hurrah for summer!

so excited to make jam. We went berry picking on our trip back in may. i can't wait for my regular berry guys to be at the farmer's market. their stuff is the best.

late afternoon alabama sun.

click to enlarge. really. worth it. promise.

I LOVE the reflected light on her face, the bokeh on the right, the absolute warmth and perfection of the memory this captured.  I want to print this HUGE.

in the middle of nowhere

the cars sit.

it was here that i watched the birth of a cloud. for real.
it formed out of nothing. a clear clear sky.
and grew and grew.
it made a mark.
on me.
i don't know how to adequately describe it.
but i'm so glad it was a shared experience.

durango

check out this beautiful ottoman. I would love to have one as a room highlight. This picture makes me sad because of the green sweater (that was $80! eeek!) that I didn't buy, but still think about all the time. oh what a trip that was. Such great memories.

I love the saturation here. Not added. All film. Its slide. Contrasty, saturated, fickle, beautiful.

Happy 4th!

Hope your day includes some gorgeous watermelon. This beauty was adorning the streets in Green River, which is famous for its variety of melon.

Matter: the Lamberts

Let me tell you a story. About my shaping.

When I was 13, my friend was living with his aunt and uncle for a few months, who lived within walking distance from my house. I'd gone over there a few times.

Fast forward to me being 16. His aunt, Linda (pictured above), called me and said she would like me to come work for her. She and her husband had a metal works company. They did high end metal, duct work, kitchen stuff, for hotels, county clubs, etc. I worked in the office with Linda a few days a week (most days in the summer), and learned about invoicing, quotes, business phone etiquette, and so many other things. It was a family business and they welcomed me with open arms. They even took pictures of me and my date before prom. I worked for them into some of my college years (she wrote a letter of recommendation for me), they were at my wedding, and they are a presence in my children's lives. They absolutely are family.

I watched them run their lives and business with monetary prudence. I learned things about car maintenance, plants, food and diet, organization, all from them. She was a strong beacon of love for God while I grew. They decided to invite me to their lives, the office was part of their home, and I had keys, codes, all those things. Looking back, and specifically looking at teenagers in my own life, I am so grateful they thought I was worth investing in.

Having the Lamberts in my life was such a complement to my own parents. I had other adults who so very much agreed with my parents and knew what was right, but still could be a sounding board while I figured out that my parents were right. I'm so grateful.

Who influenced you as a young adult? Do you have pictures to aid in your reminiscence to your own kids?

peacock

somewhere in my dreams, there is a garden with a gate like this-- bronzey/wrought iron depictions of animals. The beauty of nature being so overwhelming that it commemorated in the things used to enter it--- gates, doors, stones. Maybe its because of the countless times I watched A Little Princess and The Secret Garden... but I think I am searching, sometimes, for the places where literature comes alive. I know they are there. Heaven knows Michael Kenna has found them. People write what they know, they try to pin down beauty in their art. I want to see more gardens. Real ones. Rococo-style and Versailles style. The moors and India. All of it. I need more green.

central park, again

watching baseball. 

on the great lawn.

this was attempt #2 of going to the great park.

glad we made a 2nd attempt.

first time involved lots of traffic,

and a sick little lady.

mamiya c330, ilford xp2

wednesdays: central park

i will not deny

i bribed him to stay there.

with an ice cream from a vendor.

he picked a spiderman one.

wish he didn't know who spiderman was.

........

but seeing him and E share it, and seeing their covered,

sticky,

messy happy

faces, was worth it in the short run.

this picture is more than worth it in the long run.

mamiya c330, ilford xp2-- i am completely in love with this film. 

central park

i thought this was interesting. all adults on the swings & it was like a pattern. 

mamiya c330

ilford xp2

south of the border

i had been here back in HS. We stopped there at night on our way to Florida. I remember it being really cool. Its not cool, actually. But I love this image.

from the trip

our first few days we stayed with my friend, amy. she is an artist and had already scoped out a sweet light spot in her home for me to photograph in.

she matters to me. deeply.

where have I been..

you ask? Well, all over the place. It was amazing. Why haven't I shared? WELLLLL, I'm waiting to get back this stuff.

but I looked like this most of the time.

and got some quick ones I love already. So I can't wait to see the film.

How was your May?

leaving

a couple things:

i left this morning on a massive 3 week trip 

going to nyc first

then philly for a minute

then penn laird for a while,

then DC to celebrate and party

then raleigh to relax and enjoy

then auburn to laugh and play the day away.

its a big trip.

i took my twin lens and my ricoh.

i bough a summery dress (fabric pattern above).

see ya, weirdo spring of utah. 

i'll be spending may gallavantly in the fresh green of the east.

when i get back, its full steam ahead to prepare for the downtown farmer's market.

did I mention I got in? that there were 246 applicants for 100 spots? 

I DIDN'T?

Well, here's notice. I'm going to be there. A few saturdays.

and I'm stoked. It will be so nice

to spend the day there.

to meet new people (and potential models for my personal work).

I'll be announcing the set dates and all that, but for now,

enjoy your may. take some pictures. read some books. write something.

sometimes

symmetrical architecture stops me in my tracks.

wednesdays: bookshop

I love the written word. I hope the countless hours of story-reading to my children (by me and T both) helps them love reading as much as my mom reading to myself my siblings created a love of reading in all of us. E is rummaging in my purse, but W is "reading" a book. W and I just read a book that was a little scary for him (didn't know) but it was touching to watch him be brave til the end of the story.

Day Booking It. Success

(Can I first say that I debating about putting up this post? I think it is a worthwhile topic, but I know from reading a few pages from Predictably Irrational that after reading that book I may have more to say about success. But I think it warrants discussion now, even if I change my views later. I'm glad for the ability to change one's mind. )

Let's talk for a minute about success. At what point do you consider yourself successful? I think for most of us, as people, we equate success with monetary gain and financial stability/status. I think our culture feeds this notion. However, talking lately about Vivian Maier, a unknown photographer who only posthumously has gained notoriety, the question came up about whether being "known" is a requirement for being a successful artist. Some of this depends on your own personal considerations.

I love the dictionary, so in pondering this, I decided to check out what Webster's had to say. Here is what I found:

Under this primary definition (#1), I don't ever want to be successful as an artist. Success in the art world is not terminating attempts. Growth is continual and sought.

Under the secondary (#2), it is more vague. What type of position? What honors? WHAT is the like?

Here are my attempts at making this clear.

Wealth

Money money money, right? Well, prosperity, worth, and substance are all synonyms. If you work has substance, are you successful? Who determines the worth? (you? them? general populace?) And how do you define prosperity? The most important thing about this one, I think, is that we need to debunk our connection to money for success. I think this is the reason SO many people (women especially) jump into having a business with photography before they are ready. They want validation. And the green kind is the only validation of value that they see (maybe?).

Position

If you're in the spot where you see beauty in the every day and desire to document it, I think you've attained a position others covet. You've got the eye. You see beauty.
If you're in the place where you can previsualize and apply the technical to get the result you crave, you're in a good position.
If you're at the level where you can explain things to others, or tell what you admire in a piece by another artist, you're in a good position.
If you're in the place where you want 5 million followers on your blog and 100 comments on everything you ever create because then you'll know that doing art is worth it, I don't covet your position. Just sayin'.

Honors

Do you have any formal education in your field? (do you want it?)
Have you won any awards? (have you tried? do you want to?)
Have you been in any shows? (do you want to?)
Do you honor your work and see its value?

The Like

This seems like a catchall for comparisons. Its synonymous with equivalent. So, reader, what do you consider to be "the like" in your life? At what point do you look around and say to yourself? I like where I am? The view is astounding? The colors are rich, the light is beautiful and I can lose myself in this beautiful place?

Looking at Maier's work changed some things for me. The honors I crave (and oh, how I do crave them. I admit it) are being in gallery shows. I think my work is viewed best PRINTED and framed. It does best with a physical presence, and I want to create things that are worthy of it, worthy of taking up space in this big world that is full of so many things. I'm less stressed out about creating since viewing her work.

See, I played the piano and flute since I was little, like under 10 years old. And I always felt like piano was just for me. I didn't enjoy performing (still don't). But I LOVE the piano. I love to play, I love to learn new things and I love to benefit from listening to the talent of others. So, for me, its not a stretch that someone could be just as happy with art, creating for personal pleasure. Art without strings has the ability to cut through all the anxiety that is created with sharing something so personal. Having personal things in one's art, things that aren't shared (maybe until later or even ever) can be extremely beneficial.

the feel of a place

how do you think this place feels?

Our hotel lobby. I was thoroughly impressed.

Merry Christmas!

Hope yours is as shiny bright and funky as mine is gonna be!