“You must unlearn what you have been programmed to believe since birth. That software no longer serves you if you want to live in a world where all things are possible.”

~Jacqueline E. Purcell

It’s funny that just yesterday I thought I had made something really amazing in my own evolution of stone balancing. Trying something for my first time that was rumored to be quite a challenge. That was then.  This photo is the product of going out the following day and building a NEW orb and hone the process.  This time slowing down, carefully placing EVERY SINGLE STONE. This one turned out quite a bit bigger, rounder, more symmetrical, and all on a much smaller contact point. :)

All of the elements lined up perfectly once again to produce this picture… possibly my favorite to date, given those colorado sunset colors, shapes of stones, negative space, proportions, and the addition of a new element.. that **orb thingy.  I was trying to decide what kind of shape to make and decided on the ball to contrast the angular shapes of stones.. I really like the contrast between the 3-dimensional space of the orb, and the relatively 2-dimenisonal rock silhouettes.

**To see some more funky shapes with stone, some can be found in the work of Andy Goldsworthy and other land artists… Someone did actually accuse me of copyright infringement for making a circular structure with stone.. but this particular person has zero understanding of copyright law… and therefore null.

“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”

~ St. Francis of Assisi

I always have special experiences when I hike up to Woods Quarry, which is a short hike out of Boulder, CO. I knew there would be a full moon tonight but had no idea when it would rise. Being able to shoot the real thing with its inspired creation turned out to be a pleasing alignment of elements.  It is usually best to have no expectations when I head out on a creative venture.  I started a bit late in the day so I didn’t assume to have any substantial time for a to complete a project…

I had never attempted the ball arrangement before. Got completely experimental… All I knew was that I’d seen pictures of them before. And I thought it fitting to create one in light of the Full Moon.  I had many balls of various sizes constructed, but many kept blowing over in the wind.  This one was the only one large and heavy enough to resist the gusty wind.  The timing and placement of everything was perfect as soon as I saw the moon rise. A moment I like to call “divine alignment” :)

This photo was taken earlier this evening. The lighting was achieved using a remote and remote flash.

“Talent hits a target no one else can hit;
Genius hits a target no one else can see.”

~ Arthur Schopenhauer

Twilight balance.

Another brilliantly warm sunset glow as the sun continues projecting its light off of the visible clouds while itself disappears behind the mountains.  The result is an intense shift in light and mood; surreal in its affection. And the affect grows more intense as I move further UP creek under the growing loom of the mountains.

I had to use the more extreme white balance settings on my camera just to make the colors look normal. Multiple times per week, people from all over the front range in Colorado post photos of radiant sunset colors on Facebook.  Possibly my favorite times of day to shoot photos of rocks are sunrise and sunset. Especially in the colder months.  It takes more determination to work in the cold, but in exchange are some of the quieter, more peaceful experiences.

This balance took some high discipline and endurance to realize. For size comparison, I was barely able to lift the top rock with one arm. All the big ones below required both arms.. Not to mention freezing water.  I invested in a pair of waste high waders for these cold months. They work for being waterproof, but no temperature barrier really so my feet will still freeze after extended non-movement.  This balance was slightly frustrating in the sense of cold water and precision.  Part of me wanted to give up as the light began to fade.  But I KNEW it was possible. I could see the balance points and I had come so close to realizing it many times. Couldn’t use gloves for this one. Extreme sensitivity required, which was already slightly depressed by the cold water all over the rocks…  But DAMN it felt good to finally get it after working for so long… And the best part was that the sunset glow began moments later and lasted for about 20 minutes.  I worried that it would fall as I hobbled out of the creek to get my camera.  But I had a deep down feeling that it wanted to be recorded with twilight in all of their collective genius. :)

“In many shamanic societies, if you came to a shaman or medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions.

-When did you stop dancing?

-

When did you stop singing?

-When did you stop being enchanted by stories?

-When did you stop finding comfort in the sweet territory of silence?

Where we have stopped dancing, singing, being enchanted by stories, or finding comfort in silence is where we have experienced the loss of soul.
Dancing, singing, storytelling, and silence are the four universal healing salves.”

- Gabrielle Roth

Photo courtesy of L.B.

This picture was taken in Pembina River, Alberta, Canada (just outside the town of Entwistle) during my first Fall of rock balancing… just over 4 years ago… Pembina is a sacred place for me. It was a frequently visited spot with family almost every summer of my childhood. I think being exposed to this kind of scenery so much as a kid had an effect on my attraction to Boulder Creek … and my familiarity to silence.

First thing I notice when I look back on old pictures like this is the evolution of experience and style.  Ha.. this was just after graduating from College. In some ways I feel as if I’ve learned more while rock balancing than in my college career.  However, one would not have happened without the experience of the other.  Every day led me one step closer to being in a specific time and place with a specific person.. to uncover a new found passion.

Most valuable lesson so far…? It’s all there inside you. happiness. Love. everything. some might say that there is a very small point inside the heart muscle that is actually a microscopic black hole, generating the magnetic fields of our bodies. Perhaps death is simply the inevitable collapse that black hole. I’m no expert. do your own research.

Last year around this time was when I first dabbled with my own watercolor quilt design..  I don’t have sewing skills, but I highly enjoy the creative process of arranging the 2 inch fabric squares, cut from mom’s collection. My mom is an excellent quilter. She’s done it for as long as I can remember, and has built up quite a fine collection of interesting and colorful fabrics over the years…  all of the 2 inch squares are painstakingly arranged into palettes based on color, value, and print patterns…the possibilities are endless.

The goal is simple. Blend the colors/designs/values in such ways as to make the squares “flow” and disappear into one another.  I’ve always thought that I inherited much of my designer’s eye from my mom.  When I was growing up, my mom would constantly ask for my input on her watercolor designs. 



I used two important tools during the process. A red color filter is a plastic screen to look at the quilt through.  The filter neutralizes all colors so I only see the relative VALUE of my arrangement. This process really helps in spotting unwanted lines that can appear when squares may match by color but not value.  Paying attention to both spectrums is the key to achieving a more fluid piece.



The other important tool is a reducing glass. It is much easier to spot breaks in overall fluidity when the piece is viewed from a distance.  Arranging the squares up close is one thing. But to create a unified feel, It is very helpful to alternate perspective between close and far.  :)



So here’s a picture of my final arrangement.  I also took the liberty of shooting a time-lapse of this creation. 2 inch square by 2 inch square… the final product after sequencing all the frames will look amazing :D

Let me just add that the colors in these fabrics are absolutely amazing. vivid. diverse… This arrangement is more abstract than most examples I’ve been shown from professionals. but I love the intense depth of color here. sometimes I stare at it begin seeing 3-dimensional illusions.  Tis’ a great stimulus for the eyes and imagination :)

**This quilt is available for high resolution printing. limited edition. only 10 prints will be made before retiring the opportunity..

email gravitygrab@gmail.com for inquiries..

“The universe is much more grand, more amazing, more beautiful, more elegant and more subtle than what has ever been written in any holy book, and you are here for a brief moment in time, against nigh-incalculable odds, to momentarily be a part of it all.

Just consider that for a moment.”

―Professor Richard Dawkins, 2011.

Today is a day of Thanksgiving in the United States.  Although the spirit is mostly positive, I have mixed feelings about this holiday as the history goes much deeper and darker than many care to recognize. On one side of the coin we have Thanksgiving, which is a time to come together with friends and family to celebrate all the blessings in our lives. Conversely, the ‘holiday’ is also a “Day of Mourning” for many in connection to the genocide of native peoples during the establishment of this country.  So the holiday seems more like a Catch-22 in my eyes.

It is great to observe our blessings, but let’s not forget about the bigger picture and how we got to this moment. Also, I hope that most if not all people realize it is important to give thanks EVERY DAY. independent of a mixed-appeal national holiday.

Stone balance has generally carried a ritualistic quality of showing appreciation.  the process is so intimate that feeling grateful becomes natural. Even if the gratefulness is simply that the rocks did not collapse and destroy my fingers… ha

In general, sitting and contemplating the beauty of stone balances with their surroundings is enough to bring me into a state of relaxed awe for the possibilities in life. for breath. for the multitude of blessings i have earned and have been given..

Today I was in Colorado Springs to visit my mom. we went walking around a beautiful place called Garden of the Gods. It is a local park of AMAZING rock formations, carved into towering structures by wind and other erosive forces. The balance shown here was done today in the park. It made many people smile, including myself and my mom. :)  It would not have felt complete without projecting some creative energy into a gesture of my appreciation… for EVERYTHING, just as it is.

Thanks! :)