaster that destroyed thousands of homes.
While photographing homes that were filled with inches of mold, cars that had been deposited on top of other cars by the water, and broken dreams (actually a heartbreaking task), we heard that Fats Domino's famous pink Cadillac was in the area. A few of us hopped into my car and went to look for his recording studio where it was supposed to be.

We found the studio, but saw no Cadillac. Disappointed, we were about ready to leave
when we saw a man coming out of the studio, locking the door behind him.
The man was quite a character. He wore overalls and a T-shirt and had a very long, bushy beard and, of course, a baseball type cap. It turned out that the man was a musician and a childhood friend who went to school with Fats. Presently he was managing the studio, or what was left of it. He plays in a Cajun band in New Orleans. He let us photograph him, but said we could not publish the photo. That photograph would have been a winner, too!
We struck up a conversation, and when he found out that we were a group of photographers who were documenting the storm damage (many of our group were from out of state), he invited us in to have a look.

The entire house had been flooded, so everything had been stripped out leaving only the wall studs, and this pink Cadillac sitting in an empty room. The only other things in the entire old house were a pink toilet and lavatory in an adjoining room. That, and two crystal chandeliers that they salvaged from the ceilings that they would again use that were sitting in the back of the couch. They are being saved to hang when the studio is rebuilt.

The old Pink Cadillac had been sawed off and cusomt-made into a couch years ago. Before the flood, when you sat on it, the rear lights lit up. Fats' friend told us that Fats planned to rebuild the studio and have the Cadillac couch refurbished and make the lights work once again. He told us that the real Cadillac was with Fats in an area of New Orleans that did not flood.

The couch had been on the cover of the only Christmas Album that Fats Domino ever made.

The album was "Christmas Gumbo" from 1993.

The Tivoli Series

2008-04-16T00:01:00.007-05:00

I live in the land of Hurricane Katrina. We are into our third year of recovery, but our land will never be the same. I did my share of taking Katrina photos that documented the devastation and the ruination of people's homes and lives. I felt compelled to do so , in a way, to document an awful moment in time. Those were photos. They were snapshots. They stand as a reminder of the awful force of Mother Nature and her profound affect on people and the land.
I have shown and sold only a few of these photos, as they are not reminders that people around here want to see on a daily basis.

I also took my share of photographs, which are more artistic than photos. One subject was Katrina Sunflowers. Many artists painted or shot the mysterious Katrina Sunflowers that miraculously appeared in the months after Katrina in the spring of 2006. They were our first signs of hope. They sprang up on vacant lots, in back and front yards, on roadsides - everywhere. To this day, sunflowers are revered on the Gulf Coast.

I also was very privileged to be able to go into a dying old hotel, The Tivole, and take some one-of-a-kind photographs. Now those are fine art. The hotel had seen better days before Katrina, and was considered an eyesore by some, although she was solid and proud and one of our historic landmarks. She could have been saved and refurbished into something nice.
It had been closed for a number of years, and rumor had it that the homeless lived inside. But, oh, the stories she could tell of the roaring twenties and thirties when she was considered the Grande Dame of hotels on the Riviera of the South.
I first went inside the hotel with a group of people taking a photography workshop from Bruce Barnbaum. A few months later I sent inside for the last time with my son, who is a photographer (a fantastic one, too) and who was visiting from Colorado. We shot photographs on all five floors in the light of the late afternoon sun. It was an awesome experience. A week later,the wrecking ball demolished it because developers wanted to build a casino on the property. The front corner had been struck by a huge casino barge and torn off, leaving the building damaged. In my opinion, it could have been saved and turned in to a hotel once again. The good citizens of Biloxi fought to keep a casino from going on the property, and we won. It is sad that they didn't wait before tearing down one of our memorable landmarks, of which there are too few left.

You can read about the Grande Dame at the bottom of my photography page and view more Tivoli photographs:

The Tivoli Series

Most of my Tivoli photographs are artistic in nature, and they are among my favorites
of all of my photographs. They stand for a by-gone time long gone, the romantic past, out lost landmarks, and for"could haves" and "what if''s" and "never agains". They represent our past, and for people of the Gulf Coast, memories and photographs are all that we have left.

Cypress Trees

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Most of my photography is considered fine art. I exhibit and show my work at various galleries, and enter juried shows in the area. I have won awards for my work, and my photography is in collections in most of the states and in several foreign countries. My magnolias have been used by businesses and corporations for advertising, for logos and for stationary and business cards, for wedding invitations - even for signs. They have illustrated magazine articles, been on the cover of a telephone book and illustrated the magnolia for a book about the state of Mississippi.

I am passionate about my photography. It provides the creative outlets that I need to feed my soul.

Sometimes I do freelance work. The photograph to the right, "Cypress Trees" was taken when I photographed "Dreams" for the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Dreams is the children's museum's annual fundraiser that showcases the talent of the youth in music and dance. This photograph is one of my very favorite photographs of all time. It was taken during a dance called "Cypress Trees" in front of a full orchestra. This photograph is often used by Lynn Meadows to promote their various programs, and was used in the program when Lynn Meadows won a national award in Washington, D.C. Can you imagine my proud smile?

New Beginnings

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Today I created my blog. This is a new beginning for me. I resisted blogs for over a year, and while this will not be a "daily diary", I hope to make my blog a place where you can get to know me well. I plan to keep you updated on my photography news as well as let you see the photographer behind the photography.

This will be a way to share my photography with those who care to see what I am doing. As I grow older, I grow more philosophical. My photography grows more and more to be the window to my soul because I put so much of myself into creating each photograph.

About a year ago I saw the following quotation posted at an art exhibit. It spoke to me in a profound way. If you substitute "photography" for "art" as you read it, you will know how I feel about photography. Photography captures a moment in time that can never again be duplicated, nor can a different person capture a scene in exactly the way that I, or anyone else, can.

“Art is a living river that runs through our time and will run on as long as art is created and appreciated. To purchase a painting is to take a dipper full of the river home to constantly be refreshed with the energy of life.” Stewart Turcotte