The extraordinary thing about the ordinary thing

I watched a video made by a staff photographer from National Geographic magazine who stressed the concept of paying attention to the ordinary things in our life.  (kind of goes against the current trend in marketing methinks) I like this concept alot, in fact I love it and have lived most of my life following it.  There is much beauty in our backyards and beneath our feet.  The late Canadian photographer, Courtney Milne, made amazingly beautiful photographs in his backyard pool.  My brother, Richard Baschak, is a master photographer who elevates frozen water droplets into wondrous images that evoke celestial objects of far away galaxies. I am a humble painter who attempts to follow in the footsteps of past and current artists that celebrate the ordinary.

Pausing to Notice

With every passing day it is becoming more apparent to me that one must live their life moment by moment, such is the preciousness of the gift of life. I know so many people that are holding on to life by a mere thread, their courageousness astounds me. I think of my sister in law Angeline Tysseland and her life with Ovarian cancer. My friend Brenda and her life with cancer. My Dad and his life with Dementia. Then there are those who have lost their partners, Carol Harrison from Winnipeg lost her husband Earl just recently. The wonderful photographer Courtney Milne is no longer with us. Do what you have to do to be happy now, just don't hurt anyone in the process. My painting of these lilies came from a small body of water just off of Highway # 85, near Madge Lake, SK.