Table of Contents
Intro
We don’t fit into nice little boxes. However there are people and companies out there who try to make us think we should fit into these ‘little boxes’. They want to limit us, tell us we are small and powerless. They want to divide us up, label us, and then present the solution… using the label like they know us, presenting the only solution that can make us whole. For a limited time of course.
Life isn’t something you can boil down to a quick slogan or a tweet. Some people might try, but that’s not my style.
I’ve been doing this photography thing for a long time, so much so that it sometimes feels like I’ve lived more than one life. I’m kind of fed up with the usual way of doing things. I’m kind of over playing these games people expect us to play.
So, I’m sticking to what I’m best at: showing the world as I see it, in the most honest way possible, using the tools I have. We often try to set too many rules or restrictions on things, but in doing so, we’re really just holding ourselves back. We’re all more than any box or label.
I hope that the images and thoughts help others to open their eyes, to see that a lot of what we’re told is just not real. Everything is an illusion. I want to help people find a sense of calm and be the best version of themselves as they can be.
What It Means to Be an Artist – To Me:
As artist, we are compassionate, we see things and feeling things on a much deeper level at times. We feel the pain of the world.
Some how this tension must be resolved, so we get in our heads, that it is some how our mission to change the world, to get people to see… to wake people up, to resolve their suffering. After all we have the answer.
That is the ego getting in the way. Because once you stop trying to force change, stop forcing others to see our way. Something magical happens, you realize you cannot change people – you cannot force people to wake up. You cannot manifest the dreams and hopes of others, for them.
Change happens from the inside. We must first be the change we want to see in the world. That is one of the best quotes ever.
Because once we become the change, the idea of the artist is resolved within us.
To me, this looks like : As a artist – once we realize change happens within. We cannot heal those who don’t want to be healed, we cannot wake those up who refuse to wake. We cannot make others see our way. We cannot make the dreams of others happen for them. We cannot resolve their suffering for them. It may seem cold – but we all are responsible for ourselves and only ourselves; we are responsible for our own happiness, and others are responsible for there own happiness. As an artist – we can only be a witness to others by creating something and holding that space, so that the ones who want to, can create change for themselves.
About Jamie Starling
On The More Personal Side
My wife and I live in Beaufort, North Carolina. I find myself pausing in awe, thinking, “I actually live here.” It is amazing to be surrounded by such ever-evolving beauty, on the water and to be a part of a community brimming with warmth and kindness.
If you happen in be in the area, drop me a message. Always up for meeting up for coffee.
We share our home with three feline overseers – Beebs, Milo, and Jocko. They ensure everything is in order.
Principles I Strive to Uphold
Reject the idea of conformity. Embrace the belief that a person who keeps moving, welcomes change, and shapes their own values and identity is the one truly living. This individual makes connections, experiments, asks questions, seeks truth, and explores. Understand that it’s not this free-spirited person who should explain their actions to the world. Instead, it’s those who choose to conform to the safety of existing systems around them who may need to reconsider their choices.
Assess your life by the outcomes you achieve, not by the distractions of labels you associate with yourself.
About The Images
Because that is what it is all about.
All the images you see here are a reflection of my creative journey. Unless otherwise noted : I have personally crafted each one, infusing them with my artistic vision. In my quest to expand my horizons, I’ve begun to embrace the fascinating world of AI technology. You’ll notice that some of the images are marked as “AI Generated,” showcasing the blend of my creativity with the innovative power of artificial intelligence. These pieces represent a new frontier in my exploration of how I bring to the surface things at which I have been keeping inside bubbling to come out.
Let’s Connect
Perhaps you saw something here that resonated with you. Would you like to explore it further?
To connect – drop me an email