ch ch ch chocolate

little presents at linda's luncheon.

love

have a little new idea: photograph myself on my birthday. I've never been much for self-portraits, but I think I should, for my kids at least, you know, family history and such. So since both T and W's birthdays are before mine, I decided to include them in my documentary work.

coats

essentials for inclement weather



little coat



family.

unmadeup

My project, unmadeup, has been on my mind a lot lately. I miss my large format camera. I miss creating REAL ART. For me, when I create it, it SAYS something. Now, I do enjoy beauty for beauty's sake, and I definitely don't think all artists need to have an agenda. Most really good ones, in fact, have no agenda at all, other than creating something that is aesthetically pleasing. Maybe it is my human frailty that I need to SAY something with my work (you can read my artist statement). All the same, you'll be seeing more large format from me. I'm taking it out of the closet today, brushing it off, giving it a little kiss, and starting my work. I kind of have to because God made if veeeery clear that he wants me to use it again.

Here's the story:
I was drawn by Jeff Hein, the painter, for a project he is doing. He is unbelievably talented. Had a great chat about art, agendas, reality, selling-out, all those things, and that is why I've been thinking so much more about what I want to be remembered for, what I want to create, what I can proudly tell people I do with my work. I told my friend Becky about this, my desire to go back to film and large format, and she told me there was someone giving away film on a local website here. So, I called. Film is expensive-- free is great. SO, the person this woman said she would give it to never showed, so your's truly got the film. Some of it is Polaroid, and I am STOKED. Then, I had a direct impression about a project I should do, and the ideas have just been flowing. Today I met a woman who came me more information about refugee relocation here in Salt Lake, and a few days ago I talked to a friend who has links to cultures in America I know nothing about. God is amazing in His ability to put everything we need at our fingertips if we just TURN the right direction.

valentine's day revisited

I'm not fond of Oprah. I do not for the life of me understand why a show would be about men cheating 2 DAYS before Valentine's Day. Seriously. And then, THE NIGHT BEFORE, NBC put this great program on the air:




I'm sure you can guess what that was about.

All is well in Valentine-land here, however. I received these:

the endless debate-- black and white or color

I cannot decide which I like better. I love the muted colors, but the tonality of the black and whites is great too. Either way, I'm seeing a lot of these spoons.

don't get mad, get the camera

So, I subscribe to multiple photoblogs (which apparently is not as abnormal as I thought), and they give me such inspiration and a sense of normalcy about my love for photography. They also are therapeutic in the sense that I see how others deal with life through photography, and find the time for it, which is something that has been hard for me with a little tazmanian devil crawling around.

Well, one of them posted an interview with Brad Slade, and his words have been like rain in the Sahara for me. Case in point-- see photograph above. My lipgloss was left in my pocket, and melted and got EVERYWHERE on our clothes in the drying cycle. Now, this has happened me before. Coincidentally, it was the last time I owned colored lipgloss. It was the night before I got on a plane to go marry my darling husband. And it ruined all my favorite clothes then. Wellllllllll, this time it didn't necessarily ruin my favorite clothes, what mom has those anymore?! Oh no, it ruined my ONLY clothes, the ones that fit right now in the post baby body.

BUT, instead of getting mad, I got the camera (as Slade suggests). And it was easy for me to just deal with the pink spotted clothes... (let's be honest, it was that, and that I went and got some new shirts for cheaps at the downeast warehouse). I am happy with this image. Oh it evokes memories for me.

So, next time you do something not so smart, and have to deal with the consequences of your own actions, don't get mad: get the camera.

(And not only is this interview great, but Brad Slade photographs for the magazine Seeing the Everyday. I think I just might actually subscribe to that one in print.)