Ushering in a new World Tour era - in Welcome, Louisiana

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The World is only as large or as small as we want it to be - 'tis a lasting premise of the World Tour, which began in July 2011.  After visiting over twenty enchanting locales all over the world (all conveniently located within Louisiana), the State of My World proved to be much larger than I ever envisioned.  I have had the good fortune to share my experiences with others through my blog, photo exhibitions and in performance with my one woman show, Louisiana: The State of My World, which was most recently produced in Hammond, Louisiana (once part of the British Territory of West Florida). To accompany the performance and to bookend the last 5 years of my ever-changing, never-changing, life-changing World Tour, I created the World Tour songbook featuring photographs and lyrics to 7 of my World Tour adventure tunes.  You can peruse/purchase on blurb.com or  wait for the State of My World tour bus to arrive in your hometown (teehee) as I am currently retooling the performance piece and will soon be searching for exciting new venues to share my world.

But alas, for every ending there is a  beginning so in 2016 - it is time to begin anew.  I am embarking on a new World Tour expedition!  I'll explore familiar areas but with a new angle - said angle will be revealed once I actually go somewhere - but for now I thought it apropos to welcome in this new endeavor by visiting Welcome, LA.

Welcome, Louisiana

Welcome is located on the West Bank of the Mighty Mississippi. As per World Tour protocol, one of my favorite parts of my trip to Welcome was the journey itself. I was stuck in swampy traffic for an hour, but I took the opportunity to write a song that I'd been meaning to write and the sights were a delight.

Waiting for Traffic

Crawfish Season! 

In Welcome I discovered fields of sugar cane, wildflowers and long endless roads.

Sugar Cane

Wildflowers

Long Endless Road

The Inner Geographer in me noted that Rome(ville) was just across the river from Welcome, so off I went..

The Bridge to Rome(ville)

However, the Inner Geographer in me didn't complete any postgraduate academic work so had a heck of a time trying to find Rome(ville). The tomatos really should have tipped me off..

Again, true to World Tour form, there were signs to let me know I was on the right track.

St Mary's Chapel    Convent, Louisiana

And then I found the sign:

Romeville

Roman Road

Almost perfectly framed tree

I left the area feeling quite content

and ready to start a new chapter of the World Tour, 

exploring the World we live in.

Welcome Wildflowers

Til next time....

all content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

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This & That in 2016

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 Hello. My name is Natasha and I produce a lot of nattie concepts.  I make photographs, create lumen prints and write songs and blogs about the State of My World.  I meant to do this in 2015 and that in 2014 but now its 2016 & I realize  I didn’t do any of it.  January begins my Nattie Concepts Recovery 12 Month Program.   Haha. (but true..) 

Over the past decade or so, I’ve created several one woman shows and photographic series, some I’ve cataloged, some I haven’t, so I thought 2015 would be a good time to do work on the ones I haven’t yet archived into perpetuity.   Since I didn’t get around to it then in 2015,  I think now in 2016 is even better.  (works for me) I’ve spent these first few days of 2016 cleaning  shoppe making way for new works of whatever and wherever my  world takes me.  (I feel Moscow _TN is in my future)

The World Tour songbook is in the works (7 whole songs!)  and I’m nearly finished creating the narrative that goes with “fLight”, my lumen print feather series.  There is another series/performance piece that bears some cataloging – Nattie and the Class of 2019 -   inspired by my time as a substitute teacher in the Spring of 2007 (high school) and 2008 (1^st grade).

Tic Tac NO

Revisiting the original tiny 3 ½ x 5 silver gelatin prints, I re-discovered the photos of drawings the first graders had made for me.  They were just returning to the city after Katrina and had never been in school before. But amidst the stories of the experiences & hardships they faced,  were their drawings, pictures that reflected the world around them as they saw it - pictures of flowers and butterflies and love.  It wasnt until revisiting this series that I realized these drawings weren't much different than my own lumen prints, both artworks reflecting the world as is. I began lumen printing not long after this assignment ended, and though I didn't make the connection at the time,  I'm happy to count a bunch of 6 year oids among my most inspired teachers & influences. 

Flower (handtint)

Azalea & Raindrops     Lumen Print

Butterfly (handtint)

Butterfly Ginger          Lumen Print

Oftentimes, it appears my work is varied - Lumen Prints! World Tours! Music! Betty the Bullhorn!  But in reality, the medium may change, but the expression is all the same. Sometimes it just takes me 8 or 9 years to figure it out...

I feel like there are more blogs with epiphanies in my future. (Funny that I started writing this on Jan 6th)  Of course then that probably means I won't get this cataloged until 2019, but that would probably work better anyway. haha. There will definitely be more lumen prints, more songs and world tours.  So stay tuned!

Til next time.. 

(c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

For more on Nattie & the Class of 2019 visit:

http://www.fstopmagazine.com/pastissues/41/featured-Sanchez.html 

Cats Claw - The Positives, The Negatives & The Biscuits

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I’ve always loved cat’s claw.

 A vine known in these parts more as an invasive and pesky weed  than a medicinal herb with healing properties, cat’s claw is by far one of my favorite lumen print subjects. Its claw-like tendrils never fail to fascinate me.  Even when entwined with every object in sight.  The prevalence of it in my world led me to start creating lumen prints from it early on. 

Cats Claw & Vine, Crescent City Illumenations

 

Oddly enough, it turns out that my actual cats claws have the same healing affect.Who woulda thunk?

Rhoda

  As many in my inner circle know, and by inner circle I mean - Facebook,  Rhoda left this world last month after a short battle with cancer. She leaves behind nearly 15 years of loving, fun and adventurous memories, tons of photos and her presence will always be felt .

She also left behind some of her cat claws.

Rhodas Claws found about the house

It dawned on me after this posthumous find, that with its regenerative properties, a cats claw makes a purrrfect lumen subject.  After all, I’m always searching for fallen flowers and leaves (and the occasional bug)  to give them new life via a lumen print. Plus I like to match.  Cats claw, the vine, is one of my favorite lumen print subjects.  Rhoda's my favorite photo subject.  Why not combine the two?

Due to claws being So Tiny (despite the scratches & scars),  and in keeping with the circumstances of this new lumen extravaganza, I decided to create a Positive from a Negative, and print these claws on film as lumen negatives.  So now the claws can appear larger than life (which is more accurate as to  how they feel). 

Rhoda Moon

Cats Claw & a Cats Claw

Biscuits & Claws

So, while Rhoda is not around to make biscuits anymore , her claws live on in a slightly less painful way.  

And I'm okay with that.  

Thanks for the inspiration, Rho.

Rest in peace. 

Me & Rho

Rhoda Sanchez

November 2000-May 2015

all content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

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Lumen Print Workshop March 21st in Covington

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On Saturday, March 21^st, in conjunction with STAA's Antiquarian exhibit celebrating 19^th photography, I’ll be conducting a Lumen Print workshop at the St. Tammany Art Association in Covington. 

Lumen Printing is one of the earliest photographic processes. Using only sunlight to imprint an image on to paper, it goes through one chemical bath to reduce light sensitivity. 

Clover, Stem & Stars
(c) N. Sanchez

There are many reasons why I love the lumen print process – the uniqueness and surprise of the final print, the colors, the nostalgic and sometimes dreamy look, the process of monitoring the sunlight itself.  Yet what I love MOST about lumen prints is – the authenticity.  It is simply an imprint of What Is. It is a record of our world.

Elephant Ear
(c) N. Sanchez

But just like in “camera photography”, where our perspectives can shape our world-view, the same holds true for lumen printing.  Creating with shapes and objects to tell a story or create a feel makes the prints become more personal.  It is both a record of the world – as is – and an expression of how we choose to see the world. 

Like with Termites.  

Tiny Termite.
(c) N. Sanchez

Or maybe it's just a purty picture on the wall.  

Camellia
(c) N. Sanchez

Either way,  Lumen Printing a fun creative process with limitless possibilities. 

Starry Butterfly
(c) N. Sanchez

Join me on March 21st from 11-3pm  to explore those possibilities and welcome in the Spring - a great season for lumen printing! (We'll also discuss the effect of the seasons on lumen printing, among other things like paper types, emulsions, sunny days, cloudy days, and more..)  This workshop is open to the public. All materials will be provided,  though participants are encouraged to bring personal items of their own if they wish.  

To register, click the link below to download the registration form:

http://www.sttammanyartassociation.org/education-adult.html

Lumen Print Workshop

Instructor: Natasha Sanchez

March 21st, 2015

11-3pm

St. Tammany Art Association

320 N. Columbia

Covington, LA

For more of my lumen prints, including fLight -my latest series of feathers, 

visit my online galleries:

www.nattie-concepts.com/portfolio_-_lumens

Happy Almost Spring!

all content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

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Snapshots of York - in Color & B&W

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York AL is a short drive from Cuba, so I thought I’d step out in the town for a few minutes to see what it's all about.  After going through the photos, many of the images reminded me of older photos I have of another York - not the one in England – a “New” York if you will.  Thought it would be fun to compare.  

Welcome To York AL

Central Park NYC

As it was late in the day when I arrived, the streets of York were buzzing with activity, much like its northern counterpart.  

Downtown York AL

Carnegie Hall "New" York

The buildings may not be as high in York, AL as in NYC, but still, the town center was clearly defined.  

Downtown York & Lamppost

Times Square NYC

No matter where I travel, I always end up photographing churches. 

Progressive Church of Jesus Christ York AL

St Patricks Cathedral NYC

I’m really glad I took the time to visit York – it reminded me of why I am even on a World Tour.  Sometimes it’s good just to stop for a sec,  see the world from  a different angle, and realize the commonalities.  

Yellow Building, Red Light

And that’s what keeps me tourin’..

Central Park Runner NYC

Catch ya down the road...

Up Next:

Going Dutch in Zwolle LA

all content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

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About the WORLD TOUR:

The Nattie Concepts World Tour began in 2011 under the premise that the world is as large or as small as you want it to be. Since that time, over 20 "international" destinations have been visited in Louisiana. The 2014 World Tour began in March 2014 and aims to discover the many exotic locales of the Southeastern United States.  Follow the blog for more exciting adventures! 

Check out a preview of the Louisiana World Tour on my website
http://www.nattie-concepts.com/portfolio_-_photography/world_tour