S W O O N D: zena vision

5.27.2008

zena vision

This sweet, resilient parrot tulip is the last of the hangers-on from the wild bunch of flowers I received for Mother's Day. Its feathered, ripple-edged petals remind me of a fiery flamenco dancer's costume - they also bring to mind the flow and movement of Zena Holloway's underwater spectacles.

Holloway's images are striking, instinctive, driven by a deep (pun acknowledged) understanding of her medium. Holloway has been diving since she was a child. Completely self taught, she delivers the remarkable: combining the highly technical aspects of underwater photography with superb creative direction. Treat yourself to more of Holloway's glorious visions here.

Zena, we - the humble tulip and I - bow to your prowess.

:d:m; underwater images © zena holloway 2007

the world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.

- w. b. yeats

sounds travel through space long after their wave patterns have ceased to be detectable by the human ear: some cut right through the ionosphere and barrel on out into the cosmic heartland, while others bounce around, eventually being absorbed into the vibratory fields of earthly barriers, but in neither case does the energy succumb; it goes on forever - which is why we, each of us, should take pains to make sweet notes.

- tom robbins

the same dream returned each night until i dared not to go to sleep and grew quite ill. i dreamed i had a child, and even in the dream i saw it was my life, and it was an idiot, and i ran away. but it always crept onto my lap again, clutched at my clothes. until i thought, if i could kiss it, whatever in it was my own, perhaps i could sleep. and i bent to its broken face, and it was horrible . . . but i kissed it. i think one must finally take one's life in one's arms.

- arthur miller, after the fall

YIN AND JUNG

who looks outside, dreams;

who looks inside, awakes.

everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.

when we must deal with problems, we instinctively resist trying the way that leads through obscurity and darkness. we wish to hear only of unequivocal results, and completely forget that these results can only be brought about when we have ventured into and emerged again from the darkness. but to penetrate the darkness we must summon all the powers of enlightenment that consciousness can offer.

- carl jung, the stages of life