The Strange Connection Between Twins

This is another post that has little to do with photography or Photoshop.  However, my twin brother, Bob, and I, who are the main characters in this story, are both photographers. We care deeply about achieving "art" in our photographs. We are also living proof of the strange connection between twins.  As before, this story is just too good not to tell.

In a little less than a month, this is the second strange coincidence that has occurred to me, both defying odds, and proving to me that there is more to life that we can understand.  My brother was not involved in the first incident.  However,  this coincidence is just as true and almost as amazing as the last one I reported.  Please see my entry of a few weeks ago: Mystery of the Miracle Frisbee.  You will understand that there is more to life than meets the average eye. 

An ambulance took my 88 year-old Mom to the hospital a little over a week ago.  It turned out to be a heart attack. She's still in the hospital recovering.  We're hopeful that her recovery will be complete.  The prayers of all who read this are appreciated.

My older brother was at the hospital immediately.  I was able to be there within a few hours.  My twin brother Bob was on a job in Alabama.  We didn't see him until late the following day.

Let me say at the outset that Bob and I are very different identical twins.  We're not the ones who dress alike and call each other every day.  I don't trip when his shoe lace is untied.  We do have a few similarities: we both like old movie serials and old time radio. We also take our photography seriously.  I had last seen him at Thanksgiving, and before that it had been at least two years. 

When Bob arrived at the hospital, I greeted him and he almost immediately went to check on our Mom.  My phone rang and I moved to the hallway to take the call.  It was my wife, checking in to see how my Mom was doing.  I paced around the hallway as I talked.  After a few moments, while still on the phone, I felt a bump on my wrist.  I turned and my brother was holding out his arm to show his wrist watch.  "Same one," he whispered.

I finished the call in a couple of more minutes, then took notice that he was indeed wearing the same watch as me.  Now, this might not be so hard to believe if it was a common timepiece you might pick up at Wal-mart or the local department store. But this is a 21 jewel, automatic movement, black face, see-through skeleton case back, black rubber strap, diver's watch, Invicta model 9110.

My brother Bob on the right of the inset.

As we talked, we discovered that we both had purchased our watches online within about a month of each other, for pretty much the same reasons.  We both wanted a rugged watch that would hold up to being dunked under water.  Neither of us wanted a battery powered watch because we've both had batteries die at inopportune times, only to have the water seal fail after the battery was replaced.  Also, neither of us likes a metal band.  The watch we bought had to be aesthetically pleasing and reasonably priced.  To be honest, that still leaves a lot of watches from which to choose.  Each of us could have chosen from hundreds or even thousands of watches from dozens of different brands.  However, we both choose exactly the same watch.  We were able to document it because we both brought our cameras to the hospital.

I know it's not impossible, but it's also extremely improbable.  I know you've heard of twin connections or coincidences before.  This is another one.  Feel free to post your thoughts.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com.

Paintings of Antigua, Guatemala

I though I'd post a few more paintings from my recent trip to Guatemala.  You can click on the images for a larger view.  Navigate between the images with the left and right arrow keys. Press the escape key to return to the blog screen.

Agua Volcano from Antigua, Guatemala.

Cart, Hotel Quinta de las Flores.  Antigua, Guatemala.

Antique Chair.  Hotel Quinta de las Flores, Antigua, Guatemala.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

Another Pacific Painting

I just though I'd share another of the photo paintings from my most recent trip to the Pacific coast of Guatemala.  My daughter wanted to practice gymnastics on the black sand beach.  I had my camera in hand. 

It is another print that will look great when printed to canvas.

For those of you who regularly read my blog, most of my posts are about fine art photography.  However, it's important to stay creative and try different things.  A photo painting might be just the thing to fill your creative need as you're waiting to find the perfect subject for your next fine art shot.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

Painting a Pacific Sunset

I didn't do a great deal of fine art photography on our vacation to Guatemala over the Christmas break.  We spent about six day between the holidays on the Pacific coast, where most of my photos were of family,  ocean sunsets, and relaxing around the pool.  However, some of the photos, especially the sunsets were spectacular.  I decided to have a go at painting some of the sunsets:

My son with some of his cousins on the black sand beach.  Click on the image for greater detail.

Pacific coast after sunset.  The black sand is volcanic.  Click on the image for greater detail.

 I just goes to show that you should bring your camera even when photography isn't the primary objective.  These paintings should look great on canvas!

If you're in to mysteries and the amazing, you might enjoy the previous entry from my blog:
Mystery of the Miracle Frisbee, an event that took place on the very beaches you see above during our vacation.

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com.

Mystery of the Miracle Frisbee

The story below is absolutely true.  My family and I were there and experienced this first-hand.  It is not the type of material you find in my typical blog entry.  However, it is too good not to share.  Please post your thoughts at the bottom of this page.  Share this with anyone you think might enjoy it or get caught up in the mystery.

What do you call it when something beyond understanding occurs -- something that defies all odds? Is it a paranormal event?  A coincidence of unimaginable proportions?  Magic?  Or is it a miracle? And what if you can prove to yourself and others that it really happened because you were there and you took photographs!  This incident concerns nothing more elaborate than a Frisbee, but it is mystifying, nevertheless.

My wife’s family is from Guatemala.  My wife, our two children, and I live in Illinois and sometimes visit her family in Central America over the holidays.  This year, we, along with most of my wife’s large family, spent the week after Christmas at my sister-in-law’s beach house on the Pacific coast of Guatemala.

My daughter practicing her gymnastics on the black sand beach.

Every day, my wife’s younger brother, Gonzalo, would run out to the volcanic black sand with his Frisbee and toss it along the beach or over the waves and let the wind return it to him.  Two days before New Year’s, as my children and some of the cousins played on the beach, I took my camera and photographed him exercising with the white disc.

My brother-in-law, Gonzalo, running on the beach with his Frisbee.  Notice the design of the Frisbee on the inset.

Later in the evening, my wife, Maria, and I, Gonzalo, his wife, Marta Yolanda,  and the children went down to the beach to catch the sunset.  The children built a castle in the sand.  Maria, Marta Yolanda, and I stood and watched the progress of the castle building activities, while Gonzalo launched his Frisbee toward the waves.  I took several photographs.  Several times, the Frisbee landed on the water and was returned in the waves.  Everyone was having a great time, until my brother-in-law made a bad toss.  He groaned as the Frisbee went into the waves and was not immediately returned on the surf.

The children made a sand castle, while my brother-in-law (far right) played with his Frisbee.

“It’s gone,” he said.

“Give it a minute, and maybe the waves will bring it back,” I suggested.

“No, Tom, I don’t think it’s coming back,” he sighed, as we all peered into the dark waves, hoping that he might be wrong.

After another half minute, I pointed into the surf as a white object came into view. 
“There it is,” I yelled.  The Frisbee washed directly to my wife’s feet and hit her on the shins.  She walked over and handed it to her brother.

He took the disc happily, but after only a moment said, “This isn’t my Frisbee.”

We all looked at him. 

“My Frisbee was red on top.   This one’s black.”

“That has to be your Frisbee,” I said.

“Maybe it had a sticker on it that came off in the water,” my wife suggested.

“No,” Gonzalo insisted.  “Mine was a pure white.  This is pearl colored.”

“That has to be your Frisbee,” I said.   “If it’s not, whose is it?  And how is it possible that it washed up at our feet just as we were looking for a Frisbee?  How many times have you ever had a Frisbee wash up at your feet, let alone when you’re looking for one?”

“Never,” he answered.

“And how many times have you ever just found a Frisbee on the beach?”

“Never.”

“Then how is it possible that this isn’t your Frisbee?

“I don’t know,” he answered.  “It just doesn’t look like my Frisbee.”  It was obvious that my logic had convinced him to give up his argument.

We watched another dramatic Pacific sunset, and then returned to the house to have dinner and rest for New Year’s Eve.

It wasn’t until the next morning when I was looking at some of my photos on the LCD screen of my camera that I realized I had shots from before the Frisbee was lost.  I quickly found the photos and zoomed in on one where the design on the Frisbee was plainly visible.

There was no doubt.  It was not the same Frisbee.  The photographs plainly show a Frisbee with a very different graphic design.  If not for the photographs, we all would have given up on the notion that one disc had been thrown into the ocean and a different disc returned.  It was just too difficult to believe.  But that’s exactly what happened:  one Frisbee was thrown into the ocean, only to be replaced by a different one a moment later.

The Frisbee that returned in the waves (center) and the Frisbee that was thrown into the ocean (inset).

I have no explanation.  Something very strange happened.  I don’t know how or why.  Maybe it was nature’s way of assuring us that miracles can and do happen.  If something with odds this impossible can take place, it can happen again.  And maybe next time, the miracle will be something that will change someone’s life for the better.  Maybe next time we’ll believe the impossible really can happen.  It’s already happened once.  It can happen again.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com.

September Pollux Awards - WPGA - FINE ART

I just received word that my photograph "Antigua Window" won first place in the fine art category of the September Pollux awards.

Congratulations to all the winners.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com.

Hope for Tomorrow

I am donating a couple of photographs and a couple of my paintings for a very important, very special event.  They will be auctioned to help children.

One of the photographs you can bid on. (16X20).  Signed by the artist.

 One of my paintings (16X20)

On Sunday, October 16, an event to help Guatemalan orphans will be held in my area (Southern Illinois). The Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home in Guatemala will hold a fundraiser at the Walker's Bluff Vineyard (Reed Station Rd.) between Noon and 6PM. If you’re already in the area, it will be worth the trip. If you live several hundred miles away, it would be a great excuse to visit Southern Illinois’ famous wine trail and beautiful vineyards. Don’t forget your camera gear. If you can come, I will see you there.

I can already tell you that my artwork is worth many thousands of dollars, maybe millions.  However, I'll bet that you can get it for a lot less, although I hope you'll bid as much as you can -- afterall, it's to help children who can really use your help.  A friend of mine, also a fine photographer and artist, Steve McLaughlin, is also donating one of his paintings. His artwork is worth billions.  I hope you'll believe all that I'm telling you because children are at stake. However, his artwork has truly inspired me, and if you get his painting, you'll be very lucky, indeed.

Please take a look at this article in The Southern Illinoian about the Hope for Tomorrow Children's Home.

If, however, you’re not able to attend, please consider a tax deductable donation to this very worthy cause. Also, consider sponsoring a child. Check out the Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home website and you’ll understand the importance of the cause and also that this is a legitimate charity that will make a real difference in the lives of children. Information on helping can be found within the website.

You can view my website at: http://www.tombellart.com/.