Jenina bydesign

Pictures tell a story, photographers find the truth, and the truth is beautiful. These days I am a blood hound for beauty in this world. Where I can’t find it I want to make it, place it, be it.

I was recently gifted a Canon EOS R100, it is a lightweight, mirrorless camera, it’s a great first serious camera, and it captures beautiful images. I have been practicing macro-photography in my garden. I have also been learning how to take portraits, including, the self portraits. How revealing. Initially I thought this would be an easy endeavor, I’ve been taking selfies for ages at this point. Oh the arrogance! A selfie is definitely a type of self portrait and it takes skill to execute this kind of self portrait successfully. However, staging and shooting a self-portrait is a little different and therefore requires an entirely different set of lights, angles, and skills. My first few shoots were an exercise in humility. I am still practicing, still reaching for a story…there’s always a story.

I’m not baroque. However, I am always inspired by art of that period. When I approach self-portraiture I try to embrace it as an opportunity to discover a new persona. For this shoot, I wanted to see myself revealed. Stripped down in contemplation. These photos here are inspired by Baroque artist Georges De La Tour and his piece titled Mary Madelene. I enjoyed playing in light and shadow and I hope to continue to evolve in this craft. What do you think? Did I get close to the inspiration? Did I capture the baroque vibe?

This weekend I volunteered at my local art center. While there, I was allowed to help set up for a Vision Boarding workshop. I love this for us. There is tremendous power in gathering for creative endeavors. Collective imagination is fuel for a new world and this got me thinking…

The way our current reality is set up, our time is full of the necessary work it takes to pay our bills and buy our groceries. Many of us struggle to make ends meet in this economy. This kind of survival mode life puts a damper on the creative process. Approaching every project with an eye on profitability limits any risks an artist might be willing to take. What is art when it is absent from profit? What could artists be if capitalism wasn’t nipping at our heels every minute of the day, working hard at separating us from our money? Would there be more artists? Maybe art would be more diverse of style and perspective. It might be prettier, uglier, and everything in between. Art would be more numerous and more accessible. Art could be in everything and everything could be rooted in creating more artful experiences.

As we move through the end of the world for capitalism, I am compelled to do the work of reimagining the beginning of this next chapter of humanity. I encourage my fellow artists to take up the task of doing the same. Now is the time to create! A Renaissance begins when artists work at making their creative selves seen and heard. Gather together and imagine the future. Be unafraid to bring your visions to life. Be devoted to your creativity. What do you think life could be if artists were unencumbered by corporate greed?

It might be very tempting to see this new technology as innovative and in another timeline maybe it would be. Maybe there is a place for this tool in a world conscious of its carbon footprint. Perhaps there is a universe at a point in their humanity where no personal bias exists. However this is not that time. This is a timeline where capitalism is the culture and therefore exploitation of land, labor, and intellectual property make AI a complete and utter dystopian nightmare.

Not to be dramatic but Art is the soul of society and can only come from human hands, in other words AI could never! Making, creating, expressing ourselves is a human right. Art has the power to shape and mold our world. Artists have the power to inspire collective imagination and spark enlightenment in self and others. So go be an artist, go make art!