…sometimes. Sometimes the whole concept of themes just turns me off (feels too much like work). Speaking of work I am going full as of September 17. Kiddos will be in daycare a lot more – but Chris is going to change his schedule so that we will all be together in the evening (we’ve always worked different shifts so the kids aren’t in daycare too much). Katie turns 1 on Thursday and already goes to daycare 8 hours a week and seems to love it so I think we’ll be ok. And I get to see more of my husband, which is a very good thing!

So I cam upon this blog and so the elements theme and thinks it’s a great idea! I think I’ve posted this pic before but I love it and it fits so well!

OK, so it’s not actually a church – but I had such a spiritual experience being in this building. It reminded me of Atlas Shrugged, which is one of my favorite books. The vastness of this building – and it’s inherent beauty just blow me away. I can’t help but think of all the people who worked here – how proud they must have been. To know the work they did here literally made the trains run (the complex was a huge repair shop). I can still feel their energy even though the place is so still and quiet now. The only sound we heard was the occasional flapping and cooing of birds.

This particular tableau does not exist in reality – it is a photoshop creation. All the pieces used to create it are from the same church in San Acacia, NM. Very spooky church – so sinister I didn’t actually step foot in it – just took pics from outside.

Sometimes my muse takes me to unexpected territory. Today I was playing around with some of my photos from Sunday and ended up with this homage to “Little 15″ by Depeche Mode. The face is one of my glass negatives, the “spray paint” drips and circles I made in Photoshop, and then there are three photos layered on top of each other.

Little fifteen
You help her forget
The world outside
Youre not part of it yet
And if you could drive
You could drive her away
To a happier place
To a happier day
That exists in your mind
And in your smile
She could escape there
Just for a while
Little fifteen

Little fifteen
Why take the smooth with the rough
When things run smooth
Its already more than enough
She knows your mind
Is not yet in league
With the rest of the world
And its little intrigues
Do you understand
Do you know what she means
As time goes by
And when you’ve seen what shes seen
You will
Little fifteen

Little fifteen
Why does she have to defend
Her feelings inside
Why pretend
Shes not had a life
A life of near misses
Now all that she wants
Is three little wishes
She wants to see with your eyes
She wants to smile with your smile
She wants a nice surprise
Every once in a while
She wants to see with your eyes
She wants to smile with your smile
She wants a nice surprise
Every once in a while
Little fifteen

-Depeche Mode

Another from Sunday’s photohunt. I have more posted on my photoblog.

As mentioned earlier, I went on a photohunt with my friend Leighanna. We went to a semi-abandoned railyard and wandered around for almost an hour. It slightly illegal (although all gates and doors were unlocked and standing open), almost scary (definite signs that vagrants/homeless people sleep here and lots of graffiti), and completely thrilling. Leighanna was scared of dying (see previous comment about vagrants) and I was worried about being arrested (see previous comment about “slightly illegal”). I have taken photos here before, but never explored it a much as we did Sunday – mostly poking my camera lens through a chainlink fence. This place is HUGE and so amazingly fabulous – I love it in it’s decayed state, can imagine it when it was fully operational and a beehive of activity (looks like much of it was used as a repair shop for the trains), and my head is full of ideas of what it could be in the future.
If it looks familiar to you it was in the movie “Wild Hogs” that was filmed almost entirely in NM.

Had another fabulous day at The Neighborhood Market in downtown ABQ. Came home and set up this rather soulful looking priest. Tomorrow I am going on a photohunt with my friend Leighanna – we’re going to go downtown and try and get into the railyard – and I’m going to take her to a fabulous old brewery I’ve taken photos of a couple of times.

I love cemeteries – I haven’t really ever analyzed why – but love them I do. The thing that got first got me into photography and art was an awesome cemetery in Dallas that I used to live next to. I just went for a walk there one day and started taking pictures. And then started playing with them in Photoshop (my ex-husband had given me PS – but I had never done anything with it until I took those photos in Dallas). Once I was done with the images in Photoshop I wanted to “to something” with them and my stop and start exploration into mixed media art began. This was back in 2002. One marriage and divorce, 4 states, two careers, one more marriage, and two fabulous kids later I feel like I’m just starting to flex my creative muscle. 2006 was the first year where I made art consistently for any significant period of time. Before my drama-filled life always got in the way. Being content in my life has allowed me the time and energy to explore my creative side – and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon!
C and I went on a major cemetery hunt today! We visited 6 cemeteries – 4 of which we’d never been to before! Here is one of my favorite shots of the day.