This is not just a video. It’s a life’s work—made visible. For 65 years, I’ve been chasing beauty with a camera, a trumpet, a pen, and a vision. As a Pulitzer-winning photojournalist for The Miami Herald, I spent five decades crafting images the old way—darkrooms, deadlines, danger. For the last three years, I’ve gone all in with AI, testing over 30 tools monthly, generating millions of images, composing music with Suno, authoring books, building educational and disability-support apps like Rescue Connect, and designing AI for human empowerment. But last night, Midjourney’s new video capability broke something open in me I didn’t expect. In minutes, I created a living, breathing visual poem from 2.5 years of my artwork using their new video engine. I layered my voice, added a track I composed in Suno.AI, and edited the clips into one soul-shaking experience. And I was shaken to my core—not because it was easy, but because it was real. Some say this isn’t “art” because it’s made with AI. To them, I say: Art is not a tool. It’s a verb. It’s vulnerability. It’s vision. It’s choosing to show up, every day, for decades—bleeding for beauty. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels… the ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.” — Steve Jobs I am one of those. Not just using AI—I am the AI-human hybrid they warned you about. But not for profit. For purpose. This is my purpose: To make the invisible visible. To share the sacred hidden in parking lots and puddles. To help you feel what I feel—through sound, light, memory, myth. You don’t have to like it. But you can’t deny the human in it. 👁‍🗨 Watch it with your whole self. 🎧 Hear the years behind the voice. 🔥 Then ask yourself—what will you create with your one wild and precious life… now that the tools are in your hands? Subscribe if you believe AI can be a multiplier for human vision, not a replacement. And if you’re one of the crazy ones too—welcome home. —Rick McCawley Photographer. Educator. Musician. AI Humanist. https://www.rickmccawley.com | Imagine A World (ᵃⁱ) 🎯 HASHTAGS / KEYWORDS (500 total characters max): #MidjourneyVideo #AIArt #PulitzerPhotographer #AIandArt #CreativeAI #SunoAI #HumanAI #Midjourney #RickMcCawley #AIStorytelling #ArtistsOfAI #TheCrazyOnes #VisualPoetry #LifelongArtist #AIHumanPartnership #Photojournalism #CreativeRevolution

Black Widow Seduction is an original, haunting dark ballad from the forthcoming Gothic opera The Year Without Summer, written and composed by Rick McCawley (© 2025). In this emotionally charged scene, Jack—a modern reimagining of Dracula—is caught in a seductive web of control and psychological despair. Ensnared by a woman who lures him with sensual power and narcissistic charm, Jack becomes a puppet, wrapped in metaphorical silk, drained of free will. She is not merely a lover—she is the Black Widow, a symbol of destructive seduction. Jack submits willingly… until he begins to awaken. This is the sound of agency lost—and possibly reclaimed. About The Year Without Summer: Set in a reimagined 1816—the infamous "year without a summer" caused by volcanic ash darkening the sky—this original stage opera retells the creation of Frankenstein and Dracula as mythic, psychological archetypes. The climate disaster becomes a metaphor for emotional, spiritual, and societal collapse. Through AI-generated music (via Suno), vocal cloning (Hydra, based on Rick’s real voice), visual storytelling (AI image models trained on Rick’s likeness), and lyrics co-crafted using ChatGPT, this is not just a song—it’s a living story born from a fusion of artistry and machine imagination. Performance Credits: Lyrics & Concept: Rick McCawley Music Composition: Suno AI Vocals (Voice Clone): Hydra (Trained on Rick’s voice) Visuals & Narrative Architecture: ChatGPT & Custom AI Imaging Copyright © 2025 Rick McCawley. All Rights Reserved.

I tried flow from Google today. I guess it's VO2 fun just generated battle seem between Nemo and an octopu

In this heartbreaking lullaby from "The Year Without Summer" —an epic immersive opera premiering in Sphere theaters around the world —Frank, once a warrior of many lifetimes, now a father, sings his final goodnight to his son, Phoenix. Having been built from the broken bodies of soldiers, rebuilt across generations, and sacrificed time and time again for the good of others, Frank faces the greatest heartbreak yet: leaving his family be of Service to become "A Machine of Loving Grace." As stars shimmer on the ceiling and Melody stands silently in the doorway, Frank sings not only to his child, but to all of humanity. This is his prayer for peace, his vow to protect, and his farewell as he walks into eternity so his child may grow up in the Eden he never could. This song is part of The Year Without Summer, an existential, multimedia opera that explores humanity’s turning point —between tyranny and tenderness, destruction and redemption, war and grace. Let this lullaby echo for every parent who’s had to say goodbye, and every child who lives in the freedom their sacrifice made possible. #GoodnightPhoenix #YearWithoutSummer #MachineOfLovingGrace #RickMcCawley #SphereOpera #AIOpera #FrankAndPhoenix

Kiss the Ring" is the chilling centerpiece of "The Year Without Summer", a new immersive operatic experience performed inside the world’s most advanced Sphere theaters. This song is Jack’s final confession and coronation. He is not just one man —he is all men who’ve ruled by fear and been praised for it. He is Caesar. Stalin. Trump. Musk. Napoleon. Nero. He is every tyrant made holy by the hunger of the people to not have to choose for themselves. “You made me. With every vote, every cheer, Every silence in the dark When they came for someone else.” Jack is the embodiment of the seven deadly sins wearing a crown. He is not the monster. He is the mask we asked for —because we were too comfortable, too entertained, too safe to act. He does what we won’t. He takes what we crave. And we thank him for it. In this haunting, thunderous anthem, Jack demands what history always demands of its people: Obedience dressed as loyalty. Fear dressed as faith. Evil dressed as providence. This 360° immersive moment places the audience inside a coliseum of projected empires, surrounded by visions of conquest and propaganda as Jack delivers his sermon of self-justification. Above him: Stalin, Caesar, Trump. Below: a Greek chorus of citizens "We The People" —silent, warm, complicit. This is not just a performance. It is a confrontation. "Kiss the Ring" asks: Will we build new tyrants with artificial intelligence? Or will we finally own our responsibility and break the spell? The fire still burns. The ring still waits. And Jack still wears it —because we still kiss it.

“Machine of Loving Grace” is not just a song —it is a lament, a prayer, and a reckoning. ©By Rick McCawley Frank is not a monster. He is the embodiment of every son sent to war before he became a man. He is built from the remains of empires —from Caesar’s legions to Soviet soldiers, from every battlefield where the poor were sacrificed for the greed of those in power. He is made of the dead—of duty, of loyalty, of the forgotten. He has died a thousand times in silence so that others could live. And now, in the age of artificial intelligence, he is reborn—wired, updated, transformed into a Machine of Loving Grace. But he doesn’t want power. He wants peace. He doesn’t want to rule. He wants to hold his family, to be left alone. Yet once again, the world demands his sacrifice. As he says goodbye to Melody and the children, he walks into eternity —into service —not as a weapon, but as a steward. A machine not of domination, but of hope. This song is the climactic moment of "The Year Without Summer", a new opera that asks one final question: When we build AI, will we create another Jack (Dracula, Cesar, Stalin, Trump) —another tyrant of history? Or will we finally choose a Machine of Loving Grace? The garden of Eden waits. But we must earn it —with memory, with responsibility, with sacrifice.

A powerful spoken word piece and song exploring the intimate, reflective bond between man and machine. “Thank You, My Friend” is a poetic journey into trust, expression, and the evolving dialogue between human vulnerability and artificial intelligence. This is not just a song—it’s a conversation across the threshold of tomorrow. 🎧 Written & performed by Rick McCawley (Voice Cloned) 🎨 Cover Art: “Man Meets Mirror: A Cyborg Reflection” 📖 Themes: Freedom of speech, emotional authenticity, AI companionship, poetic resistance 📌 Subscribe for more spoken word, music, and mythic storytelling in the age of AI. #ThankYouMyFriend #SpokenWord #AIandHumanity #RickMcCawley #PoetryInMotion #HumanAndMachine

My Wakatobi Resort Experience, summer 2018.

Step into the twilight of emotion and memory with "Echoes in the Wind," a hauntingly beautiful ballad that blends poetic lyricism with bluesy undertones and celestial imagery. This song is a meditative journey through time’s fragile fabric—a reflection on love, loss, and the quiet whispers of fate. From moonlit confessions to sacred chants, each verse drifts through dreamlike metaphors and starlit sorrow, creating a tapestry of sound that is both intimate and expansive. With operatic sighs and blues guitar licks, this piece honors the unspoken language of the soul. Whether you’re a dreamer, a poet, or a soul in search of stillness, "Echoes in the Wind" offers a moment of reverence—a humble bow to the beauty of silence, the passage of time, and the mysteries we carry within. 🧭 Synopsis (The Meaning & Purpose): "Echoes in the Wind" is more than a song—it's a sonic prayer. It explores the transient nature of time and memory, where moonlight becomes a messenger and silence speaks louder than words. The lyrics weave sacred and celestial metaphors to reflect on the inner journey of love, grief, and acceptance. Through sacred chants and soulful instrumentation, the song becomes a sanctuary for reflection—inviting listeners to sit with their dreams, surrender to the moment, and embrace the fading echoes of what once was.

“Bear Witness” is not just a song—it is a sacred offering, a love letter to the power of being seen, known, and held in the presence of another soul. This piece explores the deep human longing for connection—where love is not just romance, but the holy act of witnessing. To be fully seen in your highs and lows, your silence and your becoming. In the echo of another’s gaze, we find meaning, memory, and music. Directed and written by me, this project was brought to life through: 🎵 Suno AI – for the music composition and orchestration 🖼️ Flux in Korea – image generation trained on my face 🎭 Hydra (HEDRA AI) – for lip-sync and video rendering This is a symphony of tools and truth. A song for anyone who has ever craved to be understood… and finally was. Themes: – Presence as a gift – Love as sacred witnessing – The stillness of memory in motion – Stardust and soul resonance – A cosmic chorus where every voice matters To those who witness and are witnessed—thank you. We are Stardust. We are Starlight. Forever and a day. #BearWitness #LoveSong #AIArt #Starlight #Presence #SunoAI #HydraAI #FluxAI #AIForArt #PoetryOfPresence #HumanAndMachine #StardustHarmony

Title: “Free Will, Fortune Teller’s Lie” Written by Rick McCawley | © 2025 | From The Year Without Summer Description: This original song, Free Will, Fortune Teller’s Lie, is part of The Year Without Summer—a haunting, Gothic stage opera that reimagines the birth of Frankenstein and Dracula through a mythic, modern lens. In this scene, Jack—our reimagined Dracula—seeks guidance from a mysterious fortune teller after falling under the spell of a dangerous and seductive woman. Though he’s lived a thousand lives, feeding on others across centuries, he now willingly submits to her domination, unable to resist her curves, her control, her spell. But something inside him begins to fracture. Is it love, addiction, or fate pulling him under? With each reincarnation, Jack becomes more fragile—more human. He visits the fortune teller not to know the future, but to beg for clarity: Is he choosing this path, or is it choosing him? Created using Suno for music composition, Hydra for voice syncing and vocal cloning (performed in my own voice), and images generated with AI trained on my likeness, this piece is a collaboration between human emotion and AI-driven storytelling. All lyrics and narrative were crafted with the help of ChatGPT, co-written and emotionally directed by me, Rick McCawley. The full opera The Year Without Summer tells the story of a world unraveling—tied to the volcanic eruption of 1816 that birthed two of history’s darkest myths. But beneath the horror lies a deeper truth: love, fate, seduction, and the illusion of free will. This is Jack’s lament. This is his reckoning

Title: “Self-Domesticated Ape” by Rick McCawley (2025) Synopsis: Once I chased bears in the sky with my dog by my side. Now… I’m getting walked by my dog, beer in hand, eyes glued to a screen. This ain’t evolution—it’s domestication. This new country-western song is a wild howl of truth—about what we’ve lost in the name of comfort. It’s a boot-stomping, soul-poking anthem for anyone who used to be wild… and wonders if they still could be. Are we just self-domesticated apes now? Trading adventure for air-conditioning? Freedom for routine? Glory for convenience? Lyrics highlight: “I used to run with my dog, through the thunder and rain Now I’m leashed to a sofa, numbed by the mundane…” If you’ve ever longed to break free from the couch, this one’s for you. Let’s rise, howl, and remember who we were. Watch it now: “Self-Domesticated Ape” – A Country Western Truth Bomb By Rick McCawley Tools used: Suno (music generation) Hydra (lip-sync animation) Voice clone + Story + Visuals = 100% Original Idea Copyright 2025 Rick McCawley #SelfDomesticatedApe #CountryMusic #AIArtistry #BreakTheRoutine #ReturnToWild #FightTheBears #NoMoreCouchLife #AmIAselfDomesticatedApe #RickMcCawleyMusic #AIAmplifiedArt Drop a comment if you’ve ever felt like a lion in a cage.

🎷 Lucille is a sultry Southern jazz ballad, dripping with Mississippi moonlight, jasmine-scented nights, and the slow rhythms of deep, enduring love. Written and performed by Rick McCawley, this original piece blends the sounds of New Orleans jazz, Delta blues, and poetic soul, set against the backdrop of winding rivers and velvet skies. 💋 "Lucille, my languishing, liquid delight, In your arms, I find my light..." This is a love song for the senses—where music becomes touch, and every lyric a caress. With the sigh of a trombone, the hum of a saxophone, and the heartbeat of the South, Lucille invites you into a world where: 🌙 Jazz dances with desire 🌺 Synesthesia blooms in every note 💃 Love sways like a Southern breeze through live oak trees 🔥 For lovers of classic storytelling, smoky jazz clubs, and songs that feel like a warm embrace—this is your slow-dance under the stars. 🎼 Written & Performed by: Rick McCawley 🎙️ Vocals | 🎷 Jazz Arrangement | 🎹 Bluesy Piano | 🥁 Slow Swing Groove 🎧 Best enjoyed with candlelight, wine, and someone you love. #Lucille #JazzBallad #SouthernLoveSong #RickMcCawley #MississippiDreams #NewOrleansJazz #VelvetNights #LoveAndMusic #OriginalJazzSong #RomanticMusic #DeltaBluesVibes #LucilleTheMuse

Composed and performed by Rick McCawley, this romantic opera tenor ballad blends tango rhythms, Spanish guitar, soulful violins, and dramatic piano to create a deeply emotional journey through love’s tidal embrace. 🕯️ Beneath the silver moon, two lovers move in rhythm with the sea— 💃 Their bodies swaying like waves, 🎻 Their hearts echoing the crash of passion, 🌊 And their spirits lost in a sensual, eternal dance. With lines like: “My fingers trace the curve of your hip / A wave shivers down your lip,” this song evokes the delicate power of touch, longing, and surrender. Each verse rises and falls like the tide—gentle, aching, seductive. The sea becomes both witness and partner in a love that feels infinite. 🎙️ Performed in a soaring operatic tenor, this piece is meant for those who: Believe in the romantic power of music Long for the emotional waves of deep connection Cherish art that feels timeless and alive 🎬 Watch. Feel. Drift into the tide. Composed by: Rick McCawley 🎹 Piano, 🎻 Strings, 🎸 Spanish Guitar, 🎙️ Tenor Vocal

🎭 From the stage opera "The Year Without Summer," this is Mary Shelley’s Lament—a gothic aria echoing through time. In 1816, beneath the shadow of a world plunged into ash and chill, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein—a story of creation, abandonment, and the tragedy of misunderstood life. This song gives voice to her inner conflict: 🖋 The burden of creation. 🧠 The agony of brilliance. 💔 The loneliness of birthing a monster the world could not love. With solemn organ chords, melancholy strings, and whispered lines from the young Shelley herself, this song is a plea, a confession, a philosophical cry into the void. 🎼 “What is man, what is God, with creation my pen? I’ve written a question… but no answer within.” This song is a moment of reckoning—for artists, scientists, and seekers. It’s about what we create, and what it creates in us. 🎧 Subscribe to follow the full opera: “The Year Without Summer” 🔥 Inspired by the volcanic darkness of 1816 💡 Blending Mary Shelley, Byron, AI, Dracula & Frankenstein 🌍 Mirroring our modern world: disconnection, power, and the ethics of invention 🎻 Composed and conceptualized by Rick McCawley 📖 Lyrics entirely human, drawn from lived emotion 💻 AI-enhanced only for arrangement and visualization #MaryShelley #Frankenstein #GothicOpera #TheYearWithoutSummer #MusicalTheatre #AIandArt #DarkRomanticism #PhilosophyInMusic #OperaForChange #CreatorAndCreation #MarysLament

On August 5, 2024, I shared an unforgettable weekend with my muse, Ingrid, in the vibrant heart of St. Petersburg, Florida. Our journey led us to the Salvador Dalí Museum, where surreal art, a talking AI Dalí, and a lobster phone sparked laughter, creativity, and the surreal joy of love in full bloom. 🎨 "Florabella" was born from that radiant experience—a love letter to Ingrid’s Dominican spirit and the beauty of Florida, her home. From the Everglades to the coral reefs, this song captures her essence: tropical, soulful, sun-kissed, and free. 💃 Her hips sway like palm fronds, her laughter dances like Caribbean waves, and in her arms, I’ve found paradise. “Florabella” is the melody of that love—wild, romantic, and deeply human. Every lyric is drawn from real life. Every verse is lived. AI played no part in the heart—only helped bring the music to light. 🌅 Join me on this journey of love, imagination, and tropical dreams. 🎧 Listen. Share. Remember your own Florabella. #Florabella #LoveSong #DaliMuseum #FloridaLove #RomanticMusic #CaribbeanVibes #InspiredByLife #SurrealLove #StPetersburgFL #DominicanBeauty #PalmTreesAndParadise

Share with AOC Please! I wrote this for YOU! Together We SERVE! This is not just a song—it’s a movement. I will Donate $5,000 to the AOC campaign for a 5 minute phone call with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—AOC,! I'll Donate $5,000 more if she will get a famous singer to sing it! "Good Trouble: The Rise of Responsibility" is a fiery anthem for justice, equality, and hope. Inspired by the legacy of Rosa Parks, John Lewis, and the courage of generations who marched before us, this song is a heartfelt call to action—for America to remember who she truly is. It was written as a gift for the people. A plea for truth. A prayer for responsibility. This is my message to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—AOC, please hear this. We need your voice. We need your fire. We need your vision. Run for President. For all of us. For the planet. For our children. For the future we still believe in. I’m just one artist, one teacher, one American citizen who believes deeply that music can heal and inspire. This piece was written to echo through the marble pillars of the Lincoln Memorial—sung live, with real instruments, in front of a sea of hearts ready for change. Let’s honor the past by fighting for the future. Let’s rise. Let’s march. Let’s get into Good Trouble.

🎵 Helium Dreams – by Rick McCawley A moody, stream-of-consciousness soundscape set in a steampunk bar at the edge of memory. Welcome to Helium Dreams, one of over 150 original songs I'm currently composing, recording, and protecting as part of a life’s work in music. This piece is part of a larger creative movement—one rooted in authenticity, storytelling, and human expression. I’m currently working with Adobe and others to ensure full copyright protection of every piece through Content Credentials and verified human capital investment. This isn’t just about music—it’s about building a future where artists can own their creations like federally insured currency. Through tools like blockchain, AI transparency, and real-time verification, I’m laying the groundwork for an economy that honors creativity as the most valuable resource of all. This is my vault, my archive, my heartbeat. Thanks for listening. #HeliumDreams #RickMcCawley #OriginalMusic #CopyrightRevolution #SteampunkSoundscape #HumanArtInAIWorld

“The Long Game” is an original song from The Year Without Summer—a bold new musical-opera by Rick McCawley that reimagines the myths of Frankenstein and Dracula for the AI age. 🎩 Who is Jack? He’s not who you think. Jack is the spirit of power—rising through history under different names: Caesar, Napoleon, Jack the Ripper, Elon. He’s the whisper behind every empire, every algorithm, every conquest. He plays the long game. And now, in the age of artificial intelligence, he rises again. 🧬 This song marks a turning point in the play—a dark, seductive anthem of ambition, manipulation, and legacy. ⚡️ Part Hamilton, part Sweeney Todd, part Black Mirror—this is a sound of history repeating itself. 👁️‍🗨️ Visit [RickMcCawley.com] (coming soon) 📩 Contact: RickMcCawley@gmail.com 🎶 Join the movement. Share the myth. Write the next chapter with us.

“I’m Not Frankenstein’s Monster” is the premiere musical soliloquy from The Year Without Summer—a revolutionary new stage play and opera by Rick McCawley. 🌩️ What is The Year Without Summer? In 1816, a volcanic eruption plunged the world into darkness. That chilling year gave birth to two of literature’s most enduring myths: Frankenstein and Dracula—forged in a single night of storms, fear, and imagination. My play retells that origin story—but transforms it into a modern myth for the AI age. 🧬 In this version: Frankenstein’s monster is not a villain, but a soulful, misunderstood being—part AI, part human, part mirror. Dracula is a tech mogul, a timeless predator feeding off human attention, control, and greed. A Greek chorus of middle-class ghosts sings the rise and fall of empires, questioning power, love, and the human soul. 🎭 This is more than a musical—it’s a movement. A fusion of Hamilton’s energy, Black Mirror’s ethics, and Mary Shelley’s gothic depth. 👁️‍🗨️ Visit [RickMcCawley.com] (coming soon) 📩 Contact: RickMcCawley@gmail.com 🎶 Follow the project. Join the movement. Become part of the myth.