Newsletter #1

Newsletter #1

by | Jun 15, 2023 | Art, Artist, Newsletter, Painting, Photography, Poetry, Technique, Updates, Writing

Howdy!

Welcome to my first artist’s newsletter, I’m delighted you’re reading this.

News

  • Photo, meet poetry. I started a new artist’s blog too! Despite being the beginning, I called the inaugural post Endings: first a photograph, then a poem. If the coupling of images and words also floats your boat, check it out.
  • Wallpaper for your desktop or tablet. Download higher resolution versions of the following photos (click any you want, fits screens up to 2560 wide):
    [This is a benefit for people who’ve signed up for my artist updates. I invite you to sign up, too! Learn more here.]
Photo of green rolling hills in Germany's Black Forest, the upper portions covered in spruce trees. in the valley is a road, two houses and a barn, and trees with autumn foliage.
Photo of two tall pine trees in a soft peach-colored mist, with greenish-gray foliage in the foreground, and a low bank of barely visible trees in back.
Photo of the interior of a forest at late dusk, with a soft blue mist coloring everything, except the end of a branch of autumn leaves in the lower right corner.

Inspiration

An experiment. Over the last few months, I’ve considered mixing photography with painting. This week, I ordered samples of photographic prints on various papers and substrates, as well as a proof of a larger print. When these arrive (should be in about 10 days), I will test them with a few media—starting with soft pastel and fixative—and see how they work together. I’m excited about this new direction! Watch for future developments.

Techniques

Tips: If you too are an artist or photographer, two of my blog posts in the last month might be of interest:

  • Strategic Photo Posting on Social Media – Whether you’re a professional or hobbyist, you can benefit from strategic photo posting. Having clarity on what you want to be known for directs your choices, significantly improving the impression you make. read more
  • Benefit from Standing Back – Artists learn to take a few steps back from their work, to assess progress.  Photographers benefit from this same technique, when selecting possible works to share, and when processing photos. Learn why and how you can use this technique. read more

Challenges

Rejection as motivator. Last week I applied to participate in an open studio event, happening this fall. This week I received a rejection notice. The worst part is, I wouldn’t have approved my application either. I’ve let photography take precedence over painting this last year.

My takeaway? The work towards painting accomplishment needs to get back on track, so I moved some art supplies from my smaller upstairs studio into my second, much bigger studio space. Today I began putting pastel to paper, in a larger format than I’m used to, and will be experimenting with different techniques to expand my multimedia repertoire.

Results

Appreciation. Contrary to every experience I’ve had on other social media, I adore Mastodon. In less than 6 months I’ve garnered 600+ followers, made lovely online acquaintances, seen terrific work, and learned new things. The littler pond allows one to be a bigger fish, which is good for the artist ego. Appreciation stokes creativity.

I appreciate you, too! Thanks for reading. If you’ve poked around my web site and have questions about any of my creations, want to know more about Mastodon or Glass, or have constructive feedback about my work or this newsletter, feel free to reply to this email [contact me]. It’s great that you let me keep in touch with you!

💋
Marlene Breitenstein

P.S. See what I’m sharing on Mastodon.art, Glass.photo and my web site, BreitensteinArt.com

© Marlene Breitenstein. I welcome your inquiries about purchasing, licensing, or republishing my work.

Endings: first a photograph, then a poem

Endings: first a photograph, then a poem

by | May 10, 2023 | Art, Photography, Poetry, Writing

I suppose it’s rather odd to begin a new blog with a post title signifying something ending, yet here we are. I wrote the following poem specifically for this photograph, which I took last November 18th. It was a magic hour of rich and sublime colors, mixed with layered, quickly morphing cloud formations. The photography outing resulted in more than a dozen strikingly distinct images worth sharing. (Find some on my Photography page.)

Despite the rosy scene, this poem unexpectedly turned dark. The first stanza poured out of me, setting the tone and direction. (Each stanza is touched by its own ending.)

Endings

Our life-giving sun king has slipped away at last,
tinting clouds in pink-lavender-peach as a
final offering to his cold, moon-faced queen,
beckoning her to come—quickly!—but
she is too late, too late for his demise.

Beneath the fading vapors, forest-clad mountains
wear thick autumn coats, yet shiver,
bereft, in the chilled evening breeze.

On gentler hills, the vineyards—arms intertwined in
helpless defense—have been stripped of their
grapes, those green and purple teardrops,
once kissed and sweetened by the very sun
for whom they now cannot weep.

And in the lowest field, heads bowed in
silent grief, the sunflowers gather in mourning,
blackened on their withering stalks.

Undoubtedly, this will not be the last photograph + poem combination I publish here. I am inspired to write by the beauty of Palatinate, Germany (where I live), with its rolling vineyards and fairy tale forests. Combining these arts is soul-enriching. Does the coupling of image and words also float your boat?

Thanks for your time and attention, both are valuable. 🙏🏻
I invite you to view my photographs and paintings, and to learn more about me.

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©Marlene Breitenstein. I welcome your inquiries about purchasing, licensing, or republishing my work. I take my intellectual property seriously. This post and its contents, unless otherwise noted, is owned by Marlene Breitenstein. It is not to be reproduced, copied, or published in derivative, without permission from the artist.