day 12::be still

only your surface is disturbed; in your deepness there is stillness and total tranquility. ~bryant mcgill

i wasn’t going to take any photography classes this year.

in my attempts to pare down my life – simplify – i was going instead focus on my photography 365 project and maybe looking into to shooting with my film camera a little more often.

but then kim klassen offered a new class and i just loved the class description:

my main goal is to inspire you to slow-down, look around and create photos that reflect quiet and calm…. encouraging you to take the time out of life’s busi-ness…. to simply create quiet, calming photos.

umm….hello synchronicity.

this class sounded like exactly what i needed.  and i knew from a previous class with kim how much her particular style of teaching could inspire my photography.  so i said yes.

and it’s been one of the very best decisions i could have made.

the thing about this class is that by thinking a photo through from conception to fruition, it creates within me a certain amount of calm.   but it goes so much deeper than photography.  in my still life journey, i am learning to physically be still.  to stop and rest.  make some deposits in my temporal bank account.  and perhaps even more beneficially, still life photography has taught me a lot about peace.

be still and know that i am God. ~psalm 46:10

because stillness, like still water, is also calmness.  so if you were to replace ‘still’ with ‘calm’ in the psalm, it sort of takes on a new level of meaning.  in those time when life seems to be scary and out of control, being calm and knowing God means finding peace, trusting Him.  knowing that He has everything under control.

if you ever have the opportunity to take a class with kim klassen, i highly recommend it… she shares her self and inspiration so generously.  and, as is the case with this class, in the process of creating calm and quiet in my art (photography), i can also see where it is also manifesting itself in my Art (life).

that’s what i call a good investment.

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