Dear Art Buyer, Through travel and photography I have been witness to some of the most magnificent examples of nature s beauty and its healing powers. My passion for understanding and capturing these restorative experiences has led me on my own personal journey to wellness, and it is my desire to share with others the true sense of peace and tranquility found in nature. In the following pages you will find an assortment of photographs I have taken during my exploration of various parts of the world. Healing Images is an invitation to find a renewed sense of hope in the true beauty that surrounds us. Artist Raymond J. Jim Stracensky has spent his life viewing the world through the lens of a camera. Even in the darkest of conditions, Jim has been able to discover enough light to transcend hope to a state of knowing that everything in nature is perfect, just as it was intended to be. These moments in time have been beautifully captured and now for the first time, Jim is offering these limited edition prints for your private collection. As the author of Healing Images Healing Words I enlisted photography, verse, prayer and meditation to assist the healing process of the broken body as well as the broken soul. In research I conducted regarding the subject, I discovered that viewing a photograph of a natural setting can accomplish the same end result as being out in nature itself. I also realized that a beautiful image has the ability to inspire the imagination and put the body s natural healing mechanisms into action. Here you will find a sampling of my work for your enjoyment, contemplation and if need be, healing. As friends, family members, colleagues and those in need of comfort view these photographs, they will feel a sense of peace, calm and healing, as well as the positive force of nature and all its incredible healing power. Thank you for taking the time to view my work and I hope you enjoy what you see. If you have any questions, comments or requests, please feel free to contact me at your earliest opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely, Jim Stracensky 2 3
006 In Your Face 009 Creamsicle Dreams 002 Infinite Beauty 007 New Day Dawning 010 Fireworks 003 Trilogy And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin 001 Sunlit Beauty Where flowers bloom so does hope. Lady Bird Johnson 004 State of Grace 011 Hi! 005 Simple Truths 4 008 Standing Tall 012 Summer Breeze 5
Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. Gerard De Nerval 013 You and Me 020 Trust 015 Virtue 018 Holly Anne 016 Fragile 021 Petite Therese 014 Daydreams 6 Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson 017 Up Close 019 Stages 022 First Love 7
Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong. Winston Churchill 033 Summer Solstice 025 Springtime 029 Wayside Sacrament 034 Leaving the Ruins Behind 023 Contrasts 026 Bending on a Breeze 030 Desert Dream 035 Always a Rainbow 027 Daffodils of May 031 Lily Pad 036 Night Flight 8 024 Contrasting Colors 028 New Life 032 At Rest 037 Morning Walk 9
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. John Burroughs 045 Nature s Way 046 Timeless 047 Greener Pastures 048 Mystic Kingdom 038 Autumn s Rush 039 Softly Falling 040 Fallen Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit. Anton Chekhov 041 Waterfall Way 042 Quatro 050 Beyond the Horizon 043 Waiting for a Place to Land 044 Serenity 049 Pathways 051 December Morning 10 11
059 Answered Prayer 060 Into the Night 053 Little Voyager 061 Lake Sunset 062 Returning to Port 052 Silent Adoration 054 On the Wind Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. Rabindranath Tagore 055 Searching 056 Sail Away 057 Boundaries 058 Brother Sun Sister Moon 063 Taking Flight 064 Reflection II 065 Saturated Sunset 12 13
The color of truth is gray. Andre Gide 068 Prayer Candles 073 Reflections 074 Beyond the Shadows 075 Illusion 066 New Hope 069 Watching and Waiting Genius and virtue are to be more often found clothed in gray than in peacock bright. Van Wyck Brooks 070 Vine and Branches 076 Winter Walk 077 Solitude 071 Motion and Mist 067 St. Clare s Window 072 Calming 078 Dormant in Winter 079 Hope 080 Shades of Gray 14 15
To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries. Aldous Huxley 086 Colorful Collage 087 Antiquity Now 088 Spires Overhead 083 Red Square One 084 Red Square Two 081 St. Basil s Red Square 089 St. Basil s in the Snow 090 Shades of Blue and Red 082 Ekaterina Palace at Night 16 085 Crosses and Frost 091 The Saviour s Gate 092 Icon of the Saviour 093 Lace Overlay 17
094 Never Forgotten 095 Prayer Candles 096 With all My Heart Raymond James Jim Stracensky is a lifelong resident of Cleveland, Ohio. His career as a professional award-winning photographer began over 25 years ago. Throughout his career he would periodically retreat from the business world to regain perspective. It was during these times he would find much solace in nature. Exploring natural settings around Cleveland and around the world, Jim was always searching for the things that would recharge his spirit. In his travels he was often compelled to document what he saw. What he discovered is that the beautiful vistas that exist all over the world could both inspire and heal the body and soul. 097 Red Square New Year s Eve 098 Nighttime Skate After many years and many retreats he decided to share these images along with inspirational, healing verse in his book Healing Images Healing Words. His photography has been and continues to be exhibited in galleries in and around the Ohio/ Pennsylvania area as well as Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Lufthansa s First Class Lounge at Atlanta s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, The Wasmer Gallery Religious Art Exhibit, The Malvina J. Freedson Gallery, and the Cleveland Metro Parks Gallery. His photographs have also appeared in Cleveland Magazine, several local and regional newspapers, and The Academy Graphic Communication 2011 Calendar. National publications include St. Anthony s Messenger, US Catholic Magazine and Nursery Retailer Magazine. He is currently working on another book Seasons of the Heart: A Healing Journey with the sustained theme of healing, photography & verse. His book and photography s message is simple. It encourages people to take the time to see, experience and absorb the healing beauty of nature that exists all around us. 099 Monuments 100 Kremlin by Night 101 St. Basil s at Midnight by R. J. Stracensky Healing Images Healing Words is an invitation to find a renewed sense of hope in the true beauty that surrounds us. Over the past five years, it has periodically reached the #1 spot on Barnes & Noble s online listing in the Photography and Religion categories. Order your copy today! Also available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and StargazerPhotography.com. ISBN: 1-59185-658-2 $19.99 hardcover 144 pages www.stargazerphotography.com Phone: 216-749-1010 Email: rjstracensky@aol.com 18 102 Late Night Stroll 103 Kremlin on a Winter s Night 19
ORDER FORM Mail this form or order online at StargazerPhotography.com For questions and information, please contact me at 216-749-1010 or via email at rjstracensky@aol.com All prints and books are personally signed by R. J. Stracensky. Unconditional Guarantee Your complete satisfaction is my goal. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact me so that we can arrange an exchange or refund. Fast Delivery FREE delivery to U.S. addresses only within 3-7 business days. International rates will be quoted at time of ordering. Prices All prices include FREE domestic shipping and handling. Hospitals and non-profit organizations may deduct 15% from your order. Please call for volume discounts. Ohio residents add 7.75% sales tax. 8 x10... $ 20.00 20 x 24... $ 95.00 11 x14... $ 35.00 20 x 30... $ 100.00 12 x16... $ 45.00 24 x 30... $ 125.00 16 x 20... $ 65.00 30 x 40... $ 150.00 ASK ABOUT OUR CANVAS PRINTS! Payment Options Personal/business checks, money orders and PayPal accepted, made payable to Stargazer Photography. Stargazer Photography Jim Stracensky 6804 Southfield Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44144 Page # Qty. Item # Name of Photo Size Total Mailing Address Name Business/Organization Street Address City State Zip Code Phone Email Address