Team Townsend Shining Bright in 2017

Organic Apple Orchard- Elgin, Nevada

Team Townsend is a creative lot.  With each of us there is a definite creative bent that is both diverse and obvious. I am very blessed and thankful for this creativity in our lives.  I love my grown children and am so proud of the adults they have become.  I can't wait to see the talents that my growing number of grandchildren will develop.


Now, as for myself,  I'm an artist in the drawing, painting sense.  I have always loved to create art but denied that part of my being for almost 30 years.  I had pushed it so far down inside of me with busyness and responsibilities that I had almost forgotten how to create but with discipline and resolve I have resurrected that joy in my life and have a studio full of artwork, hang in multiple galleries and am just starting to enjoy small steady sales.  You can check out my website at JulieTownsendStudio.com.  I'm also have Ebay and Etsy stores that feature my work along with Instagram.

Butterfly on Orange Bells - my backyard

Wild Stallion- Near Goldfield, Nevada

My husband and I really don't know that much about photography and we own a camera that is pretty near the bottom of the camera ladder.  It's a  Canon Rebel EOS T2i,  but I can say that we have a lot of fun pretending to know what we are doing.  We even invested in a pretty good zoom lens (a Sigma 150-600mm)  Now when we hook that bad boy up to our camera body I'm pretty sure that to the casual observer we look like we might just know what we are doing.

We do occasional luck out and take some shots that I think are very worthy of being considered art and these three photos I have just recently added to my Ebay store to see just how they do there.

Let me introduce you to some other members of "Team Townsend".  Our oldest son Jared has his PhD in Molecular Biology so he is a classic brainiac, but he is also an excellent writer and can hold his own in the art department.  I have seen some of his sketches, and they are impressive.  He just hasn't decided that he has the time to really develop that in his life I guess.

Our youngest son, Jon is very artistic, a talented welder and is extremely mechanical.  Just like his dad he can tear apart nearly anything with confidence and just has an uncanny ability to understand how it works.  I will be sharing more of their creative contributions hopefully in the near future here on this blog.

But today it is our 2nd son, Jason that I am focusing on. God has blessed this boy with some real artistic talent.  First, he is musically talented and can play a number of instruments and all by ear.  I'm always in amazement when I hear him play the piano or his guitar. Where did that come from?  None of us even realized his abilities until he was high school.  Of course growing up I could never get him to sit still for more than 2 minutes at a time.

Secondly, he is a very talented photographer.  He is what you would call a true professional.  He has studied his craft and produces amazing shots.  His main focus is on portraits and weddings but he sure takes some great photos of my two adorable grandchildren. He gets a great deal of practice on those action shots keeping up with those two boys.  Check out his website at Jason Townsend Photography

Here are just a few of my favorite photos that he has recently taken:




I know this is my grandsons but this composition is SO MUCH MORE than just another family photo.  There is a strong emotion, innocence and stirring of childhood memories that will impact many.  If this doesn't say "Merry Christmas" I don't know what does.

This photo was taken just in the past week after the Albany Georgia area was affected by a strong storm cell which included a tornado touch down.  My son helped his neighbors with clean up efforts but had time to snap this very powerful picture.

What can I say about this amazing photo except, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:  Matthew 7:7 (KJV)

The world is full of endless possibilities when you are just a child.  These two look as if they are looking to a bright future.  Lord Bless the United States of America and make her strong again.  Heal and revive us so that once again our children and grandchildren have a bright future to grow up in. That is the prayer of my heart.  Amen!

 

Shake Off Those Cobwebs

For some of us that is easier said then done. Some days it seems there maybe no light at the end of this tunnel. I do know one thing, in my case I had better bring out the heavy duty industrial grade respirator and grab the full hazmat gear because those cobwebs have become tightly wound and are deeply entrenched in my being, making the creative process a difficult challenge for me.  I chalk it up to the almost 30 years of working a stressful accounting job full of doldrums, boring repetition and mental exhaustion.  This kind of work has pushed the creative brain function far into the dark corners of my mind until I have all but forgotten it even existed in the first place.

If you can relate, I have GOOD NEWS!  Just like starting an exercise program is slow going at first, the progress in your creative muscle is the same. With discipline and continued use, the creativeness that was there in your youth can once again be a part of your daily life.

I believe you just have to jump in all the way.  It is important for your health and well being to allow creativeness to have full reign in your life.  Creating relieves stress, brings balance to a cluttered mind, lifts your spirits, and enhances those relationships that are so important to us.  Our Heavenly Father has made us each creative in our own way and by letting that creativity flow can be a true avenue of worship.

Now I have always been artistic but never thought of myself to be very creative and I think there is a difference.  I might be able to grab a paint brush or a pencil and create a piece of art but when it comes to decorating my home or coming up with fun craft projects for my grandchildren, frankly, I stink!  

The purpose of me writing this blog is to help keep me focused  by documenting my creative process as I work out the best "Exercise" program for myself and any other creative weakling out there that want to join with me.  My house if far from a showcase for a home magazine spread.  I've never been that great at dealing with the clutter or the dust.

I'm hoping in the future to enlist the help of my adorable grandchildren, my amazing son's, daughter and beautiful daughter-in-laws in this journey.  Kind of a "TEAM TOWNSEND" effort if you would.  I welcome you to follow along with me on this journey that will be full of laughter, sweat and I'm sure a few tears.