Tag: Beautiful

2025 New Beginnings

I have chosen themes to drive my aspirations for the year in recent years. One of my aspirations this year is to learn more about paintings.

In recent years, I’ve been fortunate enough to immerse myself in some of the most stunning artwork the world has to offer. Each piece captivates and inspires me, yet I often find myself puzzled. What exactly elevates Van Gogh’s iconic sunflowers above my son’s colorful creations (see below)? The mystery of art continues to intrigue me!

Priceless

In my inform my appreciation for art, I recently picked up a daily art calendar. My aim is to carve out a little time each day to observe and learn something new about the world of creativity.

Kicking off this artistic journey, I’m excited to share the January 1 selection: The Oy Valley, a piece by Alexej von Jawlensky from 1912. What grabbed my attention first were the vivid pastel colors. Although it beautifully captures a valley in Germany, it instantly transported me back to a hike I took in the breathtaking landscapes of Scotland (see below picture). It’s amazing how art can evoke such personal memories!

Puntland Hills, Scotland

Below is what ChatGPT can tell me about the painting.

Alexej von Jawlensky (1864–1941) was a key figure in the Expressionist movement, known for his use of vivid colors and spiritualized abstraction. The Oy Valley, painted in 1912, reflects Jawlensky’s fascination with landscapes as a means of expressing inner emotions rather than replicating nature.

This particular painting is characterized by:

1. Dynamic Composition: The scene features a mountainous landscape rendered in bold, angular forms that suggest the natural contours of the valley while emphasizing emotional intensity over realism.

2. Vivid Color Palette: Jawlensky employs a spectrum of bright, saturated colors—reds, purples, greens, and blues—to create a striking, almost otherworldly atmosphere. The color contrasts are meant to evoke a sense of awe and spiritual transcendence.

3. Expressionist Techniques: The brushstrokes are bold and textured, lending the painting an energetic, almost raw quality. Rather than detailed realism, Jawlensky focuses on the essence and emotional resonance of the scene.

4. Symbolic Undertones: Jawlensky believed color had a spiritual power. In this work, the interplay of light and shadow, alongside the vibrant hues, suggests a symbolic representation of the divine presence in nature.

During the period this was created, Jawlensky was closely associated with Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), an avant-garde group that sought to explore spiritual themes through modern art. This painting exemplifies his contribution to that movement and his desire to transcend the physical world through expressive art.

Day 30 Gratitude Challenge

Today is the final day of November and the gratitude challenge. I would be remiss if I didn’t spend time expressing gratitude for the most important person in my life.

Every day, I start and finish with a heart full of gratitude for my wife. She is my equal, my anchor, and my greatest ally. Her intellect, empathy, compassion, and unwavering support are at the center of my life. She is an amazing mother to our sons.

She embraces my quirks, even when I drive her a bit mad. Despite the little frustrations, I know at the end of the day, our love for each other shines through. I cherish her for exactly who she is, just as she does for me.

Day 9 – 2024 Gratitude Challenge

Have you had a moment to reflect on your day yesterday? Did you share a smile with someone? How did they respond? Take a moment to ponder these three questions and see what insights they spark.

Nature offers a variety of wonders, from beautiful sunrises to stunning sunsets and starry night skies where you can see the Milky Way. We can even appreciate the beauty in cloud formations and the surrounding landscape. It can be tempting to let the weather—something we cannot control—affect our attitudes, which is within our control. Today’s forecast calls for cloudsm rain and cool temperatures. For many, this is less than ideal. Ultimately, you have the choice to decide whether you will allow the weather or any other external factors to influence your mindset.

The challenge today is to focus on what we appreciate about nature. I have listed several examples above. What do you appreciate about nature?

A second challenge is to combine this with a previous day’s challenge. Try to complete both challenges.

Day 30 Final Day of Beautiful Things

This experiment started 30 days ago. It has been 30 days of searching for something beautiful. Today, while walking my dog along the bike trail, we saw a small white-tailed deer. It stood and stared at us before gracefully walking away. It was a moment of beauty.

Day 29 Beautiful Things

On days 1 and 2, I shared images of adorable ducklings. Today, I revisited them and was amazed by their growth and transformation over the past month.

Day 28 Beautiful Things

Life’s most beautiful moments are often the ones we least expect. During my walk today, I stumbled upon some vibrant red leaves on the ground. When I turned around, I saw this tree.

I don’t remember ever witnessing a tree in full autumn colors in the middle of August. Despite being unusual, it was truly breathtaking.

Day 27 Beautiful Things

Day 26 was an absolute whirlwind! While I didn’t get to spend as much time with my wife as I wanted to, I had some fantastic business meetings and organized a few meals with people who mean the world to me. There’s nothing quite like spending quality time with those you hold dear.

Day 26 Beautiful Things

Today might have been gloomy and rainy, but it was also a day filled with excitement! The best part was getting to pick up my wife at the airport after her work trip to North Dakota.

My wife really doesn’t like it when I post pictures of her. So, I decided to share a picture of both of us! There are so many amazing things about her. I won’t go into detail, but trust me—she’s truly something beautiful.

Day 25 Beautiful Things

If you have known me for a while, you know that I am obsessed with taking at least 10,000 steps every day. My streak is 1627 consecutive days with at least 10,000 steps, or 4 years, 5 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days. It’s an impressive achievement, and while someday it will end, for now, it is a beautiful testament to dedication and perseverance.

Enough about me. The most beautiful sight today was seeing pictures of my brother at a local county fair. Witnessing the joy of those you love is, perhaps, the most beautiful thing in the world.

Day 24 Beautiful Things

Throwback photo from a few years ago – totally unrelated to today’s adventures! Had an amazing time with friends, diving into conversations about the past, present, and future.