In June

Then the rains come
First over the mountains
Far
Away they swept the day
Winds of so much
Fury
Then calm reaching
Windows down
All the world tossing
This is much
Love
While others call "chaos"
Land open, never
Empty
Here I'll stay forever
Sands thrown
By wind, by water
Gives strength
To memories
Built on a place much loved

It's time for a break

Raising children is difficult. Anyone that has done so or is attempting to do so, will tell you that is an understatement! A dear friend of mine has two very busy boys. This is a blessed moment of quiet for all three of them.

Dinosaurs in the Yard

My nephew is turning 4 in a few days. Last summer he watched his older brother ride my grandfather's horse around the yard. He sees dinosaurs playing everywhere he goes. This altered cyanotype illustrates the wild dreams and thoughts of a little boy.

To add the dinosaurs to this cyanotype print I used vinegar, strong coffee and water to paint loose watery shapes. Each liquid affects the color of the print differently. Water simply clears away the emulsion to show the  paper undernieth. Vinegar reacts with the emulsion and leaves an intense blue trail. Coffee colors both paper and chemistry a nice vandyke brown. All of these are very uncontrolled since the liquids spread creating sharp shapes because the paper is dry when it is worked. Another great complication is the fact that you must work in near darkness. It makes it almost impossible to see your strokes as you work. This results in random shapes which only mimic what you had in mind. If you are open to a little visual chaos, this is an interesting twist on the cyanotype. I made the dinosaurs more defined by adding details using colored pencils.

Good Ol' Web Design!

I admit right here and now, I am not a website designer. I was never trained in web design and that is why I love sites like Google and Lynda. There are hundreds of sites out there that offer free and instant web design. But then there are some of us that are too stubborn to accept their help! After much cursing, ranting, and asking "but why can't I make that doo-dad float in a counterclockwise fashion right there?" my website is very similar to what I would like it to be. My point being, with persistance you can come pretty close to your wildest dreams! So bite off more than you can chew today and see if it tastes any good!
Hopefully my website gives everyone out there an idea of what it is I spend my days, and sometimes nights, doing. Is it worth it? If you enjoy the images, I think so. If you want to know my photographic and web techniques I am more than happy to share.



Have a great day!
Tess

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Why don't you just KickStart something?

Last night I had dinner at a friend's house. As we talked PBS was on in the background. They featured a website with an amazing function. It connects artists to financial backers in a way that is reminiscent of the days when artists and entertainers would perform before royal courts in hopes to gain their patronage. Kickstarter.com is much the same, except that instead of a royal court, artists are making their appeals to a global audience. The concept is exciting! I too may be appearing on the site soon. Trust me when I say you will be wasting several hours on this site. Enjoy!

Let's try Inkodye!

This morning I spent some shared studio time with my good friend, Musetta Aponte (www.musettaaponte.blogspot.com), when I came across a revolutionary new product called Inkodye. After watching a few videos from the company's creators I proptly bought small bottles of all three colors. Don't worry my friends, I will share the results with you when I have a few examples. Need more info? Try www.lumi.co

TNT Images' Etsy store has offically opened!

Sure, it only has one item, now, but soon it will be filled with one of a kind hand made items. What sort of items you ask? Just wait and see my friends!

You can find my Etsy site here on the side bar under "One of a Kind Works".

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