SURREAL (Lens Artist’s Photo Challenge #209- 23JULY2022)

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Hello Readers

Today’s photo challenge theme is surrealism, which is hosted by Tracy from Reflections of an Untidy Mind

For this challenge, I found two photos that had a surreal vibe and then I made two collages with my version of surrealism.

 

Did you know this month is my birthday? I know some of you thought it was in January – but it is my half birthday month. 

So with a fun birthday in mind, the two collages I made are “surreal” and custom for me. 🙂

Collage #1: East Coast Seasons

Collage #2: SWEETNESS IN JULY 2022

 

Thanks for checking out my images.

SURREAL ART TALK

On my bookshelf, I found the Ross book Salvador Dali and the Surrealists (2003), which is packed with a lot of art history, photos, and 21 Activities to explore surrealism.

  • One of the activities in this book is to make solar art, or rayographs, by placing items on “nature print paper” and then exposing it to light. The book has a section about how artist Man Ray (and other artists) sometimes made photographs without using a camera. They used nature print paper, or likely Kodak brand photo paper, and when the items were removed, it left various shapes (positive/negative space image). Depending on how long it is left in the light (exposed) determines how the entire paper looks.
  • Another option is to use dark-colored construction paper and place the objects on it and then let is sit in direct sunlight. 

 

SURREAL ART COLLECTOR 

 Barbara – retired teacher, art collector, awesome lady

In 2016, I interviewed Barbara and her husband. We met because of her yellow door (I was on a doorscursion that day). I have video footage from our two-hour interview and she even gave me a tour of their row-house (in the Fan Area of Richmond, VA). I still need to put something together with the video footage, but the reason I mention the interview now is because Barbara was an art collector. In her collection she had some DALI prints. Barbara had a lot of cool art but I specifically remember her telling me about the shenanigans with Dali prints and many of his sketchy business ways. Dali was money-hungry and his nickname was “Avida Dollars.” 

This article here explained a little more about Dali:

“Outside advertising, Dalí’s preferred money-making strategies revolved around printmaking. Rather than laboring for days or weeks to produce a single canvas, the artist realized that he stood to earn far more by scratching an idea into a metal plate and then authorizing the reproduction of hundreds of “original prints.”

As Dalí jovially mused on the profitability of prints, “Each morning after breakfast I like to start the day by earning twenty thousand dollars.”

SURREAL POETRY 

Another activity in the Dali Surrealism book is to write a surreal poem.

The author, Ross, suggested that one type of surrealism poem is to write with a “stream of conscious” word play  – just list what comes to your mind and do not pay attention to rhyming, length, or sense.  

Here is a three-line example of a surreal poem from the book:

The wide door of her face

The sight of precious stones 

The game of weaker as stronger 

(extract from Round by Paul Eluard)

I decided to try making my own surreal poem. 

Birthdays in January and July

Having a Fish Fry, why, Y?

Let the music play, water.

What about you? Do you feel like making a three-line surreal poem? If so, maybe add it to the comments – and  just list what comes to your mind and do not pay attention to rhyming, length, or sense.

If not – no worries. 

  • If you want to join the Lens’s Artists this week, go here
  • Next week, this challenge is hosted by Sarah of “Travel With Me” with the theme of sharing three favorite images.
  • August will start with Anne hosting “What’s Your Photography Vibe” challenge. 

 

 

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73 thoughts on “SURREAL (Lens Artist’s Photo Challenge #209- 23JULY2022)”

  1. Very cool commentary this week half-birthday girl! Loved the background on Dali especially his penchant for the almighty dollar. Who knew?! Here’s my poem … Family reunion is over, COVID struck, What a surprise…..NOT

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Happy half birthday to you Yvette. Love these surreal Pictures and love the one when you were young! So adorable. Keep having fun and check our Emojiku that went out on yesterday on Fri-Yay Funday! 💖💖💖🙏 That’s your present.. 😂😂💐💐🙏💖🥂🥂🥂🥂

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. A birthday is a special day
    Night, full of imagination and darkness
    Dark beer, red wine or Scotch Whiskey, offering a toast
    Happy Birthday, Yvette! Hope you have a real day, and a surreal day on the Antipode-Birthday in January 😉

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Hi Trent
      I am surprised you mentioned alcohol being a non-drinker
      And I am almost a non-drinker so can we change all of those beverages to what you offer for your Weekend coffee shares?
      And the birthday night

      Will involve lots of weekend sleep to make up for a little bit of a sleep debt!

      I appreciate you Trent and your fun wordplay in that comment ☀️☀️☀️

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. OK, “Dark roast coffee, herbal tea or mineral water, I offer a toast” the rest unchanged 😉 lol. For some reason, free association went from “darkness” to “dark beer” instead of “dark roast coffee” 😉
        I can appreciate weekend sleep! This was a low sleep week for me, so a bit of a deficit, though last night was OK, so I have a start. So I can see a weekend of great sleep being a birthday wish 🙂
        Anyway, Have a great birthday, whatever you do with it! And I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.

        Liked by 1 person

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        1. Hi Trent – mmmmmm
          Dark roast coffee it is!
          And we had a quiet bday dinner last night (ribeye steak mmmm) and relaxing day/night today
          And cheers to both us getting lots of sleep
          And I will be over to visit to coffee share very soon
          ☀️🙏

          Liked by 1 person

    1. Happy birthday to you too bb🎈🎈🎈💙🎈🎈🎈
      And I didn’t know much about Dali (except for his iconic pieces with clocks and dripping images) and so the interview with Barbara was interesting as she shared her experience
      ☀️🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Hi Linda – thanks for the bday greetings (we had steak and not fish – but that floating fish looked better than a flat steak)
      Hope your weekend is going well
      Be over soon
      ☀️😊🌸

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. mailbox inclines Dali defines interview
    shines brightly through trees on
    birthday double and poetry

    It rhymes but I can’t help myself, Yvette.
    Happy birthday, Yvette. Great photos and information. The moon through the trees photo is super. Love your collage as well.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Hey- I loved your surrealism word play!
      It had a banter and a flow and connected to so much
      And thanks for hosting this week and taking the time to fully read and enjoy the many posts that will come in!
      Hope you have a great day☀️😊

      Liked by 1 person

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  13. Happy half birthday, Yvette. I spotted some British looking fish and chips there. Tell me if I’m wrong! I like the idea of practising solar art. Somehow I think it will require thought and patience.

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    1. Hi Maria

      ☀️ we have done the solar art with construction paper and it is easy! The photo paper seems like it would take a little more time but I think with the right supplies this activity would be one of the easier ones even if it sounds like a challenge. 🖼

      And yes! British style fish and chips – which I think can be tough to find “good versions” of this in the States
      Many eateries offer fish and chips but only a few make it proper – and the one in the photo was just “so-so” but sure made for a a fun floating item
      ☀️🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. When I was still in high school, in photography class our teacher had us do a few projects with exposing photo paper in a similar fashion to what you describe. I haven’t thought about that technique in 50 years. Gee, it’s been that long? I’m old! 🙂
    I enjoyed reading a bit about Dali and the surrealist activity. It brought back some good memories of my days in high school photography.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Hi JohnBo- thanks for sharing that about your high school experience that related to this theme and post!
      It reminded me that one thing I love about blogging is this way many of us go down memory lane and we just never know what will connect to various past experiences
      And lucky you to get photography in high school…. things were sure different before digital and even before 35mm
      Hmmm
      Oh and the book surprised me because I bought it for middle school art activities but discovered the content and 21 activities is for adults too –
      I especially liked the poems

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. Hi Anne – I have just always had two birthdays and can’t recall how it started but my cousin and I celebrate both months together and it is tradition now – but we never go overboard – hahaha

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  23. Happy Birthday!!! That’s fun that you celebrate twice a year. You did a great job with the prompt. I love that photo of the guy running – it looks like he’s floating in the air above the street. And running in front of what I assume is a restaurant to burn off calories? Fish fry, fish fry, skip the fries and deep fried batter, dip them in rich for you yellow melted matter, a healthy heart matters!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Hi Shelley – thanks for the comment on the runner man – he is near a spice factory and a 7-11 – there is a restaurant near this corner but not the best part of town – and i think this guy was a professional athlete –
      And I agree with you on the “yellow melted butter” and just recently heard that some of the white butter sold here in the states has “water added” which is why it splashed when added to a pan? Wow – and so we do prefer the yellow Irish butter (from grass fed cows)
      Thanks for the visit
      ☀️😊💙

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Hi! You’re welcome. I’m impressed with runners who can navigate through towns to get in their exercise and photographers who risk going there to get photos too! 😉

        Yes, Kerry Gold is great and I heard that it isn’t quite as good for us as claimed, only 95% grassfed BUT still way better than other brands that add the water. 🐄🧈🥰

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        1. Shelley – are you sure you and your husband have not been doing this lifestyle longer than a few years? You sure do your research and it seems like you have a decade or more under your belt!

          I am starting a plan with “heart and soil” on august 1st and will post about it in my keto con post!
          Have a good day and thanks for coming back to reply

          Liked by 1 person

        2. LOL – we’ve done A LOT of research and trial and error on our own. I also have a dear friend that is a wellness coach for Keto.

          That sounds like a great August for you! I look forward to reading your post(s).

          Have a great day – enjoy every moment!

          Liked by 1 person

  25. Happy Birthday! Love your collages and your whole post…Dali is almost a house god at my place. Poem?
    Kom hem igen
    Öppet fönster
    Svalde nyckeln

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for checking out this post
      And I almost changed that line to – “a floating fish fry, why, Y?” But left it as is because i guess the surreal kind of poem unfolds and we need to leave it –
      Hope you have a nice Friday

      Like

      Reply

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