To quote Salvador Dali, “Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing." With Ancient Myths & Modern Metaphors , I've revisited various works of art from the Renaissance through the 1920's. I've recreated the original poses as closely as possible, and I've tried to remain true to the “look and feel” of each original masterpiece. The modern interpretations, however, are mine. They represent my contemporary view of the world.

Using ancient myths to dramatize contemporary issues works well for several reasons; the stories are at least vaguely familiar and, for the most part, are over-the-top with larger-than-life characters – much like the times in which we live. These stories translate well, can be quite humorous, and allow me to highlight the contradictions I see in everyday life, and the ways we look at our past, our surroundings, and our lifestyle.

We may have chosen to replace “myth” with “machine” as the symbol of everything human in the modern world – but we do so at our peril. The last time we abandoned mythology we entered that thousand year period we now know as the "Dark Ages”. Myths enlighten and can help us "see" what we really think.

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Jena Joy’s (Model Mayhem#2002602) primary focus is fine-art-nude and glamour-nude work. An exhibitionist at heart, she is very comfortable with her body and actually prefers nude work. She is completely at ease working nude with other models, both male and female, in artistic couples shoots, as well as artistic nude-in-nature or artistic nude-in-public work. She also enjoys swimwear, lingerie, and pinup - pretty much anything that makes her feel feminine and sexy interests her.

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Winter - freezing, bone-chilling, dormant, hushed...

Spring - sap rising, temperate, release, renewal...

My macro photos of springtime wildflowers were clear, colourful, competent.  But I couldn't find a pulse, a heartbeat.  They lacked that "je ne sais quoi" - the life blood, the juices, the essence - the spirit!

So I spent some time with my flowers, teasing and tweaking, cajoling and nurturing, playing with them outside the constraints of photography.  Now I could make my flowers pirouette and twirl, swing and sway, dancing their vibrant dance of rebirth.

Thus were born Springtime Swirls.  Spring - my favourite season of the year which, living in the Rockies, lasts from May through August, as it wends its way from the valleys to the Alpine meadows.

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