I hope these words find you well and hopeful as we saunter into the summer autumn days of the year. September days are darling, they often encumber the best of summer and the best of autumn all in one fell swoop. It is in this lackadaisical context I invite visions of change towards brighter and more joyful days with less hardship and heartache. And with that, I ask: 2020 -- what the hell just happened? It seemed to go something like January, February, quarantine, bunch of hazy mess with Saturday anchors and then September...
Last December I was working on a winter solstice newsletter. I finally logged back in to discover I never sent it -- it was titled: Leap into 2020. Ha. Yeah. I guess that we did. Nonetheless, I salvaged some dog days of summer and basked in the healing properties of the lake shore -- what is known as 'blue space'.
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Point Mouillee on the upper left and the Lake Erie Islands as seen from Catawba Island.
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Several disciplines of science have found that being immersed in nature is good for your health -- and blue space heightens the benefits. Clarity of mind and purpose can come about from some simple lake side strolling. So, knowing this, I spent some time on the beach on the western basin of Lake Erie. One lazy Sunday afternoon evolved into making lighthearted, whimsical sand art -- simple joy, and highly recommended.
As the season changes I envision I will bring more depth to my studio space and creative productions. I've worked with a number of artistic mediums this year and am eager to bridge the works into more holistic presentation. From video and music production, to painting, to landscape photography, it's time to strive for a more unified body of work: a perfect mission for the winter season. I look forward to seeing the evolution of this by the next Equinox. As prelude, here are highlights of what 2020 has held for my creative spirit.
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When the Mood Strikes Midnight
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Since late April I have been cultivating a television persona and series (or two or three). I had envisioned several show series at the time: A Day in the (quarantine) Life, When the Mood Strikes Midnight, and Eos News @ 7 (a floating news hour that could be any day of the week, morning or night, but definitely at 7). A little further into the adventure I forged the Tuesday Twilight 9:09, which can be any Tuesday and probably at 9:09 (or thereabouts). Like a meandering poetic train that shows up only sometimes.
Through all the madness, I managed to persevere the most with When the Mood Strikes Midnight, a music and talk show live stream series with varying formats on Saturday nights. It begins no sooner than 10:28 and no later than 11:43 p.m. Eastern time, you know, whenever the mood strikes midnight.
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The title slide for the Midnight series. This fountain is one of several fountains in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in New York City.
I took this picture while standing in the Katharine Hepburn Garden, an elegant small forest in the city.
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While the early days are mostly me figuring out how to reliably live stream (and still figuring it out truth be told), I do perform a few songs and stumble upon some accidental comedy along the way. In fact, this endeavor has been a great motivator for me to finish works in progress. It is also an inadvertent memoir, which I will likely come back to later because if you have been tuned in, you know my family has been through a lot this year.
If you care to follow this experimental journey, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel or find me on Twitch at DawndotEarth. Patrons of the arts are always welcome, you can support my work by helping me cultivate my creative community on Patreon.
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Coasting along the butterfly highway with some small paintings using acrylic on paper. Part of my blue collection -- my approach here was to work with various shades of blue to make abstract landscapes of water, sky and earth that evoke the viewer to complete the narrative.
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Experiments in music & video
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One fine August morning I found myself playing an electric guitar instrumental I quickly named my Summer Anthem. It is the song (and guitar) that made me realize I need a 24 fret electric guitar (this one was a friend's Washburn). It also got me thinking that maybe I am closer to an album of instrumentals than I thought I was. These are often rough recordings, but the spirit of the work is there and that's what will see it through to polish. So, I would be remiss if I didn't also share my long standing favorite, e sonata:
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One of my first 'throw it together and see what it is' video edits. It so happened that I had footage of the Fermi II power plant from a ecological restoration project I participated in that was right next to it. Funny how we put wildlife refuges around such things. Water scenes are western basin Lake Erie. Fire scenes are from the Huron River and of the ecofirekeeper chief fella in Ann Arbor.
Quite an elemental mix, overall.
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Honoring my inspiration: L’Americain. When the US was truly an ally of anti-fascism, the liberation of France from Nazi occupation in World War 2 inspired a young boy in France to become an American. John Launois lead a remarkable life with an artistic vision of one truly dedicated to his craft. A world renowned award winning photojournalist, this is his story: L'Americain: A Photojournalist's Life.
This book took 17 years for my friend Chris to help his dad write and publish, a promise made and kept. Chris recently passed away and left a legacy of his own as an amazing vocalist and musician. You can listen to some of his songs here. "Fate" is one of my favorites; perhaps a prequel to the fate of the American.
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Thanks for reading, listening, appreciating, being! Please share this with a friend. If you're so inclined, you can buy me a coffee or a beer or even a decent cocktail by hitting my digital tip jar. Remember to write me a letter or send a social media note about what you're up to in your own enchanted world!
If you have music to share, I can add it to the Eos Moon Music Hall.
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Writing & Editing Services
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Do you need help writing and editing content? Do you have a website or newsletter that needs new edge and wordsmithing? I can help you! Send an inquiry by email or leave a message at (734) 274-9083.
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Something odd and practical: Instacart is a grocery delivery service that I have used for more than a year and it has really made a difference in managing daily life. Every time I order groceries it prompts me to share this $10 coupon code. So, here it is: DNELSON2F5144
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