{"id":3669,"date":"2015-10-14T21:11:24","date_gmt":"2015-10-15T01:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/?p=3669"},"modified":"2015-10-14T21:11:24","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T01:11:24","slug":"beauty-in-saddness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/beauty-in-saddness\/","title":{"rendered":"BEAUTY IN SADNESS"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here are some additional photographs I made in Yorkville last week. Walking along the Southside of Bloor Street, I noticed this beautifully painted white bicycle. It was stunning and it really stood out from the streets against the cold, grey pavement. There was a sign above, a notice that a young man, a cyclist, was killed at this location.<\/p>\n<p>This reminds me that even in the most tragic of circumstance, there can still be beauty to be found.<\/p>\n<p>I think although it is best to stay on the positive side of life and have an optimistic attitude about it. It is important to acknowledge that life is not always about the pursuit of happiness. There are always going to be sad, unfortunate instances. Accepting this, one can have a more neutral, balance state of being where one is not swayed by circumstances. Rather, choosing to be happy no matter what life brings.<\/p>\n<p>On a personal note,\u00a0I have learned to adapt a very detached state of being. I do not feel attached to what life brings to me, nor do I try to control it. I have gone from one career to another, always thinking at the time,\u00a0that I have finally found something I will do for a long time, as though I had just landed ashore and I am going to make this island my home. But staying in one &#8220;place&#8221; has never been my thing, and I have come to accept that. I choose to go where the wind takes me instead of holding on to the ground. It has certainly made life more interesting and this is how I have gotten involved in doing photography and video, an unintended destination. One that I am happy to explore and share with you.<\/p>\n<p>#bicycle #DAS5 #RIP #death #sadness #tragedy #letting go #happiness #wheat #transition #autumn #Toronto #cityscapes #positivethinking #balance<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3692.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3672 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3692.jpg\" alt=\"AndreaMai_Yorkville-3692\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3702.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3702.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3673 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3702.jpg\" alt=\"AndreaMai_Yorkville-3702\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3692.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3671 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3721.jpg\" alt=\"AndreaMai_Yorkville-3721\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3721.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3676 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3668.jpg\" alt=\"AndreaMai_Yorkville-3668\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3678 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/AndreaMai_Yorkville-3844.jpg\" alt=\"AndreaMai_Yorkville-3844\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are some additional photographs I made in Yorkville last week. Walking along the Southside of Bloor Street, I noticed this beautifully painted white bicycle. It was stunning and it really stood out from the streets against the cold, grey pavement. There was a sign above, a notice that a young man, a cyclist, was [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3671,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[16,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photography","category-travel"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3877,"url":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/the-joy-of-flower-photography\/","url_meta":{"origin":3669,"position":0},"title":"THE JOY OF FLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY","author":"Andrea Mai","date":"December 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Flower photography has really become one of my favourite areas of photography. There is something so amazing to capture the blossoming beauties and knowing that its blooms won't always be there. You have to be present and enjoy the moment as it is.\u00a0It's not about wishing for something better or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Photography&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Photography","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/category\/art\/photography\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AndreaMai_garden-7008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AndreaMai_garden-7008.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AndreaMai_garden-7008.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AndreaMai_garden-7008.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AndreaMai_garden-7008.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3616,"url":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/beauty-in-unexpected-places\/","url_meta":{"origin":3669,"position":1},"title":"BEAUTY IN UNEXPECTED PLACES","author":"Andrea Mai","date":"September 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A few\u00a0weeks ago, I was shooting portrait photos at Brookfield Place in the financial district of Toronto. There was a courtyard at the side of the building that I had never been to before. I noticed a little entrance way that is tucked behind an elevated platform of trees and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Photography&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Photography","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/category\/art\/photography\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"AndreaMai_lotus-1485","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_lotus-1485.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_lotus-1485.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_lotus-1485.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_lotus-1485.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4912,"url":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/rejected-for-being-too-pretty\/","url_meta":{"origin":3669,"position":2},"title":"REJECTED FOR BEING &#8220;TOO PRETTY&#8221;? WHY THE ART WORLD LIKES DARK ART","author":"Andrea Mai","date":"October 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I recently had a meeting with an art curator. She told me that my work was \"too pretty\" and that might be a problem. \u00a0Believe me, as ridiculous as the statement sounds, I knew what she was talking about. The art world hates pretty things. They don't like that you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Art Life&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Art Life","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/category\/art\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3625,"url":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/selfie-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":3669,"position":3},"title":"SELFIE-LOVE","author":"Andrea Mai","date":"September 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Sometimes the hardest person to love is yourself. You know about every flaw you have, every mistake you\u2019ve ever made. You can hide from the world, but you can't hide from yourself. To know yourself is to love yourself. To see yourself for who you are and to accept it,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Photography&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Photography","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/category\/art\/photography\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"AndreaMai_Selfie4","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_Selfie4.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_Selfie4.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_Selfie4.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_Selfie4.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_Selfie4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/AndreaMai_Selfie4.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4197,"url":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/the-beauty-of-jinan\/","url_meta":{"origin":3669,"position":4},"title":"THE WATERS OF JINAN","author":"Andrea Mai","date":"January 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my favourite city stops on the tour was Jian. Jinan is known for its hot spring waters, and so even the hotels had hot spring water coming out of the faucets. We went to Daming Lake Park (as seen above), which had picturesque views. That day was hazy,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Photography&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Photography","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/category\/art\/photography\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"AndreaMai_Jinan-0013","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/AndreaMai_Jinan-0013.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/AndreaMai_Jinan-0013.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/AndreaMai_Jinan-0013.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/andreamaicreative.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/AndreaMai_Jinan-0013.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22508,"url":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/affirmations-for-self-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":3669,"position":5},"title":"AFFIRMATIONS FOR SELF-LOVE","author":"Andrea Mai","date":"February 14, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"For this Valentine\u2019s Day, I\u2019m gifting my readers a collection of affirmations for self-love. Before a heart can truly recognize another, it must first learn to beat in its own rhythm of worth. This is the sacred prelude: the love we are able to receive from the world, or from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Personal Development&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Personal Development","link":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/category\/personal-development\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sketch-7.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sketch-7.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sketch-7.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sketch-7.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sketch-7.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sketch-7.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3669","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3669"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3669\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andreamaicreative.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}