On the water

Being on the water, in a little boat that moves up and down with the waves changes the perspective. The horizon is no longer horizontal, the clouds borrow the shape of the waves, the water is the same grey color as the sky. Nature at its most majestic. Even more so when a humpback whale dives just in front of the boat. It is so easy to feel small and inconsequential. 

Yet looking at the sea otters floating happily wrapped in strands of kelp, I can not stop thinking we have almost wiped them out, killing them for their prized fur. On one of the mountains we can see the scar caused by a landslide, the result of less than wise development. In a few minutes it will be behind us. So easy to forget. A glimpse at the fragile equilibrium supporting all this grand beauty. 

Hints. Alaska August 2016

Sea otters, Alaska

The salmon forest

In august 2016 I spent ten days in Sitka, Alaska, volunteering for Sitka Conservation Society and the Alaska Raptor Center. This was my first trip to Alaska, my first encounter with the “The Salmon Forest.” Ten days and I was hooked. The intertwined story of fish, forest, and man unfolded daily, and like the best of stories, each new chapter drew me deeper into the plot.

Walking through the huge trees, proportions change. Time slows down, the air is more fragrant, the ground softer. Sculptured roots, remains of a wind storm that happened 90 years ago, red berries dot the green. Perched on a branch, a bald eagle looks me in the eye. Perhaps this is the same eagle I saw later flying holding a salmon in his claws. I hear the river before seeing it. Clear water, flowing gently towards the sea. When I look closer, I notice the moving shadows. The fish arrived!! Most are still at sea, but some are already making their way upstream. Just a few more days and their carcasses will dot the river floor, a feast for the bears and the eagles. The decayed remainders would feed the trees, make them grow bigger, faster. Fish do not grow on trees, but it seems trees do grow on fish.

Bald eagle by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Unlike the bears, the fisherman, do not wait for the fish to come to them. Trollers and seiners return to the port, their ice box filled with fish. For many, salmon is much more than food. It is the roof above their head, the clock that dictates the daily schedule, their childhood memories, their legacy.

Troller returning to port

“There are many ways to kneel and kiss the ground,” said Rumi. Creating these images, telling nature’s stories, is my way. Through them, I celebrate its wisdom in pairing trees that shade the streams with fish who nurture the soil. Grateful for its bounty and generosity that can not be taken as granted. It is ours to enjoy and ours to safeguard.

Left behind

...and this time, I am the one who's left behind. A year ago this month I left him to live his life across the ocean and moved to the US. In the months before the move, the images seemed to pour out of me in a burst of activity. Tears transformed into images. A way of holding on even when I knew I won't. I thought I understood the meaning of leaving behind.

Now, after having him with me for four weeks, he's gone back. Starting a new chapter in his life, becoming a student. I'm left in an apartment that has more space and less joy. No more suitcases filling the bedroom, no more morning kiss from my big baby son. I am left with a Polaroid photo of him and the thank you card that brought me to tears when I read it. This time, I am the one who's left behind.  

Black and Blue

Back to the forest, by the whispering stream. A cluster of Foxgloves, patches of light. Far, far away from the noise of unneeded guns, unneeded death.

Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. Life matters. Really matters. All life. Policemen and children, women and men. The world in which we live, the one we tear apart, it matters. The world wears black and blue, bowing its head at unneeded death. Light cries and comforts. Life matters. 

Dreams for sale

I love to capture the dream behind reality. Usually, I would do this in a natural setting, this time I went to Beverly Hills. Getting from our 2 bedroom apartment to Rodeo Drive takes about 25 minutes by bus. Less than half an hour, and I am in a different world. A world with its own set of rules, etiquette, priorities. Beautiful - no doubt about that. Each store creates a world of illusions, a bubble of glamour. Surreal temptations waiting for the right people to pass by, lure them in. It is so fitting to have an exhibit of Dali's amazing work in the gallery on this street.

A taste of the surreal, dreams for sale. No Photoshop used in these images ....

Self portrait in a Lladro mirror ...

Louis Vuitton anyone?

Like Alice falling through the rabbit hole - an amazing piece by Dali, one of many on display in the gallery on Rodeo Drive. 

Real life .... for some

The butterfly

I saw him on the stairs of the restaurant. Beautiful. Almost still. Between life and death. Took a few pictures.  Thirty minutes later, on our way out, he was still there. I picked him up and took him home. when I touch him, the wings flutter for a few seconds, as if he wants to fly. His last movements. Still here, still beautiful. not for long. When life meets death.

Life meets death

Gathering dust

The power of simplicity (and amazing craftmanship ...). This is my favorite image from David A. Leffel's exhibit I saw last Saturday. This was the text displayed with this image:

"Gathering Dust, 1975. During the 1970's, Leffel still lifes became simpler and more minimal. Gathering Dust is an intimate painting with a mood of calm tranquility. The artist said: I tried to pait as quiet a painting as possible. It has almost no color, no movement. Just this little sprig of silver dollars seems alive. Everything else is drained. "

As I found out while reworking my artist statements for the xxx time (!), conveying something in a short, simple way is way more difficult that piling words on paper or color on canvass.

An adventure of the mind

A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind. The mind of the person who created it, the mind of all the people who would look at it. Infuse it with their own meaning. Project on it their feelings, memories and wishes. Translate it into their own language. Allowing the piece of art to touch them, maybe even transform them a tiny little bit. The hope and wish of every artist.

"Misthaven" images continue to appear. This is a good place to be thankful for all the great feedback I am getting on this portfolio who was recently published in Black and White magazine (Excellence award), Still Point Art quarterly (issue 22) and on Lenscratch.

Here are two brand new images for "Misthaven". I hope somewhere out there, there is a heart that will be touched by them. sending them out into the world to find that heart.

Misthaven #25 by Amy Kanka Valadarsky 

Water Colors

I chase light like others chase fame, or power, or money. Me, just give me my camera, shafts of light and a natural setting - and I am happy. Knee deep in the water, or laying on the ground, the world becomes limited and limitless at the same time. 

Here, I chased the colors of the wind and the water in a lily pond. Colors... water ...hmmm....water ...  colors. Water Colors!! An idea is born :) 

The first sketches - "Water Colors" photo collage by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Listening to images

Funny how images are born. I started experimenting with Cyanotypes, and was looking at images I shot in the last few month in order to find one I can play with. One image in particular looked like a good candidate, and as usual, this was an image that at the time, I did not even mark as one worth earmarking for future use. Once changed to black and white this image started whispering, obviously wanting to tell me something.

A few minutes and a few more adjustments later the whisper turned to a clear statement: "I belong to Misthaven" (The photography portfolio I thought I finished months ago ...). Can I not listen to this voice? Of course not, hence Misthaven 28 joined its friends. See top 20 images from Misthaven portfolio here

Meeting a great photographer

Photograph by Mugur Varzariu

During my very short visit to Israel, between family visits and family meals, we managed to spend an evening at the International Festival of Photography, this year a happening organized in Jaffa/Tel Aviv by the sea.

The whole event was an eye opener, and my first real meeting with the contemporary Israeli photography scene. While there were quite a few Israeli artists I loved, the first images that caught my eye were Mugur Varzariu's images. A Romanian photographer, who left a successful career in Strategic Marketing to become a fine art photographer. His images of the gypsies, were breathtaking in their capture of simple human moments. I really loved them, and thought you would too ...

Mugur Varzariu. A name worth remembering.

The Roma people, Mugur Varzariu

Let the rain kiss you

It does not matter where I go, I always arrive to the same place. My place. Nature.

Whether in Israel, California, Japan or Germany, it is always the sun, the smell of rain, the shadow of the trees that tempt me, whisper in my ear. 

This time, the place is a small pond, a walking distance from my mother in law apartment in Frankfurt, Germany. Despite being the end of April, it is chilly outside. We walk around the pond, and just when there is no shelter in sight - it starts to rain. My husband holds the umbrella, while I wait for the birds to fly over the lake.  Try to be careful, as my camera, unlike me, does not like to be kissed by the rain ....

Rainy day by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Spring in the park, Frankfurt, Germany. April 2016

Walking on air

Image by Joseph Heidecker

After enjoying a fun opening at bG gallery, where I have three of my images in the latest Monster exhibit, we decided to peek at the other openings at Bergamot station. After looking at two new exhibits that left me pretty unexcited (hmm...trying to be politically correct here), we entered Craig Krull Gallery. And, boy, was I blown away.

The first artist I couldn't stop staring at was Lou Beach, who creates these amazingly fun collage. I have never seen anything as beautiful and fun. Truly inspiring, and yes, the day will come when I will move from photo collage to mixed media collage. And Lou's work is a breathtaking inspiration. (Got home and ordered his book, so I can start studying his work at my leisure.)

And as I was thinking nothing can top this, I entered the second room of the gallery and saw Joseph Heidecker embroided photos. WOW. So simple and so effective. Stunning black and white photos, embroided in silver, gold, pinks and beige. Stunningly beautiful. I left the gallery walking on air.

Lou Beach collage

Another one of Joseph Heidecker's amazing embroided photos

The good life

Photographing Max and Mia turns out being a great diversion from a more serious and complex photography project I am immersed in. Besides being loads of fun, it also helps better understand the benefits of my seldom used wide-angle lens.

Whether folding laundry, having a luxurious shower or napping in the sun, the cats are graceful, hilarious creatures full of self respect. And SOOOOO much fun :)

Folding laundry ...

Spa time ...

Making memories

April 4th, my birthday. Our birthday, as my husbands birthday was yesterday. We had a wonderful weekend, filled with good food, good art and good music. I had my favorite lemon meringue cake, he had the Godiva cheesecake. We both cried when listening to "Madame Butterfly" (yes, real tears....).

Now it Monday morning, the house is empty except for the cats. I am working on my computer, when I hear a knock on the door. Holding Max the cat in one hand I open the door, and see a delivery man holding a vase with flowers. "Amy Kanka Valadarsky? They are for you". Juggling the cat, the pen and the vase, I can barely sign the form. I close the door, put the cat down and unfold the note. Birthday flowers from my sons. I am standing here, thousands of miles away from them, yet feel an almost tangible hug. They sent us flowers.

Tears prevent me from really focusing the camera. This is a moment I want to remember.

The missing piece

Four month ago I started a personal project. The original idea was to leverage vintage family photographs as a point of departure for self exploration. I had no idea how much this project will stretch beyond my comfort zone, but hey, that's how we learn, don't we?

This is the first project shot almost in its entirety with a Holga lens, which I love, but it does work differently than what I am used to. Then there are the self portraits, which I always avoided, but I thought necessary for this project. I start melding images together, creating pieces of the narrative. I look at the images, I do love them, but something is still missing. How can I visually convey that each one of us is made of multiple pieces, and sometimes, it is the missing piece that defines us more than the existing one? 

Thinking about it for days, without any breakthrough, and then, out of nowhere (while driving at night) the idea of a physical puzzle is born. After almost 10 hours of trial and error - the first Images appear. YESSSSS!!  

The Enchanted Forest - the story continues

"Many years ago, when I still had two long braids tied with huge white bows, I fell in love with stories. Especially the ones which transported me to magical places where wild swans turned into princes, dark forests hid marble castles, and ancient columns were spotted by moonlight floating above the waves of stormy seas."

This is the beginning of my "Misthaven" series statement. A testament to the enduring imprints of fairy tales and fiction literature I read as a child. A couple of month ago, I thought this series is finished. I numbered the images, created a sequence, polished the statement. I though I have nothing more to say. I couldn't be more wrong.

I do not look for images, they seem to look for me. And two new images found me just the other day. Here is the second one:

Misthaven, currently image #23 ....

See Misthaven portfolio here

Inspired by ....

This time, a different kind of post. In the last few weeks, I spent time thinking about my sources of inspiration, and for the first time in 3 years, created a power point.

Articulating my thoughts, provided me with a new point of view on my own work, helped identify connections I never thought about  before. Learning to know me :)

Human nature

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I decide to walk rather than drive to the art store. About 40 minutes of walking on Lincoln street in Santa Monica. Shops, car repair shops, restaurants. Lots of concrete. I start noticing the murals. More than half of them depict nature. 

After seeing the third one, the irony strikes me. We cover nature with concrete. Then we cover concrete with nature. Urban nature, or perhaps a glimpse at the human nature.

Parking lot with flowers

City forests

The simple things

The best compliment I ever got was when somone told me my images reminded him of Harry Callahan's. At the time, I didn't really appreciate it enough as I was not familiar with his work. Now, a year later, his simple yet experimental approach to photography is a constant inspiration to me. I find myself going back to see his work, drawing inspiration from it.

His images, like the Haiku poetry can say so much, with so little. I can just hope that sometime I will be able to distill my emotions into visual images with the same clarity. Until then, I keep looking for the magic in the everyday, discovering the beauty of the simple things in life.

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Showers on the beach