Ventura Highway Photograph

So much incredible beauty surrounds us! It displays itself boldly within the complexity of the universe or in the delicacy of a tiny, simple flower. It is present when a child smiles or in the colors of an evening sky. Unseen beauty is more difficult to detect. Most of us are so busy with our lives, running here and there in the pursuit of worldly concerns that we miss much of what lives around us. Even in the ordinary and mundane we can discover amazing things, if we only look. It is when we open our hearts, minds and spirit that we truly see the wonder life has to offer. I have often reflected that when we view a work by an artist, we are given opportunities to briefly peer into their heart and soul... and in a very real sense, see through their eyes. As a photographic artist of 30 years, my soul thirsts to create and to share the wonder of that creation. I want to be inspired by the sights around me, but also to conceive ideas from the unseen. These hidden “visions” translate into the feelings and emotions that direct my work. If at least one image brings joy or tranquility to someone, then I have been truly blessed beyond measure. -Lance Griffin