MFA Thesis Exhibition: PERSIST : Reblog

Published June 5, 2017 by Nan Mykel

What a magnificent, definitive purge!!!

For the last few months, I have been so busy preparing for the MFA visual thesis exhibition. The exhibition is, in short, the culmination of my work in Columbia’s Photo MFA program. I have spent countless hours preparing and putting up the installation of my work, and in true deo fashion I gave myself way too much to do.

Leave it to me to go into a Photo MFA program and come out as a mixed media artist. My pursuit of the question “How do I photograph trauma?” led me to this point, because I figured out that different mediums can convey different things. Photography can be a mediated experience of trauma. Installation could use more than just our sense of sight, but also smell and hearing and touch. Video, found objects, and performance all have roles to play as well, and as a result my final exhibition became a…

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Storm’s coming – A re-blog

Published June 5, 2017 by Nan Mykel

Wonderfully evocative…

Jane Dougherty Writes

For the dverse quadrille prompt. The theme is ‘storm’.

1024px-Stormy_sky_-_Ciel_orageux_-_Picture_Image_Photography_(14708110059)

Sky is hushed, still,

filled with heat haze,

days when no winds blow,

no breath of breeze,

trees hang limp-leafed, birdless,

wordless songs from the river

shiver in the restless light.

Bright sun sinks in the west—

best close the door,

for storm’s coming.

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SAFETY FOR US SURVIVORS

Published May 31, 2017 by Nan Mykel

I would like everyone to be safe, but sometimes survivors who have been abused need to be especially cautious, because of a tendency to expect abuse and not watch out for it. This may be especially true for incest survivors.

Right now, look around yourself and check that you are physically, emotionally, and interpersonally safe. If you are not safe, problem-solve. Where does the danger lie and what can you do about it? Then do it. Remember, denial is the bugaboo. Safety concerns might include birth control, protection from STDS, abuse of substances, illegal activities such as shoplifting and DUI’s, an unsafe living arrangement, acquaintances that have a toxic effect on you, impulsive behaviors–yours and theirs–frequenting unsafe places, etc.

Many survivors find themselves in unsafe relationships which they do not see as abusive because of their past. Ask yourself if you are being respected, listened to, and free of physical and emotional abuse. (Emotional abuse includes being called abusive names). All of us incest survivors were trapped in the abuse earlier, for which we were not responsible. We are responsible now if we allow ourselves to be further abused in any way.

Memotaph – Reblog

Published May 29, 2017 by Nan Mykel

I am in awe…

Born in Providence

Arm and a Leg

Illusions of safety

Attributable to income, incoming

Building walls or mending fences?

Buying organs, identities, nests

Restoration Hardware without the rest

Free People Anthro-pologies, we’re sorry

Batteries not included

Starbuck junior

If you’re hungry

They feed you the Body

You can take me to church

But the poor (of spirit of commerce) are the ones who enlist

in the battle hymn of the republickans

take a lickin’ finger lickin’ nope just dickin’ mmmm mmm that’s good!

Because we cannot afford to worship at the temple of

Saint Laurent

A spiritual experience is in the bag.

Cha Ching.

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Manchester attack: UK halts sharing bombing intel with US

Published May 25, 2017 by Nan Mykel

From CNN: Their headline

My comment: Speechless

When children are your heaviest trigger – A Re-blog

Published May 25, 2017 by Nan Mykel

Jim, have you spent much time with newborn babies? It sounds like you inner child is that beautiful, perfect baby. Certainly that still exists in you, for you to assign an alter to wet nurse, to hug and cradle you.My therapist once reminded me that I have good protoplasm. The essential you is pure and originally open and trusting. I for one never believed in original sin. I’m re-blogging. Many thanks for your insights and sharings.

Synchronicity, Anyone?

Published May 25, 2017 by Nan Mykel

One of my pages (listed on my main page) is Serendipity and Sychronicity. I’ve described two instances in my life and plan to add more. But I hope you’ll feel free to add your own personal examples. (Page contains a long Wikipedia explanation of the two). You can post what you have to say as a Comment and I’ll add it to the S & S page, if WordPress allows me.

TWO ANIMALS

Published May 22, 2017 by Nan Mykel

On a path two

interplanetary

beings meet:

human animal and

animal animal.

Is one food

for the other?

Who will move

first, and where?

Whose fear is

that in the air?

Reason has instnct

by the throat, or

Is it the other way around?

Tethered by memories

of other meetings on

other paths, the two

step cautiously by.

Ha ha!

Published May 21, 2017 by Nan Mykel

Priceless–I re-blogged

cornfedcontessa

via Father Of One Of My Kids… — A Momma’s View

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Awaiting Compost

Published May 21, 2017 by Nan Mykel

The original heading for this post was going to be “Plateau,” but then I saw that first line of my last “poem” and think it’s better. This entry will touch upon several topics, so either bear with me or go away.

PROFILE : My current (former?) profile says I’m not through growing yet. I’ve re-thought that.

When after an uncomfortable (well, some of it) thousand-mile trip you finally arrive at the end of the line only to realize your ticket was for the wrong destination, what then? Is it your imagination that someone whispers “Gotcha!”?

Despite what the scientists predict, my first organ to go was my heart. It turned to stone. My last surgeon said, showing my daughter my extracted mitral valve, it was hard as a pebble from a brook. On to another, more current metaphor for me, while awaiting compost:

I am lying on a vast bed of empty ice maker cubes (remember, from the old refrigerators?) Trying to be helpful, I’m sure, someone puts such a tremendous pressure on me (steamroller?) that my body is now comprised of hundreds of cubes, almost like building blocks. Now I’m really ready to compost.

BUT WAIT JUST A F***ing MINUTE! Building blocks! Like in days of yore, before my post-partum deression at 81! Whee!