Isn’t it amazing that the land we walk upon is the same land that frames the sky with majestic mountains and leads sandy beaches to the shore? The limitations of earth are few and her mysteries are great. In fact, the simple symbolism representative of earth, downplay her complexity. Her far-reaching nature cannot be drawn in a picture, nor can it be limited to words – earth is far too awesome for that. Pictures and photographs however can come close to conveying her majesty and energy though.

Trees alongside a foggy river bank at Island Park in Geneva, IL

Our inability to capture a cohesive understanding of earth makes her subjective, allowing each individual to develop their own relationship with the mother of nature. However, one unifying quality is that she hosts all life. She gives both humans and nature stability, a network to belong to, and a place to call home.

Moss covered tree trunk at Muir Woods State Park in California

In fact, she hosts the three basic elements we’ve discussed in the previous post and breathes life into all living creatures. It is invaluable to our bodies and souls to receive oxygen from the all-encompassing element of earth. By taking in the breath of life we are also able to expel our own greatness into the world.

Tree lined rural highway in Nortrhine Westphalia, Germany

A great symbol that allows humans to call on the power of oxygen, drawing it from the earth to ourselves, and also expelling it into the world again, is the tree. The supreme natural symbol of dynamic growth, seasonal death and regeneration.

Giant Sequoia trees, the most massive trees on earth in early morning fog at the Sierra Nevada, Sequoia National Park, CA

Many trees are held to be sacred or magic in different cultures. Reverence for the power of trees goes back to primitive beliefs that gods and spirits inhabited them. As mythologies developed, the idea of a mighty tree that formed a central axis for the flow of divine energy linking the supernatural and natural worlds took symbolic shape in the Tree of Life (Arbor Vitae) or cosmic tree, rooted in the waters of the underworld and passing through earth to heaven.

Fall colored Japanese maple flanked by mature Oaks at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL

There are many ways to embrace the symbolism represented by a tree and reap its benefits daily. As you go for walks in nature, drive down a street lined with trees, or observe a photograph of trees and woods. In most every setting, the powerful presence of a tree is undeniable. And in their multiplicity, they are mesmerizing, life giving, magnificent and very energizing organisms.

Massive beech tree at the Stadtwald in Krefeld, Germany

Studying the different components of a tree allows one to understand the fullness of it in nature.

The roots grow deep into the earth; the sturdy trunk weathers all storms; the branches extend high into the sky. There are many physical aspects of a tree that one can draw power and inspiration from (i.e. seeds, roots, trunk, wood, bark, branches, leaves, canopy etc.).

The tree flanked alley entry way to a private palazzo in Tuscany, Italy

However, the bigger draw of a tree lies in its rich symbolism. Like earth, the essence of a tree is impossible to capture with words, but it can be seen in photographs if you are open to reflecting upon these 4 entities.

• Trees are grounding and expansive.
• Trees allow humans to ride on waves of energy that underscore existence as we know it. They fuel life in many ways.
• They have the ability to connect us with our true identity. Native American Indians refer to trees as “The Standing People”.
• From them, we may gain the potential to heightened sensory perception.

Single barren tree at Capitol Reef National Park, UT

How we long to achieve the growth the tree fosters in itself, the reach and rootage, the sturdiness and balance between high and low, the way it meets each season, holding its ground, spare or blooming. The tree shows us how, from a tiny, bare seed, of potential, the self can come into existence, centered and contained, around which occur incessant processes of metabolism, multiplying, perishing and self-renewal.

Bluebells in spring at lake Marmo at the Morton Arboretum In Lisle, IL

When we open our eyes to see, our minds to understand, and our hearts to accept the power that is available to us through the visual image such as a photograph, of a tree, we are able to collect all that it bears, like picking of its fruit.

Upon taking in the sweetness of these fruits, we become connected with the most precious understanding of life. For many that may be represented by the cycle of growth and death.  It puts us at one with the core of infinite wisdom and fuels our perceptions to be insightful, fresh and divine.

Soft rainfall covering the walls of a canyon at the Canyonlands National Park in Utah.

A fountain of spiritual nourishment may gush from the tree’s roots. A snake coiled at its base can represent spiraling energy drawn from the earth; birds nest in the upper branches, emblems of celestial messengers or souls. Through the Tree of Life, humanity ascends from its lower nature toward spiritual illumination, salvation or release from the cycle of being. By its very form, the tree is a symbol of evolution, its branches suggesting diversity spreading out from the trunk. Alternatively, the cosmic tree is reversed to show its roots drawing spiritual strength from the sky and spreading it outward and downward  – a favorite in Cabbalism and other forms of mysticism and magic.

Cypress trees alongside a trail at the Angeles National Forest in Southern California

As we allow these understandings to infiltrate our thoughts and actions, we are then able to expel a grand presence into the universe, increasing our reverberations and casting out positive energies that stir the world around us. This further stimulates positivity in all that we do and think, and encourages those around us to do the same.

Group of fall colored evergreen and maple trees at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL

While the tree remains to be a powerful source of wisdom and understanding offered to us by the earth, there are other aspects of earth that offer positive stimulation like this. As we continue to discuss the healing power of natural elements and surroundings, notice objects of the earth, trees especially, in a new light.

Avenue of Oaks at St. Simon's Island in GA

Take notice of how the energy from these photographs affects you, your mood, your attitude, your desires, and so on. Then let’s continue to uncover all the goodness earth has to offer.

Bridge and path in a maple forest at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL

“The Earth has a scaffold of trees and stones. A person is formed in the same way. Flesh is the earth. Bones are trees and stones.” – Hildegard von Bingen

Single tree on a hill in Kaikoura, NZ shortly before sunset

Marian Kraus Photography is a Chicago area based professional architectural photographer, multi media artist and purveyor of fine art photography who has been consistently delivering compelling architectural photography to clients ranging from architects, advertising agencies, construction companies, home builders, corporations, real estate companies and the like since 1999. Additionally, Marian Kraus Photography’ s nature and architecture fine art photographs can be found in a growing number of corporate and private art collections.

Good photography is an art. A picture taken for the purpose of art has an intrinsic value that ideally should speak to an individual and transform the setting it was chosen to beautify. This is why, when decorating your home or office space, it is important to choose a photograph that benefits everyone who experiences it.

If you are wondering how to do this or what art is ideal for you and your space, my new blog series is for you. In upcoming posts, we will discuss the healing power of art, the inescapable ability for art to inspire, and its readiness to change your life — if such a transformation is something you desire.

Fine art photography can transform your space and you

After all, would you agree that all art possesses an innate universal power? Whether art is expressed with paint or words, song or dance, photographs or movies, art has the ability to touch and heal regions of the innermost parts of a human’s heart by inspiring that individual to transition into a more evolved region of ones being.

We all face the human condition and no one is excluded from the complex challenges of life. Being tested by particular and unique life circumstances is inevitable and something to be expected; however, it is how each person handles and overcomes their own fragility that is important. This is why art, or more accurately for the purpose of our discussion, fine art photography is used as a salve and a spark – it heals before it inspires, or it inspires one to heal, causing a transformation to occur, taking the individual from who they were, to who they want to be.

It is also the reason why, as an artist, I concentrate on the healing effect that photography offers and tether it to the inspirational qualities of a photograph. I know firsthand that through healing comes inspiration and creativity and, on the other hand, from inspiration one is encouraged to heal. This wonderful cycle is sort of the transformation that many people seek, but not everyone achieves. There ought to be a personal longing for these qualities in one’s life, or art can have no positive lasting effect.

The sensual lines of a sand dune at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO

Essentially that is one of the many aspects of what the multi faceted ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui pursues. The goal of Feng Shui as practiced today is to situate the human built environment on spots with good Qi, a movable positive or negative life force which plays an essential role in Feng Shui. Images that represent the vital elements of Feng Shui are an integral part of this 3,500+ year old ancient science.

Upon realizing and employing the creative and transformative qualities of photography in my own life, I began to educate myself about the deeper symbolic and mythological meanings that are apparent in nature and which constitute essential building blocks to substantial fine art photography. In reflecting upon repetitive patterns, commonly known as the Golden Ratio, and studying symbols that find root in ancient, mythological, and archetypal images, striking similarities became apparent in my own photography. This revelation positioned me to better understand how all photography can be used as a guide and vehicle to the inspirational and expressive process of healing.

Sky with sunlit clouds in Florida

In breaking down this wealth of information into digestible segments for easier understanding, I came across four general subject matters within the natural elements of life, namely:

• Earth
• Water
• Air
• Fire

Wrapped in each element are a number of subjects or settings, images we’ve all seen and appreciate in one way or another. Each of these is representative and highly effective in releasing and conveying a universal power that can assist you in understanding, integrating and growing as an individual.

Before we move on to understanding and exploring how to apply these expressions in our personal evolution, observe your reaction to some of that exists within each of the four elements:

Do you recognize a certain attraction or contextual affinity towards some groups over others? Do you notice that you gravitate more toward one element over another? As we continue to explore the way these elements, represented through my own as well as other artist’s photography and various works of art, can inspire and bring about healing in your life, it is imperative to gauge your personal reaction and visceral response to such imagery.

Within each element, and each piece of matter that is categorized as such, photography is well suited to emphasize smaller parts of the “big picture”. When left alone, photography can be a very clean, direct and non-manipulated representation of the “seen” actual subject, and is therefore a great conduit of universal representations, conveying energy and power in an unobstructed manner. Every person can then incorporate the photographic images into their interior decoration schemes, thereby allowing the healing power to always be at work.

This is because a mountain is not just a mountain – it is a steep diagonal line that is interrupted while it continues to ascend or descend. Just like a rainbow is an arch of different colors arising from waters’ reflection in the air. And on some night shots, a crescent moon shines in place of the full moon. All these distinct characteristics found in different photographs and other pieces of art exist deliberately to offer you, the observer, an underlying potential for contemplation, inspiration and healing.

Frozen water in Santa Fe, NM

In fact, much of what we will explore focuses on how each part of the picture, whether it is lines, shapes, colors, and more, represent symbolic and mythological energies. When one is exposed to them through the visual art form of a photograph, one’s own vibration and frequency may be raised, thus allowing you to access and radiate personal energies towards positive healing and growth, contributing to the greater good of all.

In the coming weeks we are going to explore how these four elements, types of photography, and particular pieces of the bigger picture can stir your core and encourage transformation, if that is what you seek. Upon identifying the areas of your life that need expansion, you are going to be well on your way to looking for photography that benefits you in this process.

Start with what you know you need, and what you know you like. Then, travel with me as we discuss techniques and pathways to implement elements of fine art that encourage your transformative process. Through this we will open our eyes and hearts to a fuller understanding of the power of art — the healing, inspirational and transforming power of art.

Dusk at a magical setting in Florida

All images are from the Marian Kraus Photography fine art photography image archives.

Transforming an environment, whether it is your or your client’s home or workplace, into a more tranquil space, can be as simple as investing in a few well placed pieces of art. Designing the artwork that graces your walls is as important as the architectural blueprints that created them.

Adding peace and serenity to a private residence

By choosing certain kinds of fine art photography, mainly nature photography that can inspire and soothe with its healing energy, the work environment as well as your place of living becomes a more humane space.

Traditionally, when choosing artwork for a home, corporate office or other workspace, buyers think mainly about aesthetics: What colors match the room? What style fits the space? In recent years, however, interior designers, art consultants, gallery owners and architects have embraced the positive impact of the healing and inspiring energy fine art photography can infuse into spaces, and thankfully many are guided by the principle of: “How does it feel?”

Board room of First Midwest bank in Plainfield, IL

Let’s look at an ideal case scenario, if fine art photography was chosen for the beautification of, say a corporate office environment, aside from filling the spaces on the walls, what should it do…? I believe that

• the photographs should serve as a resource that symbolically conveys the vision and message of corporate leadership
• the photographs ought to emblematically reinforce the Client’s Mission Statement
• they should offer visual representations to motivate and inspire employees
• they should symbolically support the Client’s value propositions to their customers
• the photographs should aid in the recognition of key principles such as trust, respect, integrity,  teamwork and collaboration, innovation and contribution
• they should act as visual tools that awaken delight, passion and sensation while promoting the realization of dreams and aspirations
• by selecting specific pieces and placing them in strategic areas of the environment they should serve as a vehicle that facilitates the creation of aesthetically powerful visual themes which communicate and reinforce their unique and creative energy

Lobby of the Garland Building in Chicago

Which brings me to the point. In an ever increasing world of commoditized products & services, I offer more than just photography. The custom installations of Marian Kraus Photography are specifically designed to convey compelling messages in homes, corporate offices and other workplaces. In addition, healthcare facilities, hotels, restaurants and other institutional environments have also benefitted from my work. Similar aspects as described above pertain to photography suitable for installations in hospitals and other health care facilities. I will be further discussing this in an upcoming blog post.

I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to collaborate on a number of installations with interior designers, art consultants and art galleries who have selected my fine art photography for the beautification of their client’s spaces.

Marian Kraus’ photographs tell stories. They capture insight and invite exploration into the richness of human emotions. They transform spaces and create a fertile ground to breed ideas which motivates behavior and inspires results. Please contact me today if you are at all interested in bringing these aspects of my artwork into your or your client’s environment or visit www.MarianKrausPhotography.com

We are very excited to share the first photographs of our new 2000 sq. ft. interior design showroom in Downtown Chicago, located in the hip and hot Grand Avenue Design District http://www.grandavenuedesigndistrict.com/index.html at 2248 West Grand Ave.

Kevin, Steve and I have been working on creating this new showroom to be an inviting and pleasant space where one can find unique and hip vintage and re-purposed furniture, architectural and nature fine art photography and other cool home accessories. We are planning on having a grand opening party later this fall.

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As you can see there are great finds here and should you not be local to the Chicago area, we invite you to visit http://statestreetsalvage.com/index.html to browse our various items.

To read our corresponding press release, please follow http://www.mariankrausphotography.com/news/. Stay tuned for more to come.

To view more of my fine art photography please view this gallery

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Mysterious Universes from Marian Kraus on Vimeo.

Recently, a good friend of mine came across some awesome medical charts that were made over about 100 years ago. While they show amazing and crafty details of the inner workings of the human body, my eye immediately started clicking as I saw the inherent abstractions and interplay of form, shape and color in them.

The contemporary multimedia presentation shows you close up segments, timeless extractions from an era long gone. These make great wall decor collages and a selection is available for purchase at our store

To view additional Marian Kraus Fine Art Photography please follow me here

Artistic and inspiring photography breathes new life into any space, giving viewers daily inspiration and motivation. Marian Kraus creates pieces of fine art that seek to reveal the intrinsic (and often beautiful) relationship that exists between humanity and nature.

Marian Kraus creates artistic and abstract photography that adheres to the tradition of the Golden Ratio (or “The Power of Limits”), a principle of composition that has inspired and driven artists, philosophers, scientists and intellectuals for more than two millennia. The Golden Ratio underscores the finest artistic photography and abstract photography with its grounding of form, symmetry and completeness, resulting in awesome similarities between manmade and natural objects and elements. It can be found throughout nature, mankind and humanity’s collective artistic endeavors.

Marian Kraus Photography creates artistic photography that embraces the power of the Golden Ratio, drawing on this principle as the basis of our work. Nowhere is the Golden Ratio more pronounced than in the human form and the juxtaposition of our creations with the natural world. Kraus wants to share the patterns of form that exist throughout every aspect of the universe by providing fine artistic photography that invites and prompts people to see the awesome beauty of the world always present all around us in a new and different way.

Discover the unique and profound beauty of artistic photography that is designed upon the foundation of the Golden Ratio at Marian Kraus Photography by perusing Marian’s Golden Ratio gallery below. For a more comprehensive explanation of the Golden ratio please visit Wikipedia here.

Fine art photography brings culture to every space its present within. Custom artistic photography from Marian Kraus lets you take advantage of Chicago’s leading photographer by giving you unprecedented access to his personal vision. To view and purchase prints from a wide selection of themes please visit our store. And if you are in the Chicago area, please stop buy at our showroom on Grand Avenue and preview it here.

By offering combinations of nature’s most spiritually moving and aesthetically powerful images in a collection of artistic photography, Kraus has provided clients and customers with the perfect solution to their home or office decoration. Please visit our installations page to see how our clients have used Marian Kraus’ Fine Art Photography to beautify and enhance their homes and office spaces.

According to Marian Kraus: “One of my goals has been to inspire people through my work and to show them the miraculously beautiful, healing and magical aspects of planet Earth. By hanging or projecting my photography as fine art in living and working environments, my work introduces a visual and energetic transformation of those spaces in an aesthetically pleasing and positive way. But regardless whether my images find their place in homes or corporations, consumer or corporate advertising, I am striving to make a positive contribution to the overall good of this world and encourage you to do the same”.