Commitment: the state of being emotionally impelled to do something. My commitment is to making art, loving life and doing well.

Daily Artworks... my continuing challenge for 2015: Observe and record. Record and observe. And stretch - s-t-r-e-t-c-h - myself.
What will I discover?

Friday, November 7, 2014

Landscape with Water 04 - Cliffside Erosion

Light and Shadow on Weathered Rock



Thousands of years of freeze and thaw...  
...glaciers and wind and rain reveals the texture of the rock.   

These rocks are among the oldest in the world, and people study them for what they reveal about the history of the Earth. Torngat Base Camp, Torngat Mountains National Park, northern Labrador, Canada.     



Monday, November 3, 2014

Landscape with Water 03 - Calm Water Reflections

Calm Water Reflections of Clouds and Mountains


Early Morning Quiet on the Water...  
...shows a mirror reflection of mountains and clouds.   

In a landscape as weathered as this, an hour of calm and quiet must be a rarity. Torngat Base Camp, Torngat Mountains National Park, northern Labrador, Canada.      


Sunday, November 2, 2014

Landscape with Water 02 - Hills and Sunshine

The Depth of Mountains Behind Mountains




Gradations of Tone Simulate Three Dimensions...  
...with light and shadow on the mountain side.   

Light and shadow on the mountain ridges gives depth to the scene. Torngat Base Camp, Torngat Mountains National Park, northern Labrador, Canada.      


Saturday, November 1, 2014

Landscape with Water 01 - Hills and Reflections

Mountains Rising From the Sea



Lights and Darks and Gradations of Tone...  
...mountains rising from the sea.   

Eye and mind combine to give an impression that comes from memory and imagination. Torngat Base Camp, Torngat Mountains National Park, northern Labrador, Canada.      


Monday, September 8, 2014

Torngats Sketches 8 - Sheltered Beaches

Sheltered Shoreline 


Away From the Action of Ocean Waves...  
...sheltered beaches rise gradually from sea level.   

Perfect for landing small boats, these protected beaches make for easy access to the island.

       

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Torngats Sketches 7 - Seaward Facing Cliff

Weathered and Eroded Cliff Face

Rocks Exposed to the Open Ocean...  
...wear away faster than similar rocks that are in a more sheltered location.   

The rock at the base of this cliff is shattered by frost and washed away by wave action. The rock towards the top of the cliff is more stable but eventually it will break away and fall into the ocean, too.

       

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Torngats Sketches 6 - Dome Mountains

More Hills Through The Notch


Rounded Hills Rise and Fall...  
...with more hills in between.   

Distant hills that would be hidden, like this one, are revealed in the valleys between nearby peaks.        

Friday, September 5, 2014

Torngats Sketches 5 - Shadows in the Cliffs

Lights and Shadows Show the Textures of the Rocks


As the Sun Moves...  
... the look of the cliffs changes.   

Even the reflections on the water change as the lights and shadows change on the cliff face.        


Thursday, September 4, 2014

Torngats Sketches 4 - Bird's Eye View

View from the Hill


With Height, You Can See More...  
...and more, and more.   

Standing at this elevation, you can see from sea level at St. John's Harbour clear across to the mountains on the other side of Saglek Fjord. A very nice perspective.        


Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Torngats Sketches 3 - Mountains Behind Mountains

Receding Landforms


Higher Peaks In The Distance...  
...minimize the landforms closer to the viewer.   

The height of these mountain tops dominates the nearby islands.         


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Torngats Sketches 2 - Sketching Forms

3 Dimensions into 2 Dimensions


Transcribing the Massive, Solid, Rounded, Rock Forms of the Mountains...  
...to a thin film of inked lines on paper, is a huge transition.   

The mountains of the Torngats rise above sea-level to heights of 1,000 and 2,000 feet to over 3,000 feet.  Capturing this in a drawing is impossible, and even suggesting it is tricky.           


Monday, September 1, 2014

Torngats Sketches 1 - Getting Started

New Season, New Project


Everything Starts Somewhere...  
...and these drawings may lead me somewhere, too.   

Pen and ink drawings fall somewhere between line studies, value studies and texture studies. Using the reference photos I took last month at the Torngat Base Camp, I plan to spend this month building up some sketches and drawings of the incredible terrain we encountered there.         


Sunday, August 31, 2014

Torngats 31 - See You Next Year, I Hope?

Thanks to Torngat Mountains National Park and Torngat Mountains Base Camp



It Was a Wonderful Visit...  
...and we are hoping to go back again for new adventures.   

Thank you to everyone whose efforts made this an exceptional trip. See you next year!       


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Torngats 30 - Arctic Harebells and Northern Goldenrod

Vibrant Colours in Torngat Flowers


Above the Treeline, Flowering Plants are Small and Sturdy...  
...and full of vibrant colours.   

Children play with Arctic Harebells, putting a purple blossom on their fingertips and pretending it is a thimble for play-sewing, or else that it is fancy-coloured fingernail polish. Children avoid Northern Goldenrod plants, however, calling them "bumble-bee flowers" because summer-time insects are so attracted to the dense clusters of yellow blossoms.      


Friday, August 29, 2014

Torngats 29 - Sea Caves at Big Island

   What Could Be Inside?


Rocks Wear Away at Different Rates...  
...and the action of the sea helps to hollow out caves in the cliff.   

A leisurely cruise around Big Island, sheltered on one side and open to the sea on the other, makes you want to go exploring! Who or what could we find onshore, or maybe in this cliff-face sea cave?    


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Torngats 28 - Char Drying for Pitsik

A Delicious Treat and an Efficient Method of Food Preparation  


A Whole Char is Filleted, Split to the Tail and Sliced into Bitesized Portions...  
...then hung in the sunshine and air-dried, for a tasty treat.   

Pitsik, dried fish, is a traditional food of the Inuit. Participants in the kANGIDLUASUk Student Program made a screened drying box for their pitsik and then they caught the char to put in it. Pitsik is a wholesome and nutritious snack -  or a meal in itself!    


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Torngats 27 - Students Working on a Crafts Project

Participants in the kANGIDLUASUk Student Program Learn Many Skills 


Students from Nunatsiavut and Nunavik work with Resource People...  
...and practice a wide range of outdoor and indoor activities.   

Students are working on components of a large tapestry banner to be hung at the Base Camp. The completed banner displays painting, stamping, beadwork, applique and embroidery.   


Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Torngats 26 - The Second-Oldest Rocks Found on Earth

It's Difficult to Grasp Just How Old These Rocks Really Are  


Geologists come to the Torngat Mountains Base Camp to study these rocks...  
...and learn more about the age of our planet.   

To an ordinary person, these rocks may not look very special, but to a geologist, some of the rocks in the Saglek area are highly significant. Geologists study rock processes - the weathering and erosion, melting and crystallization, compression and stretching of rock over millions of years. Being able to locate samples of the oldest rock in the world, unchanged since it was formed nearly four billion years ago, like this sample from Shuldham Island, is an important part of studying the geological history of the Earth.    



Monday, August 25, 2014

Torngats 25 - Seaweed on the Beach

Seaweed is Abundant Along the Shoreline  


Bladderwrack seaweeds are important for fish and birds...  
...and it's fun to pop the bubbles, too.   

Free-floating clumps of seaweed are common in the open water and along the shoreline in Saglek Fjord. The brown algae shelters  small organisms which are a food source for fish and birds. Humans eat it this seaweed too, it's a good source of iodine and other nutrients.  

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Torngats 24 - The Tent Grounds at Torngat Base Camp

A Colourful Community of Tents 


Many visitors and staff stay in tents...  
... at the Torngat Base Camp.   

The bright colours of the nylon and canvas tents pitched close to the beach are among the first thing visitors to the Torngat Base Camp see when they arrive by boat or by helicopter. It's a colourful welcome.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Torngats 23 - Bannock on the Beach

Baking Bannock on a Flat Rock over an Open Fire


At North Arm, open fire hearths have cooked food and fed families...  
... for hundreds of years.   

North Arm has been a gathering place going back many generations. Archaeologists have excavated ancient cooking fires and hearth pits going back hundreds or possibly thousands of years - exactly the same as ours here. With a fire made of driftwood, and some simple tools, we were soon enjoying bannock and char and tea, with good appetites. 

Friday, August 22, 2014

Torngats 22 - Longliner and Cliffs

The Robert Bradford against the Cliffs of Saglek Fjord


The boat trip into the Saglek Fjord ...  
... goes through some amazing mountain scenery.   

3,000 foot high mountain cliffs dropping to sea level, a lovely clear day and a longliner to view it all from. Who could ask for more? 
   

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Torngats 21 - Polar Bear on Shore

Polar Bear Disturbed


This polar bear was eating...  
... and wasn't happy at being disturbed.   

Polar bears are lovely to look at and dangerous to be close to.  They are strong swimmers, too, so we were lucky that this fellow decided to go inland instead of coming after us.
   




Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Torngats 20 - Saglek Fjord Rock Face

Folds and Deformations Exposed in the Cliffs   


On the boat ride up the Saglek Fjord to North Arm...  
...the height of the peaks is rivaled by the folds in the rock layers.   

The sight of mountain peaks plunging 3,000 feet to the sea on either side of the Saglek Fjord is stunning, while the awesome display of metamorphic rock processes in the cliffs adds to the drama.
   




Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Torngats 19 - South West Arm in the Morning Light

At the Head of South West Arm  


In the Early Morning Sunlight...  
...the hills are so high that the valley is still in shadow.    

The river that runs through this canyon reflects the bright sky in the depths of the shadows. It will be a while before the sun clears the crest of these peaks. 


Monday, August 18, 2014

Torngats 18 - Helicopter view through Mountain valley towards the coastline

Look Up, and Look Down, and Look Straight Ahead  


Only with a helicopter could you fly through a mountain valley...  
...with peaks above you and below you.   

A helicopter ride is an unbelievable experience. You can fly close to mountain walls, low enough to skim the water or the crest of a hill, and hold position to observe a waterfall or rock formation. Our pilot is a photographer himself and he flew us to some spectacular locations in the Torngat Mountains.
   




Sunday, August 17, 2014

Torngats 17 - Broken Fog on the Torngat Mountain coastline

Helicopter View of Fog Banks Hanging Close to the Coast 


In the Early Morning Sunshine...  
... the fog will dissipate soon.   

Coastal fog is something we usually see from sea level. Looking down on it, the fog looks like waves lapping at the shoreline. The helicopter view is remarkable.  
   




Saturday, August 16, 2014

Torngats 16 - Early Morning at Torngats Base Camp

Clear Early Morning Sky and Calm Water 


Sunrise Backdrop to Torngat Mountains Base Camp...  
... the accommodations include canvas tents, dome shelters, nylon tents and the bunkhouse.   

Staff are already preparing breakfast, while the campers are probably just waking up, to another fine day with lots of activities planned.  




Friday, August 15, 2014

Torngats 15 - A Matter of Scale

The Labrador Sea, the Mountains, an Iceberg and a Longliner 


The Robert Bradford and an Iceberg...  
...can you tell where and how far away they are, and which one is which?    

This part of the northern Labrador coastline appears so vast, it's hard to get a sense of scale on just how immense it all is.  




Thursday, August 14, 2014

Torngats 14 - Hebron Houses Restoration

Restoration of Houses in the Resettled Community of Hebron  


Family homes at Hebron are being restored...  
...or their materials are saved and used in the restoration of other buildings.    

The bricks, lumber and clapboard, even the wooden window frames of these sturdy family homes, are carefully removed, inspected and cleaned by Inuit carpenters with special training in heritage restoration carpentry. The reclaimed materials are stored in the loft of the Mission building, waiting to be re-used in the restoration work at the National Historic Site of Hebron





Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Torngats 13 - The Hebron Mission Station

Hikers Walking Up to the Resettled Community of Hebron  


The Hebron Mission Station is being maintained and restored...  
...by previous residents of the community.    

The Hebron station was first settled by Moravian missionaries from Germany in 1830. With the help of Inuit families, they built an impressive church, school, medical clinic and post office building, and they planted mission gardens. 
In 1959, the people of Hebron were required to relocate, a tragic event that has had far-reaching consequences for many Labrador Inuit. 
In the 1970's, Hebron was declared a National Historic Site, and today restoration by Inuit workers continues, with previous residents of the community conducting guided tours in the summer months.


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Torngats 12 - The Longliner Robert Bradford in Saglek Fjord

On Route to Hebron - 2   


On a calm warm morning, almost everyone in the Base Camp set out ...  
...to go by longliner for a trip along the coast to Hebron.    

The Torngat Mountains Base Camp uses two boats for excursions - the passenger vessel Inuttatik and the longliner Robert Bradford. Looking from the top deck of the Inuttatik, the Robert Bradford is silhouetted as it sails south-east towards Hebron.


Monday, August 11, 2014

Torngats 11 - Students in the Speedboat

On Route to Hebron - 1  


On a calm warm morning, the students and almost everyone else in the Base Camp set out ...  
...to go by longliner for a trip along the coast to Hebron.    

Each summer, the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada, provides a home base for students from Nunatsiavut and Nunavik participating in the kANGIDLUASUk Student Program. This program is a non-profit organisation that provides, co-ordinates, facilitates and supports experiential learning and leadership development opportunities for Inuit youth in the inter-related fields of Inuit Culture, Arctic science, and outdoor adventure.



Sunday, August 10, 2014

Torngats 10 - Waiting for the Zodiac

Leaving Rose Island   


One last group of Park visitors waits on shore...  
...for the zodiac shuttle to come back from the longliner.    

Visitors at Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada, share their excursions and their experiences with scientists, Park officials, hikers, staff, students and adventure-tourists. We are leaving Rose Island with a tangible sense of its more than 5000 years of human occupation, and how important Saglek Fjord is in understanding the human history of the Torngat Mountains. 


Saturday, August 9, 2014

Torngats 09 - Repatriation at Rose Island

Repatriation   


Interpreters tell the story of stone burials...  
...and stolen Inuit remains that were brought back to rest at Rose Island.    

In the early 1970's, the remains of 113 Inuit - 100 from Rose Island and 13 from Upernavik Island - and associated artifacts - were excavated from stone burials as part of a research project by Memorial University. It was not until 2011 that the last of these human remains were repatriated to Rose Island and ceremonially re-buried in this stone cairn.   


Friday, August 8, 2014

Torngats 08 - Ramah Chert

Ramah Chert   


A piece of Ramah Chert...  
.. a stone with an archaeological story to tell.    

Chert is a fine grained stone composed mainly of silica. Its glassy consistency makes it brittle and able to fracture with a sharp, durable edge, highly prized by makers of stone tools. In the area of Ramah Bay, there is a deposit of an especially fine type of chert, called Ramah Chert, identifiable by its clear translucency and black veining. "Archaeologists investigating Newfoundland and Labrador prehistory have identified Ramah chert amongst all of the indigenous cultures of the province. It has been used for at least 7,500 years."
   

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Torngats 07 - Bear Monitors

Bear Monitors   


Inuit guides and Park staff are trained to watch for bears...  
.. and keep the bears away from Base Camp visitors on the land.    

The Bear Monitors at the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada, are a key part of visitor safety. Polar bears and black bears roam freely and naturally through this territory, and while the Base Camp's visitors are outside camp on expeditions, the bear monitors guard against trouble. 


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Torngats 06 - Rose Island Polar Bear Bed

Polar Bears Bed Down in the Grass   


...like this large bear did here.  
Our bear monitors were alert and kept us safe.    

The Bear Monitors at the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada, are armed to guard against black bears and polars bears who roam freely on Rose Island. Here, from the crushed-down grass, we could see the size of the mother polar bear who was close by with her two cubs. 


Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Torngats 05 - Afternoon Hike to the Waterfall

For Some Perspective...   


...an Afternoon Hike to the Waterfall.  
That's the Base Camp way, way below the line of hikers.    

At the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada, one of our first activities helped us put a sense of scale and proportion to what we were experiencing. It was an afternoon hike up the hillside near the Base Camp to a beautiful mountain waterfall. We saw Harlequin ducks, River Beauty flowers and the magnificent view of the islands we'll be exploring. 


Monday, August 4, 2014

Torngats 04 - Dome, Sweet Dome

Home-Away-From-Home   


These portable fibreglass domes are insulated...  
...and yes, the solar panels provide electricity.    

We are just back from an incredible stay at the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada. 
The Base Camp houses visitors in a variety of accommodations, including these fiberglass domes, as well as large and small canvas tents, nylon tents and the bunkhouse.  Researchers, students, hikers, staff and adventure-tourists all eat together and accompany each other on day trips. It's a great community.


Sunday, August 3, 2014

Torngats 03 - Ice, Islands and Mountains

An Iceberg Making Its Way South   


Close to the Mouth of the Saglek Fjord  
- can you see the ice that's under the water?    

We are just back from an incredible stay at the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada. 
This iceberg's vibrant blue-greens are echoed in the blue-green greys of the mountains beyond. 
The Base Camp's longliner circled the iceberg for us, close, but not too close. Wonderful!


             


Saturday, August 2, 2014

Torngats 02 - Busy Saturday at Saglek Airstrip

Two Twin Otters and a Helicopter     


Passengers for Torngat Mountains Base Camp  
- coming and going.    

We are just back from an incredible stay at the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada. 
Air Labrador's Twin Otters fly passengers in and out of the Saglek air strip enroute to and from the Base Camp. Between here and there is a quick zodiac ride to the waiting longliner, a brief but scenic ocean trip, and then a welcoming lunch of soup and sandwiches to greet us at the Base Camp.             


Friday, August 1, 2014

Torngats 01 - Beat Boxing Boats at North Arm

Call and Response on the Water     


Nelson Tagoona Sets the Hills Rocking    
- with a beat box duet between our two boats.    

We are just back from an incredible stay at the Torngat Mountains Base Camp in northern Labrador, Canada. 
The mountains went straight up 2,000 and 3,000 feet from sealevel and we were so far north there were no trees. There was so much to experience!
Adding to our wonderful time there was our fellow-camper Nelson Tagoona, an Inuit throat singer and beat boxer, who kept us energized every day with his high-intensity performances. What a pleasure to watch him in action!        


Thursday, June 12, 2014

Moving Along - Day 12

Testing that same old video in yesterday's test code: trying my video again to see if it shows here: ...Crosses fingers...

***** *****

Hope it works this time! http://youtu.be/hjypaqKW7qU Now this... ...what?

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Moving Along - Day11

Testing my own video in yesterday's test code: trying my website to see if it shows here: Ah-ha! I must be on the right track!

***** *****

Hope it works this time!

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Moving Along - Day 10

Testing my own video in yesterday's test code:

***** *****

Hope it works this time!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Moving Along - Day 09

Testing a chunk of code from another blogger with a similar video problem:
******** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwszqKtKnG8 ********
(((((((( (((((((((

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Moving Along - Day 08

The same video as yesterday, but processed in Handbrake for iPad.
Will it show up when I open the blog on my iPad device?

The same video, but with its own resolution for the display properties.
Keep on trying.
***

span class='embed-youtube' style='text-align:center; display: block;'>

***

$$$$
span class='embed-youtube' style='text-align:center; display: block;'>
$$$$

...
... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjypaqKW7qU&list=UUQ0v7Ee9O9pAtzlqCtHv9JQ Posted via the direct YouTube link

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Moving Along - Day 07

A title screen test with focus zooming in and out. The 996 KB mov. file Final Cut Pro X file imported directly to Blogger. Blogger default @ 320x266 pixels. How come it's letterboxed?

This is the same file uploaded to display at 800x450 so it's 16:9. It plays adequately, but, the thumbnail image is so degraded!

The same .mov converted in Handbrake to mp4. Default settings 320x226.



The same .mov converted in Handbrake to mp4. Display settings 800x448, the original dimensions of  the converted file.






Friday, June 6, 2014

Moving Along - Day 06


Here is the same project, but saved at 960x540, and reduced from 1.6MB in the .mov file to a mere 477KB in the .mp4 file.
Above displayed at 266x320 resolution, the Blogger default.
Below is the same project, at the resolution it was exported from FCPX and Handbrake - 960x540.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Moving Along - Day 05


Five second video of two still images, a cross-dissolve transition and a music clip.
FCPX master export file .mov for web hosting 1920x1080 QT AAC @ 6.4MB.
Handbrake conversion reduced .mp4 @ 1.6MB.
Video display size changed from default 266x320 to 450x800, which is 16:9 ratio.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Moving Along - Day 04


A still photo image with transitions applied, shared out of Final Cut Pro X at 98.4MB.
Processed from .mov to .mp4 in the Handbrake converter. Compressed file size 1.4MB. Conversion took seconds!


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Moving Along - Day 03


Here's another version of the same video clip I posted yesterday and the day before.
I processed this one from .mov to .mp4 in the Handbrake converter. Compressed file size 2MB from 120MB. Let's see how this one turned out.




Monday, June 2, 2014

Moving Along - Day 02



So, here's a 1080p HD video processed in Final Cut Pro X and exported with the You Tube settings. And then I retrieved it from You Tube to place here on the blog.
The file size for the original .mov video was 120 MB, and the file size compressed to .mp4 was 1.3 MB.
I wonder what it looks like?



Sunday, June 1, 2014

Moving Along - Day 01


This month I am working on video, and I am using this blog as a testing area for video experiments and tests and trying out tricks and techniques.

So far: Blogger tells me: 
1.  "There was an upload error."




2. "We are sorry but there was an error uploading your video."

And I respond:
3. "This is a part of my learning curve."  and 
4. Better luck tomorrow."





Saturday, May 31, 2014

Everything Looks Different at Night - Day 31

"Daylight" at Dusk - Moon Through Trees    


Time Exposure of the Moon Through Trees    
- turns the evening into "daylight."    

A 20 second time exposure with low ISO and medium f-stop delivers enough light to the camera sensor to make dusk appear to be daylight, and turns the moon into a softly glowing sun.      


Friday, May 30, 2014

Everything Looks Different at Night - Day 30

Streetlights Through Sheer Fabric    


Lights from the Parking Lot   
- make interference patterns through the sheer curtains at the window.    

Interference patterns are fascinating to look at - they appear very different if you focus on the sheer curtain fabric or if you focus on the lights in the distance. In the dark, they show a prismatic color effect as well as the splitting of the rays of light from the intense lights behind the curtain.      
         

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Everything Looks Different at Night - Day 29

A Porch, a Deck Chair and a Flashlight    


Light-Painting a Deck Chair on the Porch   
- makes a dramatic play of highlights and shadows.    

There is no direct light on the deck chair, and this photograph was lit entirely with the moving beam of a flashlight. Dark shadows are most well-defined where the light from the flashlight went back over the same area more than once, which is also where the highlights on the porch wall and the detail in the chair are best depicted, too.     
         

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Everything Looks Different at Night - Day 28

Grapes, a Glass Bowl and a Flashlight    


Light-Painting a Glass Bowlful  of Grapes   
- makes a dramatic play of highlights and shadows.    

At night, with no direct light on the bowl of grapes except the flashlight beam, the camera is able to create an image which is a record of where the light has traveled while the shutter was open. And the grapes are isolated and spotlighted in the scene.  
         

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