Editors’ note: Christopher (or as I like to call him “CJA”) has provided us with another fine collection of pictures. We believe that the beholders will agree to the excellence in and of CJA’s eye.
(On some services the header image is not included–for those of you who are unfortunate that way, I include the train a second time because it should not be missed–Leila)
Saragun Springs 
Clever images and that one of the apple reminded me of my story The Black Banana – must see if I can find it?
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Hi Diane
Glad you like the pictures!
CJA
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ah! there it is https://dianemdickson.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=7924&action=edit
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Hi Diane
Thank you for the story!
Leila
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Thanks. I’ll check out your story. The apple struck me as some kind of art subject–gone bad–literally.
C
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Hi Diane
I hit the link but all I get is “sorry you are not allowed to edit” instead of going to it. Of course I am subscribed to your site so I imagine I can get in that way, but for the others I’m not sure if they are blocked the same way. Darn WP!
Leila
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That was my fault. sorry
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Hi Diana
I checked out “The Black Banana.” I love the journey of this Banana. I felt the best feeling there is for a character in a story. I cared about the banana and became invested.
The sadness of its journey–being sliced away from its mother-bunch.Terrible when the machete comes. Great images! The vividness is incredible!
The story made me think of slaves stolen across the seas. The ending really does affect a person.
It’s wonderful how you gave a living fruit/tree a voice. If they could only talk–these plants and trees. Someday I think we will be able to communicate with them and they will tell us, in no uncertain terms, that we are monsters.
Christopher
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CJA
The group is remarkable, but for me it is the train in the header–black and white make it mythic!
Leila
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Hi Leila
Thanks! Glad you’re all about the pictures! I’m fascinated with trains and railroads. I like the way they don’t use up a lot of space transporting goods.
CJA
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Greetings, Ananias!
These brilliant photos could be used as a kind of Rorschach test wherein they reveal aspects of the viewer’s personality based on what the viewer sees when looking at them, or says they see. Or if not aspects of personality, then aspects of what the person is thinking at the time, which may be related to “personality,” but is definitely not the same thing.
For some reason the apple or fruit reminds me of the one offered to Eve by Satan, but now in a completely rotten condition. Incidentally, the story about woman being created from the rib bone of man has been interpreted by feminists as being sexist and misogynist. When they say this, they forget or don’t know that the rib bone was seen by the ancient Jews who wrote the Bible as a “pure” bone because it protected the heart and lungs – so saying that woman came from man’s rib meant that she was a being made of purer stuff than man. And while she did fall for Satan’s wiles one time, it was man who was responsible for the first greedy murder (Cain and Abel).
Saint Paul said, “In my strength is my weakness,” and then he was beheaded at the behest of none other than Nero. The crucifix in your picture plays with perspective and makes the tiny gigantic, or the small large. We will all be, and have all been, nailed to our own crosses. Jesus said, “Pick up your cross and follow me.” Among other things, that meant don’t be a lazy ass who follows unjust laws whether that means to spend your life shopping or to turn your back on your sister or brother no matter who they are.
The dandelion photo with the three crosses hovering behind them makes me think of Van Gogh, especially his sunflower paintings and one of my favorite works by him, “Crows in a Wheatfield.” He painted Jesus on the cross with the face of Van Gogh as a way of saying that Jesus is part of everyone and we are part of him, because he knows what it’s like for everybody.
The train is almost like a stand-in author photo for Christopher J. Ananias because of his (your) relationship to the train and the tracks. This is a Hemingwayesque image and it could also be seen on the flipside as an image of the American eagle.
All in all, a brilliant “collage,” or series, of images all of which stand on their own and also speak to each other when placed beside one another in context. You are a cutting edge artist who knows how to incorporate the Visual into your work in a world that is largely based on the visual now (or rather the visual combined with language, written and spoken).
Great work!
Dale
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Hi Dale
It’s always great to get your perspective!
There might be something wrong with me but those Rorschach images always look monstrous to me. I wrote a short story about a schizophrenic and his experiences with the R. Test. One of those 25 copy deals that was hard to write and still not there but not a corpse either. lol.
Interesting interpretation of the apple. Yes, I could see how it could be full of sin and rotten. I like taking abstract pictures, or whatever strikes the imagination.
The Bible is a target. People think it’s cool to disparage it. I don’t think God’s too worried. Hadn’t heard that before about Adam’s rib being pure. The origin of sin. The ultimate finger pointing.
Paul. “I’m the chief of sinners.” Such an example of how dangerous a strong man can be for good or bad. What a great transformation!
Vincent Van Gogh has to be my favorite painter. I checked out the picture. Quite beautiful and haunting. Love how the crows contrast the wheat.The texture of his paintings are so thick and the colors are beyond vibrant.
Thanks on the train pic! I flipped it to black and white. I think it is a less common train, then CSX and Norfolk Southern. Those wings are cool! Sometimes, while train watching you can see some old relics riding the rails, and see a caboose once in a while.
Thanks for your great comments! And for your sharing insights and knowledge of many different artists! Truly educational.
Been finding a few Carver, D. Johnson, and Gordon Lish articles, poetry, and flash fiction on Biblioklept.org
Christopher
PS. I had a fifth picture that didn’t send, somehow. It was a little stone Buddha statue in a wooded area. Somewhere in Indiana on one of our trips. I think you would have liked it.
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CJA
I believe that painting (crows) was VVG’s last, or one of his very last. Along with sunflowers and starry night and his room and the self portraits, probably my favorite of all his. That and the one called: NIGHT CAFE.
You nailed it, it’s fashionable to trash the Bible without having read ANY of it. This is massively true EVEN IN THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, or ESPECIALLY there. Even atheists should read it. For atheists should come to know that it tops anything else as writing, and everything we have now is still based on it. Even Shakespeare pales in comparison. (But there is no end to either Shakespeare or the Bible.) Hemingway could not have written The Old Man and the Sea or For Whom the Bell Tolls without Shakespeare and the Bible (or John Donne, maybe the greatest poet in English since Shakespeare). (Milton, Wordsworth, and Keats are the other 3 contenders.)
Your Rorschach story sounds awesome. Glad to hear it isn’t a corpse! Can’t wait to read it when it’s ready. One of these days Stephen King will awaken to realize that one of his heirs is in Indiana. Except better at short stories than he is (that’s where Raymond Carver and Anton Chekhov come in!).
D
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DWB
I checked out “Night Cafe.” Vincent’s use of yellow is so bright and alive! Even so he captures the dark evening life. I like the billiards table. The slouching man is perfect. Like he is gathering up his problems in his slouching arms. Things that can’t be drunk away.
Yes the scribes and the pharisee of academia are a cynical and provincial bunch. You’re right. The Bible has everything to offer, and to hear its influence on these great writers is totally cool and as it should be. It has the best stories and most powerful writing ever accomplished. Godly.
How little people know of it speaks volumes of literal ignorance at every level. But still they mock. I don’t want to be that person. I’m in enough hot water as it is.
Thanks so much! I appreciate the support and kind words. it would be amazing if Steve read something of mine, or maybe a little scary. He’s a frightening guy.
I just finished “An Honest Thief” by Dostoevsky. Strong and pitiful words about a poor old drunken man.
CJA
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