Adding a new link
September 15, 2021
“To my mind one does not put oneself in place of the past, one only adds a new link.” - Paul Cézanne
(I Was. © 2013 Look Studio)
I was is the first in a series of images, the Chakra Series, photographed from a wonderful old vinyl chair at the home of my friends, the Coverts, in Cody, Wyoming.
My interpretation of this simple image depicts a child in the Mother’s womb, the beginning of a new link, as Cezanne describes. The past tense title references the creation of a unique child from the DNA of its parents, the nine months of nurture, and the wonder and miracle of life that creates a new link to the past.
This series also correlates to Chakras from early traditions of Hinduism. The next image in the series, I am, represents our individuality.
The cracks from the aging blue chair graphically depict a reminder of the focus that we gain through meditation and the essence of our being.(I am. © 2013 Look Studio)
(Left: I Feel. Right: I Can. © 2013 Look Studio)
(Left: I Love. Right: I Speak. © 2013 Look Studio)
(Left: I See. Right: I Know. © 2013 Look Studio)
I Speak and I Know are shown in more detail on my website. If you have an interest in any other work in the Chakra Series, I will be happy to send you a link directly. I also have small prints of the complete series framed in 11" x 14” white frames. Please contact me here. Thank you!
“Great art picks up where nature ends.” – Marc Chagall
August 3, 2021
This intriguing quote by Chagall immediately makes me think of one of my inspiration artists, Georgia O’Keefe and her famous paintings of nature. I was fortunate enough to see Sky Above Clouds IV at the Art Institute of Chicago in the 1980’s. It’s size and dimension were breath-taking.
The way she plucked the essence of clouds and placed them in a pool of blue against the fading light of the horizon left me in awe. It gave me comfort that I was not the only one who viewed the world differently. I felt I had met a cohort, a friend, someone who understood and saw the world as I wanted to. A world, minus the clutter, in an abstraction of simplicity and beauty.
Although I’ve attempted photographing flowers, antlers and more in hopes of creating some essence of O’Keefe’s work, I haven’t come close yet. However, perhaps you can appreciate some of her influence in Star Bright.
For more information about Sky Above the Clouds IV, visit the Art Institute of Chicago.
And to learn more about Star Bright please check out my blog: Star Bright - A Look Behind the Scenes.
Sky Above the Clouds IV, Georgie O'Keefe 1965
The way she plucked the essence of clouds and placed them in a pool of blue against the fading light of the horizon left me in awe. It gave me comfort that I was not the only one who viewed the world differently. I felt I had met a cohort, a friend, someone who understood and saw the world as I wanted to. A world, minus the clutter, in an abstraction of simplicity and beauty.
Although I’ve attempted photographing flowers, antlers and more in hopes of creating some essence of O’Keefe’s work, I haven’t come close yet. However, perhaps you can appreciate some of her influence in Star Bright.
Star Bright, Look Studio 2019
For more information about Sky Above the Clouds IV, visit the Art Institute of Chicago.
And to learn more about Star Bright please check out my blog: Star Bright - A Look Behind the Scenes.
We the People
July 1, 2021
In honor of those who came before us:
Sounds of Souls
The music of the native flute carries the souls of our ancestors to the beginning of time. Like the curl of smoke as it disappears into the sky, the flute carries the burden of war, the pain of slaughter, the cries of the hurt and the sick, and gently delivers it home where it is healed and made right in the journey of the universe. Healer of hearts, healer of despair, the music of our ancestors is the music of our souls finding each other and tapping into the power we call God.
~ Gayle Waterman ~
New Transformations in the Abstract
June 14, 2021
Many of you know that I live in a 200-year-old barn. With that comes an appreciation for repurposed and reused materials. Perhaps you didn’t know that that same appreciation is at the heart of my abstract photography. Look Studio originated, at least partially, from the desire to honor and celebrate the humble craftsperson and his or her work, whether an old painted bench, Suspended, or a metal step stool, Still Life.
I look at every modest object with an interested eye and find value in repurposing these often utilitarian items into thought provoking artwork through abstract representation.
When I saw John Chamberlain’s exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in New York many years ago, his use of old automobile parts to create massive, artistic sculptures made a significant impression on me. At that time especially, people thought ruined car parts belonged at the junk yard. Chamberlain, though, had a vision. He transformed those auto scraps into impressive works of art.
Somewhere in the back of my mind his reinterpretation of the obvious into the extraordinary was one more catalyst that fueled my own, similar ideas.
Chamberlain’s sculptures fascinate because they convey the strength and malleability of metal while capturing the viewer’s senses with bold palettes and cool shiny surfaces. These and other characteristics that can be elicited from metal are what drew me to the old Shell station sign I photographed to create Crossroads.
Looking through my camera viewfinder, I was immediately drawn to the silver steel shining out from under a weather-beaten surface and fragmented paint. The intersection of lines exploded as my focal point and this tired, rusty sign found new life and meaning as abstract art.
Circling back to the Guggenheim, if you are in New York, it is a must! I am a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture and the grand, yet intimate space of the museum provides a wonderful setting to experience and contemplate art. Having the opportunity to view art in such a venue so easily creates lasting experiences and memories. Chamberlain’s work is just one of many memories of exhibits I’ve enjoyed at museums throughout my life.
To comment on this post, please visit my blog on
(Left: Suspended, © 2011 Look Studio, Subject: Painted wood bench | Right: Still Life, © 2012 Look Studio, Subject: Metal step stool)
I look at every modest object with an interested eye and find value in repurposing these often utilitarian items into thought provoking artwork through abstract representation.
When I saw John Chamberlain’s exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in New York many years ago, his use of old automobile parts to create massive, artistic sculptures made a significant impression on me. At that time especially, people thought ruined car parts belonged at the junk yard. Chamberlain, though, had a vision. He transformed those auto scraps into impressive works of art.
(Photo credit: Art in New York City (left); Rosenbaum Contemporary (right))
Somewhere in the back of my mind his reinterpretation of the obvious into the extraordinary was one more catalyst that fueled my own, similar ideas.
(Photo credit: afasiaarq)
Chamberlain’s sculptures fascinate because they convey the strength and malleability of metal while capturing the viewer’s senses with bold palettes and cool shiny surfaces. These and other characteristics that can be elicited from metal are what drew me to the old Shell station sign I photographed to create Crossroads.
(Left: Old Shell station sign; Right: Crossroads, © 2021 Look Studio)
Looking through my camera viewfinder, I was immediately drawn to the silver steel shining out from under a weather-beaten surface and fragmented paint. The intersection of lines exploded as my focal point and this tired, rusty sign found new life and meaning as abstract art.
Circling back to the Guggenheim, if you are in New York, it is a must! I am a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture and the grand, yet intimate space of the museum provides a wonderful setting to experience and contemplate art. Having the opportunity to view art in such a venue so easily creates lasting experiences and memories. Chamberlain’s work is just one of many memories of exhibits I’ve enjoyed at museums throughout my life.
To comment on this post, please visit my blog on
Does art make the room or does the room make the art?
May 4, 2021
One of the most satisfying aspects of my abstract photography is seeing the transformation of my work in a home setting. A special example of this is Mabel’s Watercolor, a custom piece, which was installed at a very large scale: 9 feet wide by 6 feet high. It fills the room with color and is a wonderful memory of a dear friend who, along with his wife, had the vision to “go large”, just as he lived life.
Another transformation occurs with, Finding Gibraltar. This is a powerful image that looks completely at home in a variety of settings, including the one below. Finding Gibraltar was inspired by two girlfriends who fought cancer, one who is still with us and one who is not. To me this work represents the strength of women now and throughout history, with their ability to dig deep, to endure, to love, to give and to survive. There is a hint of the feminine in this abstract piece and the room handles that, and its strength, with grace.
Another image taken from the same object from which Finding Gibraltar was discovered is Genesis, from my Nebulae Series.
Inspired by an astronomical nebula, the series name and aesthetic conjure images of interstellar clouds of gas and dust sometimes visible in the night sky as indistinct bright patches or dark silhouettes. Genesis is simple and calm and I love how, above this bed, it resembles a mysterious evening sky making one want to curl up and dream of the heavens above.
As for our original question, “Does art make the room or does the room make the art?”, it is most definitely both. The right setting, lighting and a room’s color scheme can accentuate a piece of art, while art itself can provide a needed focal point, draw one into a room, create a mood, and become the highlight of conversation. One thing is certain, the artwork each of us selects can reveal an aspect of who we are and what we want to express.
Are you curious where Finding Gibraltar and Genesis came from? One of the things I’ve learned through macro photography is that the subject matter doesn’t always need to be pretty or attractive to create an intriguing image. Even things like this small, black tray damaged with water stains creates interest. It’s the adventure of taking an item out of context and presenting it in a new light that motivates me to keep clicking the shutter. Using this as a metaphor in life experiences, it reminds me that everything and everyone around us has value even if we can’t see it at that particular moment. In the right light, there’s a wonderful discovery to be made.
Another transformation occurs with, Finding Gibraltar. This is a powerful image that looks completely at home in a variety of settings, including the one below. Finding Gibraltar was inspired by two girlfriends who fought cancer, one who is still with us and one who is not. To me this work represents the strength of women now and throughout history, with their ability to dig deep, to endure, to love, to give and to survive. There is a hint of the feminine in this abstract piece and the room handles that, and its strength, with grace.
Another image taken from the same object from which Finding Gibraltar was discovered is Genesis, from my Nebulae Series.
Inspired by an astronomical nebula, the series name and aesthetic conjure images of interstellar clouds of gas and dust sometimes visible in the night sky as indistinct bright patches or dark silhouettes. Genesis is simple and calm and I love how, above this bed, it resembles a mysterious evening sky making one want to curl up and dream of the heavens above.
As for our original question, “Does art make the room or does the room make the art?”, it is most definitely both. The right setting, lighting and a room’s color scheme can accentuate a piece of art, while art itself can provide a needed focal point, draw one into a room, create a mood, and become the highlight of conversation. One thing is certain, the artwork each of us selects can reveal an aspect of who we are and what we want to express.
Are you curious where Finding Gibraltar and Genesis came from? One of the things I’ve learned through macro photography is that the subject matter doesn’t always need to be pretty or attractive to create an intriguing image. Even things like this small, black tray damaged with water stains creates interest. It’s the adventure of taking an item out of context and presenting it in a new light that motivates me to keep clicking the shutter. Using this as a metaphor in life experiences, it reminds me that everything and everyone around us has value even if we can’t see it at that particular moment. In the right light, there’s a wonderful discovery to be made.
To comment on this post, please visit my blog on