Current Reading: One Step Behind by Whining Mankell
Current Music: Within and Without by Washed Out
Sounds: Background conversations, spongebob, humming heater
Smells: Waffles
Mood: ‘Tis, I am feeling ‘Tis
Temperature: 23 degrees w/ snow
Thoughts: You should not profit of the slaughter of kids. I hate you NRA, hate you.
12.27.2012
12.22.2012
12.17.2012
Broken
Life is too painful sometimes to even be a spectator.
How to stop the suffering? It will take passion.
History has always shown us that the suffering of the innocents is what awakens us. We, as the spectators, will suffer passionately over the aftermath.
How big of a catastrophe will it take before we willfully make a change?
That is the question that I keep asking myself.
12.13.2012
12.12.2012
Moment
Current Reading: Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks
Current Music: Unity Band by Pat Metheny
Sounds: Humming heater
Smells: Coffee
Mood: Sore, left side only
Temperature: 28 degrees
Thoughts: 12/12/12, this must mean something to someone?
12.11.2012
12.06.2012
PGH@Night Website & Workshop Info
We open up an online gallery that will allow you to purchase anything you’d like to own. There are a variety of sizes and you will see that options such as mounting, framing and canvas is available
Here is the link for the workshops:
12.03.2012
The Other 20,000 Photos Sucked
Friday night was one of the best nights of my artistic career. Words of thanks fall short on how to express my gratitude for all who came out, and lots of you came out.
Special thanks goes out to Neil Greibling, owner of Encores for all the effort in promoting this show. The turnout far exceeded my dreams. To Soncerae for the kindness and support you gave to me. Run with your dreams girl. Thank you to Mocha Rose for the flowerers. Your design really classed up the joint.
To the love of my life: I will alway be your sherpa. I would never want to climb the mountain with anybody else. You are all the light that I will ever need.
As I sit down to write this I reflect upon what was learned. It brings me to the "my life-philosophy" of “Create, Connect & Grow”. Those three words are the how and why of the way in which I choose to lead my life. Never did the experience of three words ring more true than it did on Friday night. I was honored to have the opportunity to share these photos with you.
Throughout the night I received many compliments of “how talented” I am. Let me share with you that I have only one thing that I am talented at: failing. I am great at failing. If one gift has been bestowed upon me it is the gift of failing forward and learning something new.
This show could have easily been called “The other 20,000 Photos Sucked”. I laugh out loud as I type these words for how true they are. This is the grand lesson of life: create something new. That is the mystery of life that so many of us search for. No, it does not bring you peace, money, fame or power. What it does is fill your life with purpose and love and that is good enough for me.
Be a great failure and share it.
Peace ~ John
Special thanks goes out to Neil Greibling, owner of Encores for all the effort in promoting this show. The turnout far exceeded my dreams. To Soncerae for the kindness and support you gave to me. Run with your dreams girl. Thank you to Mocha Rose for the flowerers. Your design really classed up the joint.
To the love of my life: I will alway be your sherpa. I would never want to climb the mountain with anybody else. You are all the light that I will ever need.
As I sit down to write this I reflect upon what was learned. It brings me to the "my life-philosophy" of “Create, Connect & Grow”. Those three words are the how and why of the way in which I choose to lead my life. Never did the experience of three words ring more true than it did on Friday night. I was honored to have the opportunity to share these photos with you.
Throughout the night I received many compliments of “how talented” I am. Let me share with you that I have only one thing that I am talented at: failing. I am great at failing. If one gift has been bestowed upon me it is the gift of failing forward and learning something new.
This show could have easily been called “The other 20,000 Photos Sucked”. I laugh out loud as I type these words for how true they are. This is the grand lesson of life: create something new. That is the mystery of life that so many of us search for. No, it does not bring you peace, money, fame or power. What it does is fill your life with purpose and love and that is good enough for me.
Be a great failure and share it.
Peace ~ John
11.30.2012
20 Photos, 2 Hours to Live or Die
Tonight will be my first photo exhibit. Six years of work that will be displayed for two hours. To me, I feel imaginative and resourceful about this approach to showing my work. I take a blue color approach to being a working artist. The idea of standing on my stage appeals to me.
In many way this is where the business of art is moving: artist to viewer. No need for a curator, gallery or even reviews (but those I do welcome). Display the photos, place it all on the line and see if I can win over the crowd. This works for me.
What attracts me to this concept in the first place is an old-fashioned “social” idea.
Not so long ago the word "social" actually meant going out into the world and experiencing life. Today's mutilated version of the word “social” is limited to loneliness, an internet connection and a mouse. There will be no "Like" button at my show, I will not ask you for a Tweet, we will not connect on LinkedIn afterwards, there will be nothing to Pin...but I do hope we have interesting conversation.
Photos need to been seen and to be experienced. For too long my canvas has existed solely on the computer screen. Art, music and photography is our culture.
To have a culture it needs to be social. To be social you need to be with other breathing-interacting-human beings meeting in a collective community space. Bonus point here for the breathing humans who attend my show: there will be alcohol and food. Interacting humans love wine and cheese.
Two hours and that's it to discover if my work lives or die. It's emotional for me; I feel more like a working artist walking out onto a stage to perform music that has never been heard before rather than a photographer having his first exhibit, watching and waiting for the room fill up with people.
Exhibit, display, opening...all seem like the wrong words to describe this new venture. New words need to be used. Maybe it should be called "The Business of Being Creative”. Or “Liberated Profiteering”. I know... “Gig”... yep that works for me. I am having a gig tonight. That feels true to my roots. If you want to wear a tie to my gig better just stay home, this gig is not for you.
After this first gig comes to a close I will pick up the remaining pieces and hit the road for my first ever photo tour...per se. Coffee house, punk rock clubs, libraries and wherever else that photos may be hung; that's where I’ll take my troubadour roadshow of PGH@Night photos.
Join us for a memorable opening:
Date: 11/30/12
Time: 7:30
Place: 502 West North Ave
PGH, PA 15212
P.S.
Already planning the next photo-gig to be titled “Emptiness and Form” (when abstract photography attacks and nobody gets hurt. Deep non-violence with all the non-stop action).
11.26.2012
Exhibit ~ PGH@Night
In 5 days I will be holding my first ever photo exhibit. Am I nervous? Yep. Not even sure why. The work is good; I am proud of it. Will people show up? Not sure.
A few months ago I wrote about how seldom I get to see my work in print. The post was written about how the computer screen has become my canvas. Well no more: last week I received 20 large prints that have been filling up my home.
This is what I want to share with you.
Seeing Pittsburgh at Night photos enlarged is an experience to see. On Thanksgiving I gave a sneak peek preview and the feedback was great. It was my first time displaying this work not on the computer screen. I got to sit back and watch and listen to how the photos effected the viewer. It was thrilling.
Create connect and grow…..those words never seemed more true to me.
"Encores!" presents “Pittsburgh At Night”
A photography exhibit by John Craig
Join us for a memorable opening:
Date: 11/30/12
Time: 7:30
Place: 502 West North Ave
PGH, PA 15212
P.S. The photo above was taken at this year's Pittsburgh Light Up Night 11/16/12
A few months ago I wrote about how seldom I get to see my work in print. The post was written about how the computer screen has become my canvas. Well no more: last week I received 20 large prints that have been filling up my home.
This is what I want to share with you.
Seeing Pittsburgh at Night photos enlarged is an experience to see. On Thanksgiving I gave a sneak peek preview and the feedback was great. It was my first time displaying this work not on the computer screen. I got to sit back and watch and listen to how the photos effected the viewer. It was thrilling.
Create connect and grow…..those words never seemed more true to me.
"Encores!" presents “Pittsburgh At Night”
A photography exhibit by John Craig
Join us for a memorable opening:
Date: 11/30/12
Time: 7:30
Place: 502 West North Ave
PGH, PA 15212
P.S. The photo above was taken at this year's Pittsburgh Light Up Night 11/16/12
11.23.2012
11.21.2012
Moment
Current Reading: Bruce by Peter Carlin
Current Music: Love This Giant by David Byrne
Sounds: Blue-news TV
Smells: Clean house smell
Mood: Waiting to find out?
Temperature: 36 degrees
Thoughts:Vision is important!
11.20.2012
11.17.2012
Pittsburgh Light Up Night 11.16.2012
The March 1st workshop is filling up fast. There is a strong interest in learning about after-capture post-production workflow.
If you have attended my previous workshops you may find the addition of the after-capture to be the missing key in taking your photography to the next level.
FYI: PGH@Night Photo Exhibit ~ (Info HERE)
11.14.2012
11.09.2012
Moment
Current Reading: Who Am I by Pete Townshend
Current Music: 5th House by Dominic Miller
Sounds: Coffee percolating
Mood: Better
Smells: Cold morning air mixed with coffee aroma
Temperature: 31 degrees
Thoughts: Should of told them 15 years ago.
11.07.2012
Updates, Workshop & Exhibit
The March 1st workshop is filling up fast. There is a strong interest in learning about after-capture post-production workflow.
If you have attended my previous workshops you may find the addition of the after-capture to be the missing key in taking your photography to the next level.
This photo will be on display in a 20x30 metallic print at my "PGH @ Night" exhibit.
11.05.2012
VOTE:The World Must Be Ok
Reposting from 4yrs ago....seems appropriate. The question that is asked in every election is "Is you life better now than it was four years ago?" For me my answer is yes....I hope it is for you.
The World Must Be Ok
(48 hr of perspective)
3pm Election Day November 4, 2008 – I voted for the first time. No long lines, no lines at all, no campaign supporters pushing pamphlets at me and no protesting crowds. Only two college kids guiding me through the election process. Not sure if I feel a sense of pride or disbelief that my vote will effect change positively.
7pm sitting in a bar waiting on election results. I ordered a draft beer. The bartender places the mug in front of me with an orange wedge on the brim of the glass and charges me $4.80. The patrons are talking about the NFL, pizza, and cheap gas prices and I just ordered a five-dollar beer. The world must be ok.
Twenty-one months of following this election, I just acted on my civic duty and I sit alone in a bar drinking overpriced draft beer. Watching the lives of other people I open my journal to write. Loud crash of breaking dishes from the back of the bar kitchen bring the crowd to a hush. Smiles, giggles and a sense of – glad I didn’t do that to bring life back into the clientele. The TV channel is turned from election coverage to college football reruns – the world must be ok.
7:30 pm I write a letter in my journal to my daughter. I title it “Life”, it’s a love letter of sorts with lessons that I hope to teach her. A little boy runs into the table at which I sit. He and his family are sitting across the room from me eating pizza. He asks me “watch you doing?” “Killing time”, I told him. He responded, “ok” then he ran back to his family and his pizza. Left the bar to pick up my wife. She was at a coffee house attending a meeting. I walk to the coffeehouse and order peppermint tea.
8pm voting polls close on the East coast and the first election results are in.
11:01 pm Barack Hussein Obama is our new president elect. “We the People”, the ancestors of the founding fathers of the constitution chose hope and change for our country. It feels good. The world must be ok.
11:30 pm I check on our sleeping daughter; so cute. She rocks herself gently from shoulder to shoulder when she is sleeping and wiggles her bum sometimes. I smile and try not to giggle aloud. I stand over her crib and I think about how she will never have to understand that the world she fell asleep in is not the world she will awake to. The world has lost enough, for this brief moment the veil has been lifted.
6am Wednesday the 5th woke to a new world. The TV reports that the world likes us again, even the French. The planet celebrates the U.S. president elect. Russia moves their military forces towards Poland. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev delivered an aggressive speech against the US.
12 noon, lunchtime, decide to listen to conservative Rush Limbaugh right wing radio (the day after the election) for the first time. I thought it would be fun. I read The New York Times, The Economist, I listen to independent local radio and I am a fan of Al Gore. Basically I am the poster boy for all things tagged liberal fascist. Personally I always thought of myself as a conservative in lifestyle and liberal in my judgment towards others. I pay my taxes and if you want to marry a man, woman, dog or tree I do not care. Truth be told, I care if it is my dog but that’s it. After taking in some of their views you can call me a tree hugging liberal fascist. Upon my death I will stand in front of my God and let her/him/it judge me. Rush Limbaugh is loud and angry – we’re a socialist country now, shouts through my speakers. It amazes me how devoted his audience is when his job title is “On Air Personality”. Journalism is dead and we can’t even blame Rupert Murdock.
3pm listened to the Sean Hannity conservative right wing radio show. Hannity is hoping for the resurrection of Ronald Regan. Based on how the world has treated the teachings of the last successful resurrection I hope Regan stays dead; let him go the way of Buddha, his teachings have not been as badly distorted. This is what I learned from a couple of hours of conservative “entertainment” radio – if you want to be a Christian Cowboy listen in. The world must be ok.
8pm attended a lecture at Heinz Hall in downtown Pittsburgh with my father. Not sure why I always refer to Pittsburgh as downtown. The lecture is given by Paul Rusesabagina, the humanitarian of Hotel Rwanda. 6am I awoke to hope, 8pm I am listening to a talk about the genocide of Rwanda, Africa. I sit and take note of the living history in the flesh standing in front of me talking about the power of words and peaceful dialogue (to understand Hotel Rwanda read this…).
Rusesabagina talks about disturbing observers; people who only scrutinize the events but cause no change. Media, United Nations, Foreign Governments; none of them are peacekeepers or peacemakers. The phrase “never again” becomes again and again and again throughout history. In our current time we had the Holocaust of the Jewish people in Germany, the genocide of Rwanda and Darfur in Africa.
10:30 pm Walk out of the lecture hall never more aware of the birthright I have due to the soil I was born upon. Citizen responsibility towards a global perspective on civility, equality and human rights needs to be held by all.
11:30 pm flipping through late night news I hear the blurb “there is no more right wing politics, there is no more left wing politics, there is only forward or backward politics.” I like that.
1pm Thursday 6th I start writing this
3pm I complete writing: the world must be ok.
10.31.2012
Photography Exhibit
Encore presents “Pittsburgh At Night”
A photography exhibit by John Craig
Encores is a Pittsburgh-based membership organization that focuses on networking, self-exploration and renewal of both personal and professional life.
Date: 11/30/12
Time: 7:30
Place: 502 West North Ave
PGH, PA 15212
10.30.2012
Moment
Current Reading: Trillions: Thriving in the Emerging Information Ecology
Current Music: Away From The World by Dave Matthews Band
Sounds: Conversation
Mood: After the storm blues
Smells: Coffee and pancakes
Temperature: 43 degrees and rain
Thoughts: Be Human-Literate
Current Music: Away From The World by Dave Matthews Band
Sounds: Conversation
Mood: After the storm blues
Smells: Coffee and pancakes
Temperature: 43 degrees and rain
Thoughts: Be Human-Literate
10.29.2012
10.25.2012
10.24.2012
10.23.2012
10.19.2012
10.18.2012
Visual Artis
You may have noticed that I have posted a few videos here on the blog. Short clips of me playing guitar with a mix of photos. This style of video is called “Fusion”. For the record I hate this term, unfortunately I am left without a better phrase. However in my serious guitar playing days I was drawn to a style of music that would later become known as fusion (a blend of rock, jazz, funk). So be it.
This is it, my next creative venture into the world of cinematic imagination. The dream is to become a visual artist...still images and moving pictures; a blending of the skills.
I am discovering that constructing a video is the polar opposite of how I produce a photo. In photography my approach is re-active….this is the light, that is the subject….let it unfold and what arises is captured into my black box. For video it is all about pre-production. The composition junkie inside of me loves this. Think of a story, outline the how’s and what’s, set the scene, press the record button and capture it all in my black box.
I am at the beginning of this grand experiment and I am still building my video editing chops. This is where I will have to do some serious woodshedding. That is what I love about being a working artist; it’s all about creating something new, daily. Not a bad way to earn a living. It is also what I love about this blog and sharing with you. Truth be told this is not a blog (this should be a different post). It’s a working portfolio.
Coming soon to a blog screen near you: “Create | Connect | Grow”. The video series documenting my endless search for the original whatever. A jambalaya of random stuff with a dash of the divine, suitable for all ages.
Will it be art?
10.17.2012
10.16.2012
Encore presents “Pittsburgh At Night” A photography exhibit by John Craig
Join us for a memorable opening
Date: 11/16/12
Time: 7:30
Place: 502 West North Ave
PGH, PA 15212
Date: 11/16/12
Time: 7:30
Place: 502 West North Ave
PGH, PA 15212
The exhibit will feature 15 to 20 portraits.
10.15.2012
10.11.2012
Moment
Current Reading: How Music Works by David Byrne
Current Music: Led Zeppelin IV
Sounds: Heater humming
Mood: Cold, yes cold is a mood
Smells: Coffee
Temperature: 36 degrees, coldest morning since last winter...
Thoughts: Lifestyle-economics is a 3rd person perspective on your own life.
(For the 1st time in 7yrs I am adding a new topic to my list)
Current Favorite Photo:
Current Music: Led Zeppelin IV
Sounds: Heater humming
Mood: Cold, yes cold is a mood
Smells: Coffee
Temperature: 36 degrees, coldest morning since last winter...
Thoughts: Lifestyle-economics is a 3rd person perspective on your own life.
(For the 1st time in 7yrs I am adding a new topic to my list)
Current Favorite Photo:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)