Poetry and Photos Part 2

These two books were created in the same year, 2018.  Gray Photography is a compilation of some of my images up to and including part of 2018, in both color and black and white. 

Raw; Verse and Visuals, was created in 2018, with new images and brand new poetry.  

2018 was a year of inner reflection and stepping out of my comfort zone, way out.  These are the darkest parts, that haunt us all.  Not necessarily depressing, just wide open and, well, raw.

This was incredibly healing for me to get all this out.  Sometimes you have to wait till the offending family members leave this world before you can come out with - everything.

Through this healing journey I was inspired to shoot all new photography, return to my first love, black and white, and created a large new body of work that has yet to be released in book form but many of the images are available on my website.  I am planning to compile the best of those images and get a book out this year (2019).

These two books are also available from right here on the blog, from the publications page. 

If you've had some ideas rolling around in your head for a book but just haven't taken that step yet, I encourage you to self publish.  It's a fast and fun way to get your creations out there - now!

I'm happy to answer any questions you have, just leave them in the comments.

Poetry and Photos Part 1

The first two books I'm going to talk about today were compilations of poetry I'd written over the years, the "best of" my endless ramblings of prose and rhyming works.

The first book I ever put together was Poetic Zen, around about 1998, before I had a computer.  I actually went to a print shop (yes, they had those then too) and had several copies made.  They sold in local bookstores and at book signing events. 

Years went by and new poems had been written.  The digital world was now accessible to me and I proceeded to create my own publications in Office Publisher, converted to PDF and uploaded to a nifty printing site (referred to as POD:  Print On Demand).  With new poems added and a new layout and cover design, I purchased them for local sales and gifts. 

Around 2006 I had this crazy title for a poem rolling around in my head;  Jesus and the Cheesecake Factory.  It never left me.  I wrote the poem but was reluctant to use it for a book title thinking it might put some folks off.  

So the next book was born;  The Afternoon of Life.  It didn't sell well but I think the title was too depressing.  I meant it as something positive, but you would have had to read the poems in it - and I don't think anyone got past the title, lol.

Finally in late 2017 through early 2018 I was on a roll, writing new and bolder poems than I ever had, revealing dark secrets about my past.  I was also shooting new photography.

So I decided to take the plunge - compile the best poems from the Afternoon of Life with the new poems and images - and finally use that title:  Jesus and the Cheesecake Factory.  

Well this bold artistic expression lead to more, and before I knew it I was a writing fiend again, spilling my emotional guts and experimenting with new images.  

That lead to book number 3 which I'll talk about about in the next post.

Poetic Zen (the second edition) and Jesus and the Cheesecake Factory are available from right here on the blog, on the Publications page (link in top bar).  Just click on any book image and it will take you to the MagCloud site for purchasing information.  These two are now available for under $10 each and digital versions are also now available for only $2.99.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the saga.

Fall Projects

Sunset on the Washington coast

 Fall is in the air!  The first couple of rainy, cool days here has me slowing down after a seemingly never ending year.

Spring and summer were full of remodeling projects and work, a nice end to summer with a visit from some of my family and a wrap up to yard work.

I am so grateful to have this life.  Have I thanked you yet?  My readers and followers?  I have met some truly wonderful people through this blog over the years.  I consider you friends and colleagues.

In the Fall as I slow down, I also find a need to simplify.  This is good for the soul.  I often take on too many projects and spread myself too thin, ever do that?  Well this year I have a better plan.

One website, one blog, one Facebook page.  I have one Instagram account and one Pinterest account as well.  

This will make my life so much easier and less stressed as I head into next year.  I already have a business and household to run, but love my side business in the creative arts.  

Although I did close my Etsy shops this year, I am still pursuing online sales for my photography and publications.  The time has come to simplify it all and have it make more sense.

As I catch my breath I am thinking about some fun but low key projects for Fall.  Since self publishing three small books last year, I now need to promote them.  I have posted them on the "Publications" page with links to purchasing, but I haven't actually taken the time to properly promote them here on the blog.  So I'll introduce them each in their own post, this way I can describe them in a little more detail.  

I know it's hard to shop online, you want to be able to pick an item up and look at it and touch it before you buy it, try it on or just see it in real life.  These posts will give you a better idea what my books are all about. And the best news is that all the prices have been lowered!  So they will make great gifts as well. 

I hope this finds you enjoying your life, till next time!

J

2018 Projects

Happy New Year!!

I hope this finds everyone rested and ready to head into the New Year, clean slate, refreshed and optimistic.

I made most of my resolutions and goal setting lists on the winter solstice, but have already added, subtracted, and tweaked them to fit into my overall plan:  Keep It Simple!

I have two little businesses and too many hobbies for one person so I have to stay organized and on track!  I support myself and need to make every dollar count, as well as my precious time.

My main business is Hood Canal Services which keeps me busy 5 mornings a week. I currently have three commercial cleaning accounts, basically I'm the janitor, plus one wonderful job where I am an off-sight caretaker for a vacation estate.

This is my favorite account because I get to do all the landscape maintenance and oversee other services and repairs.  I'd love to just do this kind of work, but alas times have changed and one must be diverse to stay self employed - so.....

What I'm adding to this business for 2018 is Landscape Design.  I am still in the program, but hope to graduate with a certificate in a few weeks.  

I want to focus on small spaces, natural landscaping and enhancing wildlife habit.  I have no idea how to advertise this or where the new clients will come from, but like everything else I have done, I'll just put it out there and see what happens.

In my Jewelry business I will continue to create large wearable art from metal and other natural materials.  I have been offering these on my website at www.jgray-design.com and they are available at the Fusions Art Gallery in Ocean Shores, WA. 

In 2018 more of the large pieces will only be available at galleries and I am planning to create some smaller more affordable pieces for the website.

I will continue to make handmade jewelry supplies for my other shop:  www.jgdsupplies.com .  This is where I hand dye 100% cotton fabrics and make them into scarves and ribbon.  I also make Mala tassels and offer other jewelry supplies there.

My hobbies are going to get really fun this year as I revisit Photography!  I have some new equipment that I want to experiment with, a film camera and a longer zoom lens.  I will still shoot with the digital as well.

I've been thinking about some black and white landscapes of our area and I might even delve back into people candids.

I've expanded my photography website so that I can offer all of the best images as prints and products.  You can visit there at http://j-gray.pixels.com .

Currently I have a few images there such as this one  from a photo shoot I did for a local gardener two years ago.

 I almost forgot to add that I am working on a new photo book and a new poetry book!  Due out later this year.  I still have the other books, listed on the Publications page here on the blog.

 The hobbies list got expanded, so I'm not sure if I can cover it all, but it includes learning how to make beeswax candles, learn how to do fermenting, and add more gardening space in the yard for vegetables.  

I bet you were wondering if I was going to work on the house this year.  Well yes, I need to install a window in the back bedroom and I'd like to install those insulation panels inside the skirting.  I can probably just afford to do the back end of the mobile first, later this summer, and then do more as funds allow.

I think that's plenty to cover in one year!

Hope you all are making plans that will keep you happy.

Messages of Hope

I am so excited to announce this new book! I pulled together artists, poets, photographers and writers to contribute their talents to this much needed publication!
Messages of Hope is now ready for purchase. All proceeds are donated to charity! So you are helping yourself and others with your purchase. This will make a great gift at any time. Available from the link below.

Messages of Hope

By J Gray in Poetry & Images

24 pages, published 12/21/2016

Messages of Hope comes at a time we most need it, for the country, for the world, for ourselves.A collection of poems, essays, art and photography by four artists.

New Book!

Hot off the press!  Poetic Zen first published in 2004, now revised with all new color images and a bonus poem!  Available in both print and digital formats on MagCloud.

Poetic Zen

By J Gray in Poetry & Images

24 pages, published 12/9/2016

Poetic Zen was first printed in 2004. Now revised in 2016 with all new color images and a bonus poem!

Blog Tune Up

The inspiration continues and the ideas are flowing!
I've been tweaking the blog today to ease navigation, organize and de-clutter!

I've added new pages:  Nature Cards and Books, and renamed others.  What used to be the Mission Statement page is now simply called About New Pioneer, and NP Styles is now About NP Styles.  

This makes it easier for newcomers and general reference.

The Nature Cards page is a big deal!  I first took the best of my recent images and created a new gallery on my artist website at Fine Art America (you can view it here ).  These images are only available as greeting cards at this time.  If you are interested in enlargements please contact me.

Then I created the new Nature Cards page on the blog (view here ) which is the full collection with several links for purchasing.

I have been with Fine Art America for almost three years and they do beautiful printing, timely shipping, and secure purchasing.

The Books page was a terrific way to get them all in one place!  I have several photo collection books available through MagCloud;  great coffee table books or gifts.  I also have my second poetry book and the Backyard Bird Sighting booklet available.  You can view that page here .

I'm gathering recent poems for a third book, coming soon, and I plan to reprint the first book from 2004 in this new format on MagCloud - so stay tuned for that!

Additionally, I have cleaned up the side bars on the blog.  The images to the left under the first house photo are all available as greeting cards and click-able to that page.

On the right side bar under recent posts I have added easy access links to the pages as well.

Other new surprises coming soon will be a Nature Kit, The Shift oracle cards, and several new ideas for quick downloadable guides!!

Whew!  What a great day for cleaning blog house.

Thanks for being here!

Poetry for the Soul

What is it about poetry that intrigues us?  Reading it, writing it, collecting it.  Fills our soul.

Poetry has been around as long as there has been speech.  There are famous poets whose words have touched us deeply, whose lines we memorize and often use for metaphors in life.

I was thinking about poetry after a conversation with a dear friend, and wondering how it might fit in with the New Pioneer blog.  Perhaps it is the slower pace of my lifestyle, the rhythmic flow of my relationship with nature.

I wonder if the lives of the masses have gotten too busy for poetry, if civilization has become too hardened by stresses and struggles to be able to appreciate the gentleness of poetry.

I have written verse and essays all my life, since I was six years old and reading Winnie the Pooh.  I especially love journaling and working things out on paper.

My first published piece was in a teachers magazine when I was around eleven, I think.  My English teacher was very supportive of my writing.

All through my teenage years I wrote poetry, mostly sorrowful and love-struck verse.  I wrote some poems for my newborn son in my late twenties.

But all in all I don't think I really took it seriously, it was always just a hobby and a much needed outlet to express myself.

Now in my midlife, I find myself returning to it.  Reading it, writing it, seeing it in my landscape.

Through a bizarre set of circumstances recently, (there are no accidents!), I was lead to read some of Mary Oliver's work, and I am surprised I never read her work before.  Divine!  It's all about nature.

I never thought about including my endless relationships with wildlife in my poetry - what a gift!

So I'm thinking from time to time I will include a poem or two here on New Pioneer and perhaps an accompanying photo -if the wildlife will stop long enough for a pose or two.

Meanwhile I will close this post with one I just wrote last week.  Untitled as yet.

The birds

welcome me

into their

sacred space

If I will

but be

like them

Gentle and peaceful

at one with all

Unsuspecting

and grateful

Friends

with the earth

and sky

Rejoicing

in the mystery

of that

which they call

home

Self Publishing

With the affordable availability to create publications online, I have been inspired to create my second book of poems.  I'm using MagCloud and am amazed at how easy it is to use!

Just like my Backyard Bird Sighting template I created in Publisher, I converted it to a PDF and then uploaded it to their site.  I can review it before saving and ordering.

OK, enough about them.  This second collection of poems were written over the last six years, except two of them are from the first book (Poetic Zen);  Return to the Sea, which I think I wrote over twenty years ago, and Outta This World which I wrote in the early 2000's.  It took best of show in literary works at the local fair.

I have also included some of my favorite photographs.

It's a small book, 8.5 x 5.5, great for the coffee table, perfect bound, with full color images, 28 pages.

I have been wanting to put out a second collection for years, since my first book came out in 2004, but time and events and life seem to get in the way.

Eventually things worked out and I see the perfection in it all.  I needed this time to not only write more, but to find a theme.  Well, middle age has brought some interesting insights, so I thought I would call it The Afternoon of Life, which I actually got from watching Wayne Dyer's movie The Shift.  He talks about some of the spiritual changes we go through at this time.

If you're not a fan of poetry then this might not interest you - but for those of us who often stare at trees, mystified by their beauty and try to put that into words - this is for you.

Very affordable as a hard copy at $9.95 at MagCloud (plus shipping), but also available as a digital download for only $6.

I give you The Afternoon of Life, Verse and Visuals by J Gray.

The Afternoon of Life

The Afternoon of Life is a collection of poems and images by J Gray.

I invite you to comment about poetry and how it has affected your life, or who your favorite authors are.  If you too are a poet, check out MagCloud and get your work out there!