Root: Day 5

©Gregory Crewdson

It seems that Serendipity is my ultimate spiritual advisor. When I need it most, grace finds its way in.

Serendipitously on Day 5 I happened across this documentary about the work of photographer, Gregory Crewdson. Brief Encounters exposed me to photography that I have never seen before and a method that I have never dreamed of using myself.
In my small corner of the world I have, somehow, been oblivious to these images. Not only is the outcome of each "successful" shoot a stellar example of the combination of patience, intention, and visual expression, the documentary itself gives significant insights into the process and purpose of the making.
There are images of his work all over the internet. Gagosian Gallery is one site that gives a nice overview of his prior exhibitions.
As I try to sort out and prioritize my diverse purposes, these timely words ring true.
"You have to take the risk. Make the picture. If you don't, nobody else will." ~GC

"I believe that every artist has one central story to tell...the struggle is to tell and re-tell that story over and over in visual form...and try to challenge that story. But, at the core that story remains the same. It's like the defining story of who you are." ~GC

©Sheila L. Kalkbrenner 2003

I find myself at the NEW challenge to my story and at the beginning of the next re-telling. The ambiguity of the visual form has me hovering, white-knuckled, on the edge of my seat. 

Humanity's Infinite Search For Grace in the Face of Mortality--->

Honesty and Hope (a.k.a. No Pain, No Gain) is a visual representation of the strength that I get from permitting myself to recognize fleeting moments of grace. 
(From the Facing Phases series ) 

In its simplest form, My purpose is to LIVE those moments, document them, share them and repeat.