Moody Monday: Beautiful -

"Eye of the Beholder"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

This week's theme at Moody Monday is beautiful. As I was going through my photography files, this one popped up and asked me to look again. As I studied the variation and repetition of forms and shadows it occurred to me that beauty is almost everywhere we look. I believe the title tells the rest of the story here ... enjoy.

Moody Monday: Colorless -

"The Exception Proving the Rule in a Colorless Urbanscape"
photograph by Mick Mather

I like the word colorless, this week's theme at Moody Monday. Aside from something clear, like glass or pure water, there are lots of connotations that apply. Obviously, this photograph would be one of them. If you need a nudge, consider the fact that this photograph is completely untouched beyond the original crop and a teensy weensy little bit of sharpening. Colorless? Think about it. :)

Moody Monday: Outdoorsy -

"Outdoorsy"
digital collage by Mick Mather

The theme, outdoorsy, at Moody Monday this week was giving me fits all day. In the end, this manipulated photo montage was a test of my patience as well as an opportunity to get back to some good old fashioned cut 'n paste before running it all through the usual array at the secret visual laboratory. I'd head out for a drink but, dang, I've missed Happy Hour! Cheers anyway. :)

Early Childhood Development -

"Every Nerve Was Shattered"
digitally manipulated drawing & digital drawing by Mick Mather

While working on the post for a weekly Moody Monday piece (adding another image of my youngest granddaughter, Leighlund) I stumbled into a file of her drawings that I've been able to squirrel away, scan, save and keep as a documentation. Tonights image is based on one of her scribbles that I've already manipulated 10-ways-2-Sunday and I doubt very much if I'm finished with it yet. As I write this, it occurs to me that documenting the entire process of a single drawing might make an interesting booklet. That said, my plan is to begin work on that project sometime very soon. As I move ever closer to taking a leap into the emerging field of designer/writer, a small number of self-published books is already coming to a boil on the back burner and ready for the next step in the process. I'll keep you posted.

Moody Monday: Naked -

"Naked"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

For Moody Monday this week I chose a photograph of a group of café tables to address the theme - naked. As luck would have it, one of the definitions offered for this actually reads like a poem while describing one possible point of view if, that is, furniture could talk. In a way, given words such as these, they can...and, too bad SusuPetal didn't discover them first! She could've claimed them for our collaboration and growing collection of postmodern poems. Here it is:

"... defenseless.
unprotected,
exposed,
naked to invaders..."

Moody Monday: Under Pressure -

"Under Pressure of Looming Deadlines"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

Here, once again, is my youngest granddaughter, Leighlund. She's quite likely to become an artist, just like her Poppa. Already she has that pained expression that some of us take on when attempting to bring in a commission by the deadline. It seemed perfect for this week's theme of under pressure over at Moody Monday. :)

Moody Monday: Organized -

"Selfportrait of the Artist at an Organized Marquee"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

As I've said now and again, it's always a treat to be able to work something new from The Selfportrait Series into one of my weekly meme sites. At Moody Monday this week, organized is the theme and there are more than a few references that apply beyond the arranged, organized letters on the marquee. Hang on, we're going to take a thrill ride on a series of non-sequiturs here. For example an arrangement of pyramid skylights for the underground parking garage and the total, combined effort of nations during World War II ... this photograph is of the War Memorial in Downtown Syracuse, New York. C'est la guerre, c'est la vie, c'est l'amour de liberté!

Moody Monday: Complicated -

"Complicated"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

The theme at Moody Monday this week - complicated - made me think of a photograph taken at a dentists office last spring. The subject matter was a children's toy and you can see the original here before a little bit of cropping and minimal resizing. After running the original through the various filters here at the Secret Visual Laboratory, what you see above is the even more complicated result. What could be better?

Moody Monday: Sharp -

"Selfportrait of the Artist as a Sharp Dressed Man"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
- original photograph by Michael Moody -

It's always a special treat when I can get something for The Selfportrait Series into one of the few weekly, meme sites that I contribute to. The theme is sharp this week at Moody Monday and I thought this photograph of me and the lovely Tanya might just work. If two for the price of one isn't enough, I get the added bonus of poking some fun at myself again by using the title of an old ZZ Top song, "Sharp Dressed Man". My gratitude and thanks, as always, to good friend and fabulous photographer, Michael Moody for capturing the moment in the first place. Nobody move! Did anyone see a diamond cuff link on the floor in here?

Moody Monday: Lofty -

"Lofty"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

The Moody Monday theme of the week is lofty. This particular photograph is of a commercial flight climbing into the sky having just departed from Hancock International Airport, banking sharply to take a southwesterly heading. One that will soon offer passengers in the starboard window seats a spectacular view of most of the finger lakes similar to this one by John Francis McCarthy of Skaneateles, New York. Can you say vertigo? I knew that you could!

Moody Monday: Kitsch -

"Selfportrait of the Artist With His Kitschy Office Decor"
digital collage by Mick Mather

The weekly theme at Moody Monday this week is kitsch. What could be better bad taste than having your office done over in a "Hello Kitty" theme? Actually, this is something I'd quite likely do except that this much primary color would quite likely drive me mad inside of a week. It's very festive for New Years Eve don't you think? Well then, let's get a designated driver and get the party started! :D

Moody Monday: Brotherly -

"The Invitation"

$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
photograph by Mick Mather

This week, the theme is brotherly over at Moody Monday. After getting snowed in today, what a welcome sight these contented siblings happen to be. I can imagine them conferring quietly over the perfect view of First Lake, perhaps discussing the hustle and bustle as local inhabitants of Old Forge begin to prepare for the winter that is now squarely upon us. It was a little nippy the day I took this photograph ... but nothing compared to this morning's 13-degrees with 20-35mph winds that made the chill factor seem closer to zero! Momma! Put the kettle on!

Moody Monday: Smooth -

"Selfportrait of the Artist Having His Irish Whiskey Smooth and Neat"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
- from an original photograph by Michael Moody -

Once again I have the good fortune of having a piece serve double duty. The weekly theme at Moody Monday, smooth since you ask, elicited another fun addition to The Selfportrait Series. I was hoping to pattern this after one of those magazine adverts popular in the 1970's, I think, that was a featured profile of some famous person ... long story short, the final line expressed the way he or she liked their whiskey. Since I'm on my way out to a meeting at Syracuse's newest art space, Orange Line Gallery, I really must dash. I hope to have 8 to 12 pieces hanging before the sun comes up. Wish me luck! :)

Moody Monday: Chaotic -

"The Equalizer's Holiday Tree"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

The week's theme, chaotic, over at Moody Monday gave me plenty of ideas so, instead of following one of the good ones, I went careening through the photo vaults. After fiddling with an interesting photograph of a Christmas Tree in a dark living room the resulting heavy pixelation looked darned chaotic to me. Actually, too much so and I had to run it all through another filter to soften things up a bit. Holiday trees always seemed to be about a controlled chaos if you ask me (even though I know you aren't) so here you have it.

Moody Monday: Lavish -

"Lavish"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

The theme, lavish, at Moody Monday this week might presuppose wealth, finery, opulence and the best things that money can buy. For me it's the richness of everyday things that comes to mind and that routinely catch my eye. For example, the red rails, the door and the storefront muntins of this little shop where even the brickwork steps forward a little, having it's own place in the sun for our purpose here. So, the lavishness of simple pleasures, as simple as this view down a sunny and colorful street. :)

Moody Monday: Humorous -

"The Inattentive Valet"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

The weekly theme at Moody Monday this week is the word humorous. I don't know how funny the following story will be to you, but some of the people who know me and love me have gotten miles of entertainment already. For one, my good friend Rob D'Agostino who left quite the cutting comment at yesterdays post! Before I move on, do visit his site and have a look at the first study to go up in flames as posted at Save My Studies - talk about humorous? This short video is hilarious! As for me and what elicited Rob's comment, we need only see the evidence above, enhanced with that checkered pattern peculiar to The Harlequin. Last week, as I was walking to my office I thought, "Gee! This left shoe feels awfully comfortable. A lot more comfortable than it should." I looked down to discover that it wasn't a shoe at all and exclaimed, "Darn! I've worn my slippers to work!" Unruffled, and since my slippers are leather-soled moccasins, I figured, what the heck. A few steps further and I'm thinking, "Gee! The other one isn't nearly so comfortable." Looking down a second time my mouth hangs open, my heart skips a beat and in a bit of a fright I say out loud, "Darn! I've worn one slipper and one shoe to work today!" I suppose you can guess that I hopped back on the bus, returned home for a matching set, double checked to be sure it was a set of shoes, and then back to work! What a day! :D

Moody Monday: Lazy -

"Lazy Day"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

Except for the solitary nature of this photograph, it was an old 1960's era pop song by Spanky and Our Gang that was looping in my head as I worked on this weeks theme at Moody Monday. Spanky had a few hits and a delightfully robust singing voice that made songs like "Lazy Day" and "Sunday Will Never Be the Same" come alive just by closing your eyes. A gentler treatment lent itself to a cover of the Mama's and the Papa's hit, "Suzanne", that was a sweet group effort leading to a spotlight hit for the guys, "I Want to get to Know You". It's amazing how a single image can lead one back in time to songs and sounds that open the flood gates of memory in such a way as to make me almost weepy for those innocent moments during a time of mighty social turmoil and turbulence ... (sigh!)

Moody Monday: Wild -

"Wild"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
- original photo by Terry Walter -

The annual visit from Aunt Terry also brought a bundle of terrific photographs taken on one of those Alaskan Cruises that have become so popular in the Era of Green. As I began looking through my files to address the theme of wild at Moody Monday this week I discovered this beautiful image of a decidedly wild hillside in Alaska. I could almost feel the spray from the mad, rushing riverlet charging down that steep slope. After running it through one of my old school filters the treatment itself began to take on that wild aspect as well. To get a better idea of what I mean, I've posted the original photograph at No Matter What Shape - The Archive. Gee, it seems like I've been doing that a lot lately ... but, I s'pose it is fitting that I offer another look. If interested, you can see it here.

Moody Monday: Lucky -

"Pennies From Heaven"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

There are a few references one could make about the theme - lucky - at Moody Monday this week. Depending on what kind of luck you have, there's "lucky penny" or "bad penny". Also, as the title of this image implies, remaining hopeful in less than perfect circumstances is the theme of the old song popularized by Bing Crosby - or, put another way, "make your own luck". For me, there's the old poem about "angel pennies" that says when you find a penny on the street, an angel has tossed it down to cheer you up, to turn a frown upside down. I always stop to pick up these heaven cents and save them in a glass on an old, wicker desk. It looks like I have enough of them to finally buy a lottery ticket. So, a dollar and a dream and an angel's blessing? I might just win my dollar back! :D

Moody Monday: Solitary -

"Solitary Man"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

Something short and sweet today, suggested by the Moody Monday theme of the week, solitary. I suppose it should be noted that I was thinking about the old Neil Diamond hit and how love gone wrong can cause some of us to cut off our nose to spite our face.