Stardust
One beautiful weekend I sat in communion amongst friends. Calling ourselves a tribe, we would meet, share space, ponder the questions of the universe and frequently meditate together.
I remember one particular experience as if it was yesterday. We sat in a sunny living room. Prisms hung from the southern window casting rainbows across the floor. The scent of essential oils hung in the air.
Then it began with a guided meditation, always starting in nature. A visual exploration behind closed eyes as our minds carried us along a path...that led into a stream...that opened a doorway into the ether.
Then we were off. I was off. Floating. Flying. All of the above. I felt a bit like Superman soaring above snow top mountains on my way to the Fortress of Solitude.
And then, as if by magic, I found myself somewhere in the middle of the universe, staring out in wonder and bewilderment. Rich, saturated colors, beamed at me in every direction. The spiral of a nearby galaxy beckoned. It was so beautiful.
I looked around me, hoping to share this experience with someone. Anyone. But, I was all alone. Feeling that tinge of loneliness I dropped my head down to my chest.
It was at that moment, the entire lower half of my body dissolved into stars. Shock and disbelief took over then quickly turned to pure amazement as I stared out into space. Into millions of stars shining back at me. I was not alone. Far from it.
A wave of unconditional love burst through bringing tears to my eyes, realizing that we are never fully alone.
***
"A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at the stars because we are human?" Pointless, really..."Do the stars gaze back?" Now, that's a question."
~Neil Gaiman
Interested in adding Stardust to your collection?
Behind the Scenes - Stardust
Originally I had no intention of using myself as a model for any of these pieces in the latest series. But my muse happened to be traveling in Japan for an entire month!
And since this concept was deeply personal, I decided, what the hell.
An hour before sunset, I headed out to Monument Lake, just north up the road, hugging the mountains.
Truth be told, this was my second attempt. My lovely husband, Capt. Awesome, agreed to come out the first time and photograph me from above, a bird's eye view looking straight down. But, the angles were all wrong. So I adjusted my vision and took off for take number two, this time leaving Awesome at home as to not tear him away from his work again.
Donning this dress bought specifically with this idea in mind, I ventured to the water's edge, bracing myself for the cold as my toes entered the lake. Then promptly sat down to adjust all the technology.
One of the cool things about my mirrorless cameras is its ability to hook up to an app on my phone. I can see what the camera sees, even adjust the settings, focal points, etc. So I set that bad boy up on a tripod, complete with dish rag to wipe my fingers in between each frame.
This made it easier to see what was happening from the water negating the need to get up and down each and every time.
I wish I could say I was 100% satisfied from that second go at the lake, but I wasn't. The final piece ended up being a merging of many different frames, which included a setup on my living room floor.
All in all, I am really pleased with how this piece came together, proving that often flexibility and a willingness to adjust one's vision generally leads to pure gold in the end.
Interested in adding Stardust to your collection?
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