Monday, December 31, 2012

Green Tara

The Mother of All Tara s
 
The most widely known forms of Tārā are:
Green Tārā, known as the Buddha of enlightened activityWhite Tārā, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra 
Red Tārā, of fierce aspect associated with magnetizing all good things 
Black Tārā, associated with power 
Yellow Tārā, associated with wealth and prosperity 
Blue Tārā, associated with transmutation of anger
Cittamani Tārā, a form of Tārā widely practiced at the level of Highest Yoga Tantra in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, portrayed as green and often conflated with Green Tārā

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Great Surrealist 1930.


From left to right: Tristan Tzara, Paul Éluard, Andre Breton, Hans Arp, Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, Max Ernst, Rene Crevel, Man Ray.

Make A Wish

2013 LUCK BE YOURS

Horse shoes up, silver at every door, toilet seats down.
I have been very lucky in my life.
I also work very hard.
I was looking for some sort of information about burning paper for luck.
Fake money is burned for this, for wishes, abundance all things good.
I wish all of you a great new year.
Here's some fun things I stumbled upon in my search for luck.

Some Simple Ideas for Good Luck - by Ishani chatterjee Shukla

"Before you proceed upon reading the following good luck chants, you must understand that there is no magic or superstition behind these spells. It is true that like attracts like and repetitive chanting of these good luck spells create a positive charge around the chanter which, in turn, attracts positive energies. It is the influence of these positive energies that we identify as good luck or good fortune.

1. On this sheet my wish be told
No aspect of my heart withhold
For this I need quick fruition
So that my life may match my vision.

Casting this spell requires some preparation. You need to write your wish on a small piece of paper, hold it folded in your hand and then visualize your wish coming true. Thereafter, you should chant the above spell and burn the paper.

2. Spirit, Earth, Air, Water, and Fire
Come to me and give me what I desire
Waves of luck fall down on me and complete my wishes effortlessly
May this spell take toll for one whole day and after midnight strikes, may it go away
As I will, so mote it be.

This spell is believed to make a 24 hour period lucky and obstacle free for you. Before casting this spell, go into a meditative state and empty you mind of all thoughts.

3. I summon earth, fire, water, and air
To protect me with the strength of a bear
Let me be healthy
Let me be wealthy
Lady luck shine your light upon me
So shall it be.

This good luck spell is believed to be very effective in attracting good fortune no matter where you go. For best results, cast this spell under a full moon and light three green candles placed as a triangle in front of you before casting this spell.

4. Happiness and glee,
Make their anger flee.
Long-lasting and forever,
Make their happiness ever so clever.
Everlasting and joyful,
This spell will last.
Make their happiness come up fast.

This is one of the best and most beneficent spells for good luck for others. This spell wishes for the beneficiary to be freed of anger and to be endowed with good luck, happiness and long-lasting joy. For best results, get a picture of the person for whom you are making this wish and set it down in front of you. Light a blue candle in front of it. Close your eyes and visualize that person in a happy state (for instance, imagine that person is laughing or enjoying a moment of contentment). Cast the spell once you've clearly visualized the picture.

5. Bad luck turn and bad luck flee.
Good luck fortune come to me.

While casting this spell, throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder three times for every time you chant these lines.

6. Money Money come to me,
As I will so mote it be.

This is one of the simplest good luck money spells. Before casting this spell, dust your palms with a teaspoon full of powdered cinnamon, a teaspoonful of powdered ginger and a teaspoonful of powdered basil and say the amount of money you need aloud, while rubbing your hands fast against each other.

7. Money Money
Shower over me
Without bad luck
Without flat broke
Money Money
All over me with
Money luck empower me.

This is supposed to be a very powerful money spell and you need no preparation, other than a clear mind, good intentions and an unfaltering voice, to cast it!

8. Aphrodite goddess of love hear my plead
Help me find the man/woman I need.
Please goddess let these petals find their way,
So that one day,
My soulmate can find me,
And to my heart he/she will be the key,
This is my will
So mote it be.

This is a love spell that, when cast, will help you find true love if you're one of those who haven't got lucky in love yet. Before casting this spell, you will need to light a red and a pink candle and write down the qualities you want in your mate on a piece of paper. Keep a bowl of red and pink rose petals beside you. After you've chanted till " the man/woman I need", say out what you've written down aloud and then proceed to scatter the rose petals outside while continuing with the rest of the chant.

As I had said before, luck is all about being positive and attracting positivity. These spells for good luck help you achieve this positivity by decluttering your mind and surroundings (by way of the various preparation methods like lighting scented candles, keeping flowers, etc.) of negativity and inducing mental clarity (by requiring you to empty your mind and get into a calm, meditative state). Also, the positive wishes that you chant encourage positive energies to get attracted to you. However, consider these spells for good luck as auxiliary to hard work and sincere efforts as you cannot achieve success, no matter how many spells you cast, if you lack sincerity, motivation and the drive to work hard. Thomas Jefferson drove this point home very tactfully when he elicited the following good luck quote:

I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
Read more at Buzzle:"

Sunday, December 23, 2012

LOVE MORE Happy Holidays

 A N G E L S
We are all God's creatures.
Are you being the best you can be?
Do you love your life?
Fallen Angels in the history of art were symbolic of those that sinned.
I think that is such an odd idea as we are here on earth getting lessons.
I don’t feel I have sinned at all in my rather expanse life.  
 Poor choices have cost me time and energy as many. 
 I wish for all of you that the best year ever 2013.
To try new things that maybe you haven’t done, to be open to love and fearless. 
To edit well those choices before you.  Its okay to say NO. To pay attention to all red flags. 
Don’t compromise your values for someone else’s agenda. 
Hold tight to those whom are dear to you.  Lash not out at those whom need space to breath and live a life of good health.
 Be kinder and honor your family first.  Listen more, talk less. Let go of all that doesn’t feed your souls positive fire.
These are some ot the things I am doing.  I wish you all much love.
I appreciate and thank all the friends new and old for your love you gave and give.
I thank all the patrons that have supported the projects manifested.
We did it together. 
My heart still wells up with gratitude. One minute at a time this is how I roll. 
 Now with love for all and I mean all. Being the best you can be makes a huge shift in the world at large.
 Honor truth and you are doing your part.
Being and honest and good person or your bound to hurt and be hurt.
Clean the slate for 2013.  

Feliz Navidad, Vaya Con Dios 

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Dan Stoner


She's Got Your Back.

"Karen Kuehn is one of the greatest living portrait artists of our generation. Now, I say that without hesitation and with twenty years experience of hanging my ass out there as an art director, creative director and publisher. See, here's the thing: in an overly-saturated world of professional photography, there are surprisingly few real artists who know how to not only manipulate light, but the subject's soul in the pursuit of making a photograph. That's right – I said "making," not "taking." Taking a photo is for camera phones and frustrated hipsters who never got the band back together. Making a photograph is for artists like Karen who bleed for their craft and care about the work and die a little each time the shoot wraps and know how to actually make a print, for chrissakes.

And, while whoever thought that making a photograph could be combined with commercial endeavors to sell shit should be strung up and beaten, I will say that my career in that very pursuit has been made successful in no small way by Karen's professionalism, understanding and mastery of that horrid mash-up. I've trusted Karen with million-dollar relationships and labors of love – all of which she's treated with the utmost respect while producing nothing short of arresting, memorable work.

While the world needs more Karen in it, I don't know if it deserves as much. I think Karen and her work should be a rare experience reserved for those who've earned it and will be the stewards of it. But we should all strive for the opportunity."

Dan Stoner
Founder AUTOCULT

Monday, December 17, 2012

PET PEEVES

Bettie is at least a 10-15 year commitment.
Pets as GIFTS ?

Lets save an animal from the shelter.
Seems like a good idea right?
WRONG.
Its only good if the soon to be owner is able to commit to the facts.
l.  A pet can cost you anywhere from 4000.00 and up a year.
Food
Vaccines
Teeth cleaning 
( a common neglect of pet owners to have their animals teeth cleaned)
Cute items
Emergency care if needed
Our country is experiencing a surge of abandoned animals in all sizes.
In my county alone they are dumping dogs, cats, even horses are being turned loose on the Mesas where water can not be found.  The stories are horrific.
Please if your going to gift a pet, do it with a certificate and let the that person one pick the pet they want and make sure they are stable enough to take on an animal for its lifetime.
NO MORE THROW AWAYS
Pets are live breathing beings.
It's not fun to be discarded. 
America is killing thousands of animals daily.
Spade and neuter your pets
Animals need our concern not more breeding.
Plenty of them at the pounds that are going to be destroyed.
Not a happy topic but one that needs more attention.   
Local shelters need animal toys and blankets, food and donations.
Pitch in to the one near you.
Walk a dog, volunteer a few days a month.
If your a photographer you can shoot pics to help them get adopted.
Karma is Yours for sharing the LOVE.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Images Can Heal

photography by karen kuehn of Landon and Grandma

Iconic Images
Photographs hold a lot of power and can make others feel just about every emotion if you capture the right moment, the right feeling, and in some cases these images become iconic for us as they remind the viewer of how impermanent a time can be, therefore a priceless memory.  The DeSmet family are farmers for the most part.  Erica DeSmet has modeled for me for over a decade.  Farm kisses on tracktors with her now husband Michael, blindfolded shots sybolizing that love is some sort of leap of faith, naked in the corn hawt shots and than naked pregnant and what about those nursing shots where her new son at the time was dressed up like a little calve for Halloween pictures.  We have a history together that is a treasure.  On this day we circled round their dairy farm taking images. We ended up with grandma.  A moment I will never forget for sure and as Wendy rises above her cancer issues, her grand kids are some of the motivating factors for her to stick around longer.   Cancer sucks for sure and when you have a family you love, it is a big help to kick it to the curb.  Not always the case for some but for Wendy she is in remission. Erica now has her second son and both are gifts not only to this farm family but to the community.  New Mexico is not a mecca of money making adventures but the friends I've made her are very down to earth and sometimes that can sustain a souls piece of mind.  As a photographer you can make a difference for subjects.  Find those connections and tell creative stories with your camera.  A year later I am asked to do more shots for some family pics and I found this shot framed and made into a canvas piece.  Its great to see this as it confirms the good you can share with the world at large.  Make a difference, you can.
 
“I'm Wendy DeSmet, I was diagnosed with Leukemia January 2011. It started out with bruising on the skin all over my body. I was on a trip with my children and thought I had gotten the flu, I had a sore throat, feeling tired and running a fever. Came home sick and went to the doctor, I had blood work done and was called back in and they told me I had to see an oncologist that day. My husband Huck took me and they did a biopsy of the bone marrow and they told me I had cancer and would be admitted into the hospital immediately for treatment. I was in shock with this news, that I would get real sick with chemo and lose my hair. They were right I did, but with the help and support from my family and my new grandson Landon. I am now in remission as of May 2011. So Landon and I had a contest to see who would get more hair and I won. He is the most precious grandson in my life and now we have another precious little boy named Logan. I am so blessed.

I love the picture that Karen Kuehn did of Landon and I, I even had it made in canvas for my bedroom, plus I show it to all my friends.  This photo she took was the best medicine I could of had, it means so much to me, it shows how much I love my grandson and now I have Logan to share my love with, Thank you from the bottom of my heart Karen for taking such a beautiful picture of me and my Grandson Landon.   Love to you.”

Praise the Lord.
Wendy

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Happy Patron Happy Me.

Photography by Dodd Demas

"Koolness arrived today! 
Got our print from Karen's Kickstarter campaign for her Burning Man book, and it is a stunner."
Thanks Karen

Dodd Demas

MY ROOTS



The Woolstenhulme Tim & Bettie Ann
 
I met this couple when I was a US Park Ranger for Yosemite National Park.
  Tim's parents Mazie and Wells became dear friend over the all our lives.

I even kept one of my horses near Mather Ranger Station in a place called Ackerson Meadow.
Land they owned and used for feeding cattle.  The Great Grey Owl was sighted their often with research friends.
Amazing place to have enjoyed so much in my 20s.  Feels like a dream now.  
  They owned much of the land between Hetch Hetchy Dam and the Big Oak Flat entrance station.
My first season as a Yosemite Ranger I fell in love with a cabin in Stoneman Meadow.

 I stopped one day and asked this old cowboy; Wells, how much for the land and home? Wells asked me if I had a million dollars? I said no but I will start saving now! Both his parents have passed away 
This image was taken on my way home from Burning Man 2009. I drove by and stopped in as the cattle round up was in full swing. I knocked on the door hooting Bettie Ann, you home? And she came right out with big hugs. My self and Michael Christian had a quick bite. I spent a night and had a cowboy breakfast with prayers before dawn.
Just happened to have these prop horses with me. Child hood sweethearts. We engaged in a few shots as we always do.
Enjoy, and if you want to book me give a shout. I'd love to round up some creative imaging for you.
Might sound cheesy to you, but I am a cowgirl who can cut a cow or suit up for photographing CEOs, celebrities or those down to earth folks that live next door.
I was based in NYC for 16 years, from high heels to hiking boots, Carhartt or Prada, it's all the same to me and all good fun.
Thank you. Would love to hear from you real soon.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Collector Quote

"After admiring Karen Kuehns work for several years I recently purchased her silver print of Cher from Saturday Night Live... In person it's beyond... Breathtakingly beautiful.... I'm thrilled to own it... Too add to the experience Karen Kuehn was wonderful with her communication and in how meticulous the piece was packed... I am passionate over photography and have purchased many times from big name artists and this is not always the case... Thanks Karen for such a wonderful experience and piece of art....."

Thanks Karen....
Eddie Casson NYC