Ruminations of the UnEnlightened Monk

1

Who am I, a monk?

Lost in this world with no clue

Maybe, maybe not?  
 

2

Where’s the rainbow?

Been searching, never finding

Neither here, nor there

3

My mind goes in circles

Trying to find the answers

Questions never end

4

There’s so much to do

Been swinging from left to right

Tame your monkey brain

5

There will be mistakes

Around and around I go

When I think I’m right, I’m wrong

6

Distraction is discontent

Divided destination

Right view, right conduct

7

You are who you are

Bother yourself with questions

Being is doing

 

Eureka

Eureka 2014

Dreamscape Collages

In our mundane lives we dream a little when we let our minds wander through personal memories and juxtapose it with fantasies of a perfect life. Dreamscape is a series of collages inspired by a collection of dream like sequences of random occurrences in search for meaning. The  assemblage of different forms through old sketches, magazine cut outs and line illustrations, I intended to create a new whole from fragments of reality. 

Pieces of truths and dreams

Reality is a state of being

The magic is in you

Make it happen

Ad Hoc Art

Ad hoc art jams with my nieces and nephew lead to sprint like experiments. They come knocking-  "We want to paint!" 
I ask them- "Paint what?"  "ANYTHING!" they shout opening cabinets and grabbing brushes. "Uhm, you can help me paint that canvas all  black;" wanting to have something done quickly and efficiently. They grab all different kinds of paint and exclaim "That's so boring, there's so many colors you can use."  

"It's so Messy" Ad Hoc Art with Ada, Tea and Gusto

I'm such a fan of children's art- it allows me connect to something I easily forget- the present moment and how magic happens when you allow it to work in complete trust and thankfulness. 

Like snippets of experiences that lead to a more conscious mind. Children's art leave a mark in one's story as a human being. To capture  raw energy that will soon be molded into a forgotten craft of on the spot story telling. It makes me wonder how we  build upon each other's stories?  What  can a viewer see but an invitation to contribute to it?  

I joined them in their deep dive to color chaos. In the moment where shiny mistakes exist on page; you begin to see the paint come alive  and when it happens your mind sparkles with delight. Often than not I forget to take the time to see the world from a child's perspective. I tried to share my perspective as a kiddult answering question like "Do yo have some glitter?" or "Can you tell Gusto that's my spot?"  There were 8 working hands filling up empty spaces till all the white parts were gone.  

It reached a point where we weren't quite sure where this was leading but quickly realized that what mattered at that special moment where we were all there to make something come alive; without judgment but a fluidity of thought and an awareness of each other's presence. I think about what happens when we grow up, older and busier- and I'll remember those moments when the abstract was understood. 

Happy Friday Folks! Wooohoooo! It's the weekend! :) 

Natural State

Funny how memories of past summers have surfaced back. Throwback summers on rainy Thursdays. 

Perhaps we linger with thoughts of sunshine, reckless abandonment and feelings of peace with the present moment. How I wish this kind of  natural state stay a little longer- long enough to disengage from the flashing signs of updates, boredom and distractions.  

These photos remind me of this Japanese world view called wabi sabi  and is centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. Wabi translates to simple imperfection while Sabi is bloom of time. which also relates to a line from the movie Walter Mitty that struck me the most- "beautiful things don't ask for attention." In the same way that summer is built on walks on the beach noticing even the simplest compositions of our environments and the natural state of our minds. Quietly celebrating the most mundane of moments and letting it be. It is what is.

"Open your eyes and see how many gifts there are to unwrap. Notice the presence of your presents. It's not your life that is disappointing, it's your mind." Greg Krech

Sorsogon, Philippines Summer of  2010

Portraits of a Man

For Rico, the quiet amusement of my life 

This is a portrait of my husband, Rico. I see him everyday not noticing the constant yet tiny changes that happen in our daily lives. In this portrait series- I love how he steadily gazes  into the not so distant future, a testament of his personality. His mind might wander, but his heart is still. The stillness in this photo echo his quiet confidence. 

Choose a monochromatic photo. Include drama if possible. 

Look at contrast and tonal values

The simplest lines say the most.

Your life is a gift to me and our family. You inspire me to keep moving forward. Looking forward to seeing you grow old and may I continue to capture it for the rest of our lives.  Happy Birthday!

When Grace is Gone

Boxes are very symbolic for its simple shape but the scope of meaning ranges  from opposite ends. It can feel like opening a treasure box or peering into a coffin box. 

Isn't this what you call life's greatest paradox?

Maybe that is why our lives can fit into a box. Or worse, we put ourselves in the comfort of our boxes in fear of our fragile hearts breaking. Until one day our hearts stop beating and our time is up. 

Piecing together this project brought me in between the spaces of emptiness and fullness and I began to ask myself - How can I  fill a box  with meaning and value? Realizing that death wont always be on vacation, this project has shed light to my personal fears of lovingly living my life as an individual- (1) to live joyfully without hesitation (2) to do meaningful work that contributes to growth; (3) to gracefully dance with life cycles.    

Ironically, the very thought of this fear is also what encourages me to find my own treasure chest. 

I hope you find yours too.