EXPRESSING CREATIVITY: Media Arts - photography, videography, photo collage, etc.

[Cooperix]

I periodically really get into creating collage images from photos and digital sketches (mostly using the ProCreate mobile app). This summer I found it therapeutic to work with the darker feelings and emotions that arise during a global pandemic, ongoing repression, and unhealthy political / social discourse in my country. I mostly work on these images at the end of the day while taking a bath - wash away the fears and mental habits along with the dust of the day.

Here are a few of my favorites with the captions I used on instagram - which reflect my thinking at the time.


For the time-being: blue mountains.



This world of composite entities without essence, can we take it seriously without taking it literally?



This is my brain on Doomscrolling.



Self and other are like the inside and outside of this skinbag - arbitrary distinctions of the mind. Can we set aside our precious suffering and allow all boundaries to crumble? We are each the whole universe made manifest.


Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat #doodled



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Sekishi,
I have seen these images on Instagram and they are so beautiful and other-worldly. I especially love the blue mountain image. And yes, a good practice for these sad and scary times - making beauty. Thank you for posting here. We have quite a collection of images on this thread (and now poetry! thank you Tai Shi.) As I mentioned in an earlier post it would be fun to put the images all on some sort of 'gallery' page to see the wide and fine scope of talent in our sangha. Any suggestions or offer of help on how to accomplish that would be appreciated.

We will leave this thread current for a while longer as long as it is pulling in such wonderful responses.

Gassho

Anne

~st~

[Tai Shi]

Thank you Jishin.Younare my friend I have gratitude to know you thank you.


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[Tai Shi]

Your pictures are beautiful Jishin I wouldn’t know how to do them. Thank you I like you as a friend. You are artistic


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[Sekishi]

I have seen these images on Instagram and they are so beautiful and other-worldly. I especially love the blue mountain image.

Funny when they are driven by Dukkha in this world. I had not given it much thought until now, but how wonderful it is that we humans are so often driven by negative feelings to express beauty in its place. Sentient beings as alchemists.

We have quite a collection of images on this thread (and now poetry! thank you Tai Shi.) As I mentioned in an earlier post it would be fun to put the images all on some sort of 'gallery' page to see the wide and fine scope of talent in our sangha. Any suggestions or offer of help on how to accomplish that would be appreciated.

I think this is a wonderful idea that I would like to revisit in a few months when we are settled in with the new forum software and website. Can we figure out a way to showcase some of the art, poetry, photography, music, textile creations, jewelry, etc. that are created by our Sangha members?

Thank you to all who share your expressions of the the human experience.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat #lah

[Tai Shi]

Sekishi I think too much but not in my pictures most around our neighborhood and even Marge says they are beautiful this is a rare composition. Of compliment. Marge. Hopppppy praised photography of your art and mine natural thank you for sharing AtireYes Tai Shi


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[Tomás ESP]

Incredible pictures, thank you all for sharing them .

Here are two of my recent ones (I am aware that in the one doing Zazen my knees should be touching the ground, but it wasn't going to happen with those pants!).

https://imgur.com/a/TfADMhB

https://imgur.com/a/ak5Q1pB

Gassho, Tomás
Sat

[Cooperix]

Wow, those images are amazing, Sekishi! Such great work!

I have been playing with textiles and Sashiko/Boro work. This is an abstract piece: https://postimg.cc/9z1x3kLy

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Kokuu, Wonderful collage/ stitchery work. I love this piece...

And Tomas, thank you!

Sekishi, yes thank you for offering to help. I do think it might be fun to have gallery page for the art circle.

Bows
Anne

~lahst~

[Jundo]

Country strides toward destiny death by ballot. Falsified voice of people voting demigod into office. President every pumping bloody wound of facilitating recovering nothing US has denied liberty to So many into peaceful submits no infrastructure all gone. No commerce if dead do die.


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Hi,

I will leave this for now, because the Art section, where a bit more freedom of expression ...

However, actually, I would ask that we leave the politics at the door even here.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Jundo]

I am going to split the discussion of "leave politics at the Zendo door" into a separate thread, if I may.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Meitou]

Hi,

I will leave this for now, because the Art section, where a bit more freedom of expression ...

However, actually, I would ask that we leave the politics at the door even here.

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Actually, I would prefer that the same respect to Sangha guidelines is shown here in the Art section as it is elsewhere; my fear is that otherwise this section will be seen as an area of the forum where people can say and do as they wish, and I don't want to see that happen.
I think we are already very flexible around what answers the briefs /prompts, so please let's also maintain respect for our Sangha guidelines within that flexibility.
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

[Meitou]

Kokuu, I love your abstract piece, that's my favourite so far and really is inspiring. Even the darkest clouds have some silver lining, and now that our dear Pepe has left this floating world, I may be able to pick up my sewing/knitting etc again.
Sekishi, fabulous images, thought provoking titles.
TaiShi your photo contributions are much appreciated as a reflection of your everyday life, I love that. Perhaps we will later have a thread about Expressing Creativity through words, where your poetry and free verse will be much appreciated.
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah

[Onka]

Respectfully, Art has always been political in the Feminist sense that the personal is political. Every Artist is making a statement or offering a commentary on something bigger than the piece itself and I include interpretations by others too.
For example I see Sekishi's compositions above as hugely political without reading his own commentary on the pieces.
Yes, words are powerful and yes political rants that I specialise in should be left at the Zendo door but words as Art should be just as valued as visual Art and as such not be censored. I use the word censored incredibly reluctantly because I know that some will automatically get defensive but I don't believe Art should be censored. Fear not Sisters, Brothers and Others I won't use the Art and craft area of the forum to share my Poetry collection as it is an intersection of ugly life and radical politics haha. Fun Fact: some of my Poetry has found its way into private collections and added to an anthology of Poetry collected in the nearest city to us. In one series I wrote my Poetry in pencil on used envelopes and leave them in random spaces. They were a commentary on impermanence years before I found Zen.
Gassho
Onka
Sat today
I.apologise for throwing the 3 sentence guideline at the wall with this post. I always endeavour to do and be better.

[Jundo]

Hello Onka,

Although this is the art center, it is still our Zen Buddhist art center here at Treeleaf. So, we will keep the same policy here, and leave politics and politicians outside the door, as Meitou said.

Gassho, Jundo

Stlah

[Tai Shi]

Yes politics at the door, Jundo, I would not be offended at what you delete. More than anything I was playing within word and image. I understand some might be offended! Gasho Tai Shi sat


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[Meitou]

Yes politics at the door, Jundo, I would not be offended at what you delete. More than anything I was playing within word and image. I understand some might be offended! Gasho Tai Shi sat


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No-one is offended TaiShi and you're not being censored.
Tranquillo amico
Gassho
Meitou
Sattoday lah