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The Collaborative Effect

Years ago, Larry Moore, aka Flame, my Photo Editor at Surfing, took me aside and told me to do something. “Find people who you like to be with, who will work with you, and together, you guys concentrate on building new work. That is how great work comes” Because of that conversation, I never became a Surf Photographer per se. I became a collaborator. The image above is a piece of Art I finished today. The surfer in it is Sean Tully. Sean is a highly developed student of Surfing and in particular, the heritage of that lifestyle driven avocation.

Bluebirds

Bluebirds are moments in time when the magical intersects with the mortal, and in process, one’s grasp of one’s ability, is re-defined. A Bluebird moment is about education, preparation, trial and conquest. I have had a few of these in my lifetime. Here is an account of one of them. I began my pilgrimages to the North Shore of Oahu late in my Surfing life. As a young Pro, it was basically part of the ritual of a Surfing Education, that you go there and test your ability. Though I always sort of sucked at tests in school, I seem

K38 Rescue: Precept and Example

I sent Shawn Alladio a note yesterday afternoon. Here it is. At least TRY to have a good time tonight, will ya? This is important. Here is her response. Shut up! LOL That pretty much sums up what many of us feel, who are on the back end of rendering service, when accolades come our way. Shawn was headed to an awards ceremony. I knew about it. Barely. It is not what we talk about. But a friend had reminded me, and I knew that Dr Andrea Neal, was down to see her in the midst of what

Truth Glows

Big difference between the darkness of a Lie and brightness of Truth. Seth Godin absolutely nails the job description of the Creative, in this blogpost he titles Transparent or Translucent. Below is a fascinating story taken from an internet hoax of sorts where someone twisted the TRUTH and did it to their own benefit. My Colleague and friend, Shawn Alladio injected some light into it. This is the true story! Glowing. CELEBRATED AS OUR AMERICAN HERO Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael Anthony Monsoor April 5, 1981 – Sept. 29, 2006 Petty Officer Second Class Michael Anthony Monsoor was

Respect for the Subject

Respect narrowly defined, is examined here in this Wiki link. One of the key elements for a creative in a study of any sort, is respect of subject. But here is the twist. One has to respect one’s self first. If that aspect is not nailed to the floor of a soul, the oft times hidden elements of a subject, may never reveal themselves to an artist. But once those things do become apparent, it is self knowledge that allows for us to pick accurate lanes whereby we may expose, illuminate, and from where I stand as a human being,

Being Present

In my own creative process, little choice exists for me in my work. In order to succeed, I must be present, in the right frame of mind, at a propitious moment. This requires that I listen, or “be present” in order to perceive that something important will occur ahead, in the time frame we call the Road of Life. I am there before my body is. That is how what I do works. I know where to be when not many others seem to see or care about that. But anyone could do it. So why don’t they? Why don’t

Canary in a Coal Mine: An Environmental Manifesto

Etymology An allusion to caged canaries mining workers would carry down into the tunnels with them. If dangerous gases such as methane or carbon monoxide leaked into the mine-shaft, the gases would kill the canary before killing the miners. Noun canary in a coal mine A warning of danger or trouble yet to come. Synonyms miner’s canary (Source: Wictionary) I have long been aware of the role of the Ocean in the Ecosystem, that is the environmental engine of Spaceship Earth, and realized my Tribe was a canary in the coal mine of industrial development, by virtue of being

A California Opus

Chapter 5 in the California Series. I have not always lived in California. My Dad was going to college on the GI Bill in Milwaukee Wisconsin, at Marquette University. I had never asked him why, being from Hawaii, he chose the Mid West. He met my Mother there. That was where my two Brothers and I were born. We were sick a lot as infants. The family pediatrician had told my parents that our Hawaiian genetics may have been to blame, as we did not tolerate the cold of hard, Midwestern Winter very well. In fact, I ended up in

GMAC

Garrett MacNamara and I have been perpetually bumping into each other for over a decade now. He and I for many years, just seemed to always be in the same place and time to see the ocean and weather coincide to produce some remarkable moments. He surfed. I shot. AFterwards we both laughed. “Wow, you were there”. We finally exchanged phone numbers a few years back. I will not say that having the digits made things any easier to connect, but it sure makes for an extra few moments to share our very unique lives together. I doubt that

Five

This is the sixth installment in the series on many loves. It is on Heroes. The world seems to have a real thirst for heroes. Artist Hilda Kilpatrick yesterday, asked me what the word hope meant to me. I told her that hope was seeing the future as the way you would like it to be. Heroes inspire that in us. Though I have lead a life that has had me in the company of champions, and people that always seemed to be the best in the world at what they do, I must admit that none would consider themselves

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