My Photography

I now can say that my art is on display! We hung my first pieces in Johnson City, TN, at the new Mi Si Bella Salon. Hanging my art in a location such as this benefits both of us. I get exposure, and possibly a sale or two, and Krista gets free art for her walls. Mi Si Bella's web site is not yet up, but if you are a Facebooker, check her fan page out here. Below are some photos of the installation. Michael and Quinn came along. Truth be known, Michael did all of the manual labor.

I now am listing the photographs on Etsy. I will be adding a new one daily, today I added "What Lies Beneath" both the print and the wood block wall hanging. I just love all of these photos hung together... the grouping looks so very cool! <--Okay, surely I could have come up with a better adjective than that, oh well. Quinn likes the photos...

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Family Fun in Snowshoe, WV

This is what we did after the festival... Walked around. Took pictures. Played air guitar. Saw three deer grazing. Posed for pictures. Watched the sunset.










See more photos on our Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/talinaripper/

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Fun Fest Balloon Glow 2009

This was Michael's first Fun Fest. This turned out to be his favorite event. I must admit, I love it too. Quinn was amazed, until they started the fire blowing.... Okay, forgive me, I don't know the "proper" term in ballooning. It was loud, and Quinn did NOT like it. Even today, he saw these pictures on my computer, and he held his ears. Poor little guy. He loves to see them from a distance, or in the air, but not up close where they are too loud. Enjoy our family picks below. I haven't been able to do a "personal" post in a bit, the business has been busy. I guess that is a good thing!

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Where is Your Sense of Humor?

Okay, I figure some of you on facebook will recognize this web site, http://www.faceinhole.com/ It is terribly addicting, especially if you love photos! You can put your face, or any one's face you have a photo of, onto any body in any scenario, without having to spend hours in photoshop! It is a time waster for sure, but so much fun! My favorite thus far, Jacob as Luke Skywalker. Check it out if you have a few minutes (or hours) to spare.

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Jeffrey Stoner

My photography feature this week is a photographer that will be showing/selling his work in the gallery. He is a very talented artist! Visit his web site to see slide shows of his work. Visit his blog to hear the story behind the picture. Jeff is also on facebook and Twitter.

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I am Thankful for...

Or today, rather, PROUD OF... SETH! He has been in the newspaper on the front of the Sports Section of the Kingsport Times News once a week for the last three weeks! Yesterday, he was on the FRONT page of the paper AND on the front page of the Sports Section. He is ranked 3rd in the state for the 110m hurdles! The first photo I took at the Times-News Relays. The others I got online from http://www.tricitiessports.com/

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My Creative Jacob

Well, he is at it again... Not that he ever really stopped. It is just with this creation in particular, he kept asking, "Will you put this on Etsy?" And look at those big brown eyes and cute little freckles on his nose! How could I say no to this crocheting cutie?! It is for sale in the gallery as well, until it finds a new home. Anyone looking to purchase a 7 year old's crocheted wearable work of art? I am so proud of him for sticking to this new craft and getting better and better at it! Click on the pictures to go to the product page, read details, and see more pictures!

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Michael is "Setting Up Shop"

He has been in his studio for a week now (since we got our occupancy certificate, aka OC) getting his wood equipment cleaned up and running, organizing his tools, and even managing to design and cut some mahogany knives! He is even working on displays for my crochet chokers. I love my baby! He is such a hard worker! I have been leaving the gallery at 2, to go to my job as a nurse, and it is then he takes over the gallery and entertains Quinn. Considering the actual hours he is been in his wood shop/art studio, it is AMAZING the work he has gotten done! He took these pictures:

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Thankful for our FIRST SALE

We celebrated our first sale at Cindy Saadeh Fine Art (brick and mortar art gallery) opening week! Paul and Amber Vachon were our first official customers. We'd like to say thank you and link to their Downtown Kingsport business Appalachian Medical Massage Associates. They purchased the cutting board pictured. See more of Michael's cutting boards in the gallery located at 128 E. Market St., Downtown Kingsport, or online at http://ripperarts.etsy.com/.

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Thursday's Photo Feature

Well, I've taken a lot of pictures in the last 24 hours... Over 300 in fact! We are re-vamping or "Spring cleaning" our Etsy shop. So, here is a product pic I was very happy with. It is of a cherry cutting board Michael made. I also played with it a bit in Photoshop and made it black and white. I just love the contrast of the wood and brick.

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Friend on Flickr

Tonya and I go way back, not that we have ever met in person, but we have worked together online for years. Although, we no longer have that online co-worker relationship, I still follow her on Twitter and Flickr. I occasionally visit her web site too. Here are a few {there are so many!} of her pics I just LOVE... Check out her work! You'll be wowed for sure! I also love her digital art/scrapbooking--see last photo below...

Oh, and just click on the photo to go the the Flickr photo page! Enjoy!

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Another Favorite Picture

Candid shots are my favorite. Gosh, I haven't paid for a portrait photo/professional shoot since 2005! Anyway, this is an old photo. 2006 maybe? I'd have to find the original photo to be sure of the date. This photo was cropped square. What I CAN tell you for sure is that this was taken at sunset on Flat Rock, off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC. We hiked it last weekend, as a matter of fact, me, Michael, Aaron, Jacob, and Quinn in his backpack riding upon Michael's back. This location has special meaning to us. It is Michael's favorite hiking spot. He used to do a lot of trail running here. It was where Michael proposed to me. We have many fond and profound memories upon Flat Rock, hiking with the boys, hiking with Guinness (our dog who has passed), celebrating our anniversary, hiking and contemplating life's mysteries in difficult times. It is a gorgeous, short hike. Perfect for the boys. Okay, back to the photo... I just love the sweetness seen in Aaron and Jacob; the brotherly love this photo exhibits (rarely seen these days, let alone captured on film, lol); the warm dusk sunlight reflecting in their eyes...

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Mother and Sleeping Baby

Mother and Sleeping Baby
Originally uploaded by talina_ripperarts

Today is photography day... I dug this one out of my Flickr uploads. Michael took the picture of me and Quinn last year with my Canon Digital Rebel XT. It was night time, with crummy indoor lighting. Michael actually softened the flash by putting his hand in front of it. Everything in the photo was mis-matched: my brown blanket, purple pillowcase, Quinn's white, blue and green sleeper, green and white polka dotted blanket, crib in the background. So, I edited this color photo in Photoshop to change it to black and white. I played with my layers, blending modes and such... This was the final result. I just love, love, LOVE it!!! One of my favorite photos. Check back every Thursday for different "photo faves."

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Degrees of Separation

Vaguely familiar with Six Degrees of Separation, I had to do some reading on Wikipedia. Did you know that there is a web site http://www.sixdegrees.org/ "bringing social conscience to social networking" and a Facebook group Six Degrees? Okay, I'm getting sidetracked...

Back to my original blogging subject...

Well, I met Linda in the forums. We shared a few convos where she let me know about a treasury she created. And although there are many talented artists featured, I was struck by photography by Jared (in Kansas). Look at his art! Pictured here is my favorite, and believe me, a favorite was hard to pick. This one is titled "Morning Glory Pool." I love photography. I entered his shop curious and left inspired. Check out his shop, I am sure you'll feel the same.

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