Snapshots of East Texas

I have sooooo many pictures to share with all of you from my weekend in Nacogdoches.  But for now I will post the ones that made the cut to my photography page.  Lots more to come but for now enjoy these little gems!

Hangers in a closet at Historical Hotel Fredonia in Nacogdoches, Texas

Window sill at Historical Hotel Fredonia in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Exquisite architecture can be found at the historical Zion Hill Baptist Church in Nacogdoches, Texas.

What's not love about vintage typewriters?  This one at Old University Building in Nacogdoches, Texas.

More Vintage Typewriter love!

Spring 2012 is here early!  This photo taken in Athens, Texas.

Sign atop the Lone Star Feeds Grain Elevator in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Historical Zion Hill Baptist Church in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Old Water Tower in Nacogdoches, Texas.

A'shooting we shall go

As I mentioned earlier, I spent most of the day on Saturday shooting.  So.much.fun.  Plus I need to take advantage of the downtime and shoot for myself as things are going to pick up in late February, March, April, and May.  Yeah, it's going to be busy around here with weddings and senior pictures and blah, blah, blah!

Anyway...here's some eye candy, served up with a side of vintage --the way Ms. Ruin does it.  :D

Apothecary at the Doctor's Office at Dallas Heritage Village.

Renner School House at Dallas Heritage Village

Alphabet blocks at Blum Bros. General Store at Dallas Heritage Village

No caption needed.  ::proud::

With pictures like this...I REALLY need to start marketing my own rubber/acrylic stamps and craft paper! 

The Show Must Go On!

Why am I so captivated by buildings that lay in ruin?  I don’t have a concrete answer, I can’t make statements to appease anyone…I can only tell you what I feel about these abandoned places that I have visited and captured through my lens.

I got my start in photography while grieving.  I felt like I was carrying a graveside monument on my heart, I felt dead inside and I had shed so many tears and had so many moments of complete and sheer anguish that I couldn’t relate to anything but the dead, the forgotten, the abused and the abandoned. 

I turned to my art at that time and decided that I was going to make a canvas –I just needed a picture of an actual graveside monument to help me depict my sadness.  With camera in hand, I made my way into a beautiful cemetery on a bitter and cold January day.  If I close my eyes I can hear the crunching of the grass below me as my tennis shoes crushed the ice that blanketed the Earth.  I was alone in that large cemetery, one that went on and on –as far as the eye could see.  I was drawn to one monument and then another and another.  Many of them sat there for nearly a hundred years and longer.  I imagined how beautiful they must have been 70-80-90-100 plus years ago.  But now they were broken, faded, worn, and tattered…and to me they were still beautiful.  I put the viewfinder to my right eye and began snapping away.  I would pause and put the camera down from time to time to catch my breath and cry, but it was a different kind of crying –it was a healing sob. 

I soon started sharing my images with loved ones and they were quite amazed.  I had dabbled in photography in the past, but not to this extent.  In fact, I don’t think I have a knack for photography but through my despair I harnessed something that not only moved me, but it moved others.  And when I step foot in a cemetery or a rundown building, I’m able to “go there” –to that place where I’m still searching for tranquility, not always for myself but sometimes for others.  Some have described a lot of my images as “haunting”.  I can see why they would portray my art in that manner.  But to me they are solace, they are quietude, and they are a glimpse of hope in a place where unyielding objects have sanctioned the darkness against their own will. 

Who knew that I could inspire others when all I was trying to accomplish was peace within me?  I have not and probably will not share all of the intimate details of why I photograph the things I photograph…the headstones, the monuments, the dilapidated buildings and homes.  Rest assured that my photos speak for themselves.

With all that said, here are some images I captured over Christmas of an abandoned high school auditorium in Premont, Texas.  Row after row of unoccupied seats and boisterous objects…forgotten by so many, but center stage through these eyes.

Thanksgiving Weekend

I have so very much to be thankful for this year…my family, an abundance of friends; my health, my freedom, and my creativity just to name a few.  I don’t think I’ve ever been this thankful and this happy at this time of year --well at least not in a long time.  I think I have complicated so much for so long that I am ready to quit working myself so hard to the point of utter exhaustion that I can’t enjoy myself and the people around me.  I think there is a saying about life being too short.  I think.  We can discuss that at another time.  For now I want to say that I am thankful for you too, my blog readers from all over the world!  Thank you for inspiring me to keep creating art!  I love to hear that my work has inspired you in some way, it means so very much to this simple girl in Texas.  Well, okay, maybe not so simple!  Ha!  Thank you, thank you, my friends.  Let me share a few snapshots from my Thanksgiving Weekend with all of you...   

East Texas is beautiful this time of year, the drive is so peaceful –I love to get lost in the scenery, the vehicle moves too fast for me to snap decent pictures but trust me, I am snapping from every angle that these brown eyes will absorb and saving them in my memory.  I wish I could share all the beautiful images in my head with all of you.  How I wish. 

The Doneghue's own a significant amount of land in East Texas...I went exploring on Thanksgiving Day and snapped this photo to share with all of the followers of my photography...hope you like it too!

Huge pine trees tower over me in every direction. 

A wonderland awaits this party of one...lets lay on the ground and roll around in the beautifully colored leaves!  I admit, I did it.  :D

Peek a boo!  I spent the day after Thanksgiving in "the shop".  That's really where the boys hang out and drink beer, shoot guns, and things like that.  Yes, I had a beer or two and I even shot a gun!  But aside from that I didn't do much else on this day.  I was feeling a little sick so I just sat around and listened to music, played with the dog, and I even napped!  The air was nice and crisp and the shop doors were open so that we could enjoy the elements in the comfort of the indoors.  I don't think I've had such a lazy day in a very long time, but I sure as heck took advantage of it.  Plus it was nice not having the pressure of getting all dolled up and wearing extensive make-up.  I was content and tolerated (lol) in my yoga pants, sweatshirt and well, I did try to dress up the outfit with a scarf but I enjoyed being casual!  ::love::

I hope that your Thanksgiving was just as delightful!  Today has been busy with editing clients photos and finishing up craft projects.  I think I will close the chapter on Thanksgiving Weekend 2011 with a nice soak and then off to bed...hopefully to find sweet dreams.

Until next time...peace, love, and being thankful.