MacKalvey House

Young American Michelle Rosemont visits England after graduation and decides to stay. She takes a job as photographer for a Historical Magazine and falls in love with Kenneth MacKalvey, an older British author with a shady past. Old families scars resurface and play havoc with Michelle and Kenneth's relationship, as she struggles to come to terms with her father's abandonment.

Buy Link: http://tinyurl.com/jkdsnyd

New Cover for the SPIKE COLLECTION by Martin Skate

Martin Skate

London, UK 

Good morning, Martin.  Welcome back to Vision and Verse, the Place for Art and Authors. We see The Spike Collection has a beautiful new cover. Congratulations!
The Spike Collection is random short stories. It was my first published book. I honestly don’t know why it has taken me this long to get something published! I gave myself a project of writing ten short stories, challenging myself to write a few varied tales, and this is the result. I began writing them in May, and was utterly thrilled to not only be published, but to learn how to publish, and experience the challenging world of ‘marketing’. 

I am so completely overwhelmed and excited by this publication that I am now in the mindset of writing a whole bunch more. I have begun writing a novel and hope to have it published in February. 

Also I am thankful for being so widely embraced in the independent author’s circle, there are so many benefits, so much love, and so much learning. Plus of course, the great reviews, the feedback, the friendships, wow, it is immense, writing has suddenly become incredibly addictive!

I'm presently reading your new book, Start Right Here. It's a delightful madcap rollercoaster ride of time travel to future London where it sometimes rains down disjoined animal parts. My readers can expect a full review, cover shot, blurb, and buy link for Start Right Here on Vision and Verse soon. 

The Spike Collection Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Spike-collection-random-short-stories-ebook/dp/B00G05WZPW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478359078&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Spike+Collection

The Art of David Hockney

David Hockney.  I had seen his paintings before and liked them, but I never associated his paintings with his name, until flipping through the channels one morning and seeing a segment on him and his work. This particular segment had to do with his new works that are done -- wait for it -- on his iPad instead of a canvas. 

Wow, what a great idea! No muss, fuss, or mess to clean up. This guy is really on to something.




This painting to the right is one of his iPad works, called Purple Calla. It is lovely in it's composition and use of color, it's attention to detail, and the fact he did it on his iPad.
I have trouble drawing a neat box or decent circle around something on the iPad with my finger or a stylus.

 David Hockney is an English painter born in 1937. He has been in his live a set designer, a draftsman, a photographer, and a printmaker. He was part of the fabulous Pop Art movement of the 1960's and is considered to be one of the most influential painters of the twentieth century.

This is my favorite David Hockney painting, A Bigger Splash, painted in 1967 the old-fashioned way, with acrylic paint on canvas with a brush. I love it's clean lines and uncluttered essence, it's highly realistic style and his vibrant use of color.  If I could have painted half this well, one quarter even, I would have stuck with my Art major and been happy as a clam. Are clams happy? How do we know?

The panel above it a copy of one of fifty canvases of trees that are part of a giant wall collection called Bigger Trees Near Water, painted in 2007 and on display at the Tate Gallery in London. It depicts the forested area where David grew up in Yorkshire, England, between Bridlington and York. 

Nothing here is my own and I claim nothing. Info from wikipedia and his artist website, hockneypicture.com where there is more information on his life and his outstanding works of art.

Interview Update with Our Favorite Hawaiian Photographer, Jason Bartimus

Hey, Jason! Welcome back to Vision and Verse. What has our favorite Hawaiian photographer  been up to lately?

I have been working slowly through a few different projects.  I have realized that my process is best when I work slowly.  Everything in me wants to do everything as fast as possible but there is always the problem of it becoming a chore. 

 I have created a few projects that have been keeping me consistent with my work, and can get me out there every weekend.  

Where do you find your inspiration? 

I am continuing to learn that inspiration is found in our limitations.  Limitations can cause some of us to find resourceful ways to make a photograph. I have had to settle with the fact that traveling isn't going to happen very often for me and all I have to work with my backyard..Hawaii. Ok, you may laugh and say that I don't have it

that hard and that this isn't a real limitation.  

However consider the fact that I have seen Oahu for 21 years and there is only so many times I can go to this beach or that hike.  Having said that I have embraced the joy of going to locations that countless others have photographed and challenging myself to create something unique.  I can’t say I always succeed but the challenge has become my inspiration.    

I have also had to come to come to grips with the fact that I won't be going on dangerous excursions to get to infrequently explored areas.  So what I am left with is the challenge of visiting high traffic photography spots and still being able to create something inspiring.  Even after I have been to the same location countless times!


Did you always see yourself as a creative individual? 

No. In fact I have always felt, that I am not creative.  Creativity implies that I have an idea...and I rarely ever have an idea for a photo. I have always thought that a truly creative person knows exactly what they want or at least good idea before they even start a project. 

 I go to a location with a blank slate, frame my shot with my favorite exposure settings and make sure I get what I need to get in focus. Even at this point the only components I am looking for are light and composition. 

Even after importing the photos I still have no idea what I want for a final product.  I cull through my raw material, find a shot that I like, and begin to edit.  As I start to edit, this is where my creative process starts to kick in. 

 Each photo will speak differently to me. I will see parts of the photo and begin to envision what I want them to look like.  It is a very fluid, slow, and free flowing process. So I have never felt creative because my creative process doesn't begin until much later in my workflow and not at the beginning.  I never start with intent, but I work through my process until discover the intent. So I had to find what being creative meant for me.

Thank you so much for stopping by and giving us an update on what you're doing. Come back anytime! Hugs.

Coming Home by Mary Jane Morgan

Coming Home

by Mary Jane Morgan

When Francie Bennett’s father is diagnosed with dementia and she discovers she’s pregnant by her cheating ex-boyfriend, she leaves college to help take care of her ailing father and have her baby.

Matt Richardson lost his father and wife to preventable accidents and will do whatever it takes to keep his daughter safe, even forbidding her life’s passion—riding horses. When his mother sneaks Chloe to a riding lesson, Matt feels like he’s lost control, and there’s nothing he hates worse.

Eventually, Matt gives in and allows Chloe to take riding lessons but only under one condition: he’s always there. Unfortunately, nothing has ever affected his feeling of being out of control worse than falling for the fiery, red-haired riding instructor whose life revolves around horses.

As her father worsens and her due date nears, Francie is determined to prove she can handle everything by herself, even if that means keeping the man she cares about at a distance. But when Francie’s life takes a dangerous turn, will she let Matt in and allow him to help her? And will the power of love be strong enough for Matt to finally overcome his deepest fears?

Buy Link:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Crystal-Springs-Homecoming-Romances-ebook/dp/B011PMAR5E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478356112&sr=1-1&keywords=Coming+Home+by+Mary+Jane+Morgan

5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful romance!!

By Kaceyok on August 8, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I am a big fan of Mary Jane Morgan's books! From Shelby's Gift (one of my favorite romances!) to this new Crystal Springs Homecoming series, I'm always enthralled by the complex plots and compelling characters, Ms. Morgan creates. Coming Home is another beautifully written story about a young woman who must discover who she is and what she wants while dealing with an unexpected pregnancy and aging parents. Add to that the flattering, but untimely, attention from the father of one of her students and the story develops into a complicated romance of two people who are meant to be together, but who must overcome multiple obstacles to find their happily ever after. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to romance lovers everywhere.

Schedule for November 7 - 11, 2016

Schedule for Nov. 7 -11, 2016

Mon., Nov. 7 - Coming Home by Mary Jane Morgan

Tues., Nov. 8 - Interview Update with Our Favorite Hawaiian 

Photographer, Jason Bartimus

Wed., Nov. 9 - The Art of David Hockney

Thurs., Nov. 10 - New Cover for The Spike Collection

by Martin Skate

Fri., Nov. 11 - MacKalvey House

by Carol Ann Kauffman