Art in Motion
“On the Surface” is a smooth and continuous pattern that beckons for an afternoon lying lazily around a pool. I’d been doing just that, but cursed by photography, I realized a swimmer finishing a series of laps created rolling waves that made the reflections dance. So I ran to get my camera and tripod. I got a few odd looks but assured everyone I was only taking pictures of the water.
Celebrate the art of storytelling with eye-catching motion and mood-filled sounds.
Art in Motion animation in video shorts.
I love looking for metaphors in abstract photography. This series, “Art in Motion,” morphs my abstract photos into moving art with complimentary sound or music to set a mood. Taking the time to contemplate abstract art puts you in touch with your soul, the best guidance assistance you’ll ever have.
Zen Temple Animation.
“Quiet the mind and the soul will speak.”
–Buddha
“Solitude.”
In need of a Zen moment?
This Buddhist temple with floating clouds and dreamy music puts you in a “State of Zen. ” And that’s precisely the title of the instrumental piece accompanying this sacred place performed by Mandala Dreams.
Drift off to a place where you imagine a gong sound reverberating into the distant hills. A light rain softly patters in the distance, and you feel all your worries being muted. All that matters is this moment. This one, beautiful, quiet moment.
“Solitude” has the ability to lull you into a meditative state. And as a wall art print, it can be ready at a moment’s notice in your home when you need some zen: Impressionist Photography gallery.
Relaxing snow animated.
“It takes a snowflake two hours to fall from cloud to earth. Can’t you just see it’s slow, peaceful descent?”
–Amy Krouse Rosenthal
“Slow Motion.”
That gentle motion of snow where the winds have lifted and the world is a pristine clean slate of white.
In the comfort of your warm surroundings, venture out into winter. While you slept, a strong storm blew through the night, transforming this pine forest. Now you look out at a cloaked, quiet painting with the slow motion of snow falling.
Relax with the soft acoustic music of “And Then Stillness,” by Mabelle Jonsson. The combination of animation and music harmonize to give this peaceful winter scene a touch of magic. Will you be tempted to stick out your tongue to catch a few flakes on your tongue? I won’t say anything.
“Slow Motion” can transform you into a meditative state. And as a wall art print, this impressionism snow art can be ready at a moment’s notice in your home when you need a little magic: Impressionist Photography gallery.
Street Art Animation.
“But feelings can’t be ignored, no matter how unjust or ungrateful they seem.”
—Anne Frank
“Hidden Below the Surface.”
Leave it to street art to shout this philosophical message of disintegration from the street corner.
When a significant shift or tragedy strikes, while it seems overwhelming at the time, we are at the most critical moment for growth. Our previous sense of self has been swept away, like peeling paint in the breeze. And we want to yell, “Stop!”
There’s so much emotion hidden under the surface. This abstract photo serves as a metaphor for this time of disintegration. Use this as a positive sign to slow down your racing thoughts. Let the past blow away. See which pieces you want to keep and which are best to let go. This animation gets a dreamy moment of contemplation from electronica music of “Floating, floating” by August Wilhemsson.
Words are so powerful. The term “Stop” conjures up a protest, a boundary, and a time for a change.
“Hidden Below the Surface” is a good representation of the wall art prints in my Wabi Sabi Photography gallery called “Incomplete.” Consider this a great way to say, “but I am complete; I’m just a work in progress.” So take a look at the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. We all are a little of each. And that’s what makes us unique.
Ocean pier animation.
“That’s one of the peculiar things about bad moods – we often fool ourselves and create misery by telling ourselves things that simply are not true.”
— David D. Burns
“Ghost Thoughts”
What are ghost thoughts? Perhaps they are thoughts of remembered conversations that creep up on you when you least expect it and change your mood. Or maybe something you did long ago, something you thought you’d forgotten. You become lost in regret. Or anxious. Sad. Perhaps you feel alone.
There are so many events in your life that influence who you are at this moment. Some of those are vague memories like shadows, others are sharp and difficult to recall.
While we’d rather not relive the past, we also cannot suppress the pain when it arises. Just as not every day is sunshine and happiness. Life is a contrast, and inevitably, we reflect.
This short video is an opportunity to sit back and contemplate how you feel. This pier looks ghostly, with some pillars more pronounced, and others just fading into the distance. Our experiences are just like that too.
The atmosphere seems foggy, just as you may be feeling. Realize your perception of the situation may not be clear either. The water represents emotions. Let them come up. Try to name what they are. And then move on to the next feeling, as though you are moving from column to column in this animation.
Instead of avoiding these feelings, thank them, and allow them to fade into the background. They made you who you are today. Emotions don’t control us unless we allow them to. This is your opportunity to grow stronger in that regard.
I enjoy a style of photography called Intentional Camera Motion. The result of intentional movement with a long exposure is an impressionistic image. Given that there wasn’t much color in the original photo since this was shot late in the day, I chose to process this as a Black and White Abstract image. This allows the eye to see more of the contrast in shadows and light. During the animation, I added in streams of light to counter the dark, and motion of the water under the pier. The music is electro music called Anamorph by Engimatic which is ponderous and moody. Just like this photo.
Wishing you peace as you discover more about yourself.
Seasons that move you.
Animated American Flag.
Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can sset upon the freedom of my mind.”
–Virginia Woolf
“Freedom to Believe”
Our country has proud roots representing independence, freedom, and opportunity.
But there are times we are tested. And things start to feel a bit bleak. Yet, cycles come and go. Difficult times pass.
In our beginnings, we had lots of tests. Then, as we mature, we are thrown curveballs. And then we have the years of abundance and calm.
I saw a reflection moving in a building’s window. Then, picked up by a breeze, the flag waved and created patterns. And as I moved around, the stripes shifted into an abstract image.
In adding some motion to this still photo, I wanted to create that feeling of light and dark, of good and challenging times. The ripples of light create that fluttering of the fabric in the wind.
The valor of “One Land, One Heart” by Brightarm Orchestra adds to the mood with hopeful patriotism.
Enjoy this Art in Motion, and check out the fine art print in the Reflections in Photography gallery.
Relaxing pool water ripples.
“People are just as happy as they make their minds to be.”
–Abraham Lincoln
“On the Surface.”
What says “relaxation” more than an afternoon at the swimming pool?
Watch these mesmerizing patterns of lines and curves bouncing on the surface. Observe your feelings of overwhelm fading with this gentle motion.
Did you know that observing abstract art like this gives your brain benefits? You’re stimulating the creation of new neural pathways. Engaging in activities that increase your feelings of happiness increases activity in the left prefrontal cortex of your brain. That’s the area connected to positivity. Increasing your neural plasticity means you’re flexing your brain, so it’s easier for you to replicate even more feelings of happiness in the future.
Instead of running on autopilot and recycling old thoughts, develop a new habit or practice to reinforce a more positive outlook. How about observing abstract art?
Did you know that your brain cannot distinguish between something real or imagined? So imagine that you are at the pool, having a chill time. Your stresses have melted. Time pressure has melted. Your thoughts are vivid and pleasing. And when you feel that way, focus on something you’d like to achieve. Something meaningful. Let that feel-good emotion fuel more brain connections in that prefrontal cortex.
Abstract art gives you the queue to quiet your mind.
Can you hand me the sunscreen lotion?
Animated autumn.
“If you are always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one you’re in?”
–Nanette Mathews
Whoa! watch out for the curve ahead.
This is truly motion in art. First, as a photo, there’s the motion of taillights rushing around the corner. That driver was in such a rush. Did they even enjoy the gorgeous fall leaves?
It’s time to pull over. Let your eyes fixate on the mesmerizing motion of falling maple and birch leaves. This is the season to slow down.
As accomplished drivers know, slowing down before you enter a curve gives you more control of the situation. Braking in the curve to slow down is difficult and can cause a skid. If you are in more control of a situation, your confidence increases. Your fear and anxiety are reduced. Such life lessons from a photo!
This fun autumn photo in my Abstract Landscape Photography gallery is set to motion with gentle leaves falling. And the hopeful and romantic piano music “Common” by Vincent & A Secret really sets the perfect tone.
Fall aspen animation with an impressionist touch.
“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”
–William Faulkner
Standing amongst aspens with a soft breeze blowing, I imagine the grove politely clapping on this warm autumn day. Their gentle applause is as much a part of their character as their ghostly white bark or glowing golden fall color.
Here’s a nod to the famous Impressionist artist George Seurat. He developed the technique of pointillism, which uses tiny dots of color placed close but not touching. The colors fuse to form a picture. Impressionists did not look to recreate what they saw before them. Instead, they diffused the subject, included the natural light and weather of the day, and created works radically different from traditional paintings.
As an abstract photographer, I encourage you to let your eye wander on the possibilities. I’ve blended a world of softness into this aspen scene to give you a feeling of what a fall day would be like. It’s not an exacting photo. There’s room for your perceptions. Perhaps the appeal of impressionism lies in the name: evoking a sense of a particular moment in time that is fleeting.
Adding some sound and animation to lend the effect of falling leaves sets the mood of gratitude for these little moments.
Enjoy this treat from nature. If this aesthetic appeals to your senses, take a look at Photography Impressionism for other calming images.
Holidays brought to life.
Halloween animation.
“Where there is no imagination there is no horror.”
– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
What could be more haunting than a cemetery with bats flying overhead to tell the story of Halloween?
Though we don’t talk about it openly, death is one of our oldest curiosities as humans. And while we might be curious about the macabre, we prefer things to make sense to us. Halloween gives us a bit of control over exposing ourselves to what seems scary. On Halloween, we know there will be frights. But we can manage through them. It is a lot of fun, just like this video.
To create this photo, I layered multiple images of a pioneer cemetery together to get a ghostly effect of a graveyard. This style is representative of impressionism. You can find this photo available for print in the “Black and White Abstract Images” gallery on my site.
Then I invited a cauldron of bats to fly over this haunting scene to set this into Art in Motion. The finale was adding a suspenseful tune by Experia to creep you out!
Creepy Halloween video.
“We do not fear the unknown. We fear what we project onto the unknown.”
–Teal Swan
Want creepy for Halloween? How about going back in time to a real ghost town?
Let’s flirt with disaster! But thank goodness, we can stop the video at any time. That’s what is fun about Halloween. We put our fear to the test. But remember, this is only a test. Regular programming will resume shortly.
Welcome to my vision of a creepy version of Bodie Ghost Town in northern California. The buildings lay in arrested decay deserted after the gold rush. A visit will give you a vision of life in the old west. While this video short is meant to be scary, those who played out their days at Bodie aren’t haunting us. Our ancestors inspire us. They remind us of what is essential. They give us a hint as to failures and successes.
But I do give you a haunting vision for fun with echoes of Hitchcock’s movie, “The Birds,” and a creepy look of an old-time movie reel. This lets us confront our fears. The music by Ethan Sloan is random and spooky, just perfect for this clip. Happy haunting!
Christmas animation nativity scene.
“And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent…”
–Taylor Caldwell
“One Night Under Starlight.”
How easy it is to get caught up in the rush of the holidays and lose sight of the meaning. For that reason, I wanted to capture the spirit of Christmas. In my mind, I envisioned a nativity art scene set in the desert with Mary, Joseph, and the wise men silhouetted by the night sky.
I grew up with a beautiful nativity set that my mom set out every December. As a little girl, I played with all the animals, talked to baby Jesus, and moved the wise men through their travels. So naturally, I thought of them with my idea. Two years ago, I asked my mom if I could borrow the cast for a day or two.
And crazy enough, we traveled about four hours to the border of Arizona and California to the Imperial Sand Dunes to create the scene. For more of the story, and the little scares along the way, take a look at this journal post. I was ultimately pleased with the photo, and then this year, decided I’d like to put this scene in motion. Enjoy the twinkling stars and peaceful guitar rendition of “Silent Night” by Julyan Brynn as you contemplate the true spirit of Christmas.
Neon Night animation scene.
“When I look at the northern lights … I see our ancestors dancing around a sacred fire, lighting the way for us when it’s time for us to cross over from this physical world and join them.”–Molly Larkin
“Neon Night.”
Christmas lights shimmering over slowly moving water sets the tone for the gentle flickering dance of the Aurora Borealis. Let your cares simply float away as you watch the stars stir in the water. Enjoy this magical neon world with laid-back, ambient electronica music aptly named “Sleep Online” by Barbatula.