What I see.

I am probably like most people who wake up and start my day with coffee, getting ready and then am off in a series of different activities throughout the day until I get ready to go to sleep. What I love about taking photos is that I am forced to slow down, even with a digital camera. I have to stop and think about what intrigues me and what interests me. The camera is my way of articulating and literally focusing on what is calling my attention. Many people remark that my photographs and artwork is pretty and for a while I felt bad about that, but recently I understood that it’s the beauty in the world that calls me to take a photo. When I have a camera lens to look through I am reminded of all the beautiful and wondrous details in the world that I rush by every day. There is something lovely about the mundane, about objects and shapes and shades that I overlook. With the camera in hand I am able to frame what I love.

Each time I look at the photos I have taken I am reminded what a little love and attention will do to anything we set our gaze on. Even something as seemingly small and insignificant as grass or pieces of wood take on another quality and it’s as if it’s been there all the time waiting for us to pay attention. By paying attention I don’t just mean seeing the world around us with our eyes, but through our heart. 

For Faith

"Making art more accessible or mainstream for those of us who love to try art, but don't consider ourselves artists? Or something about your vision of being an artist."

I think you just start where you are, with what you have, and just begin. I like to call myself a creative practitioner because making art is a practice. What I have come to realize recently is that I practice this art in different ways though. On some days my cooking is my way to practice art and on other days yoga is the way I honor my creativity.

Creativity is not outside of us, nor does it happen to us. Creativity is a flow & moves through us. You can't hide from it, can't run from it, nor can you chase it down. Really, you must still yourself & allow this force to reside in and through you. I don't even really know if we can "teach" one another this, but rather it is something within ourselves that we each can discover.

When I was living in Eugene, Oregon I hosted art parties & let friends come over & create. I didn't "teach" them anything, nor did I want to. I provided materials & food & a place for them to make what they wanted. I was so amazed at what people created & realized that people don't need instruction on how to create art. I think rather people look for permission. I would watch my friends create beautiful & amazing things that I could never dream of!

I think many people are blocked about creating art because there's an idea that it should look a specific/certain way. I don't know. I guess each person has to decide what expectations and ideas they have about their art.

When my friend Faith asked me to write about this I didn't know that I was actually describing my vision as an artist. My vision is that it must come from within. I wish I had some magical formula for others, but really my art process has been to honor my artistic impulses & you know why? Those impulses are always way wiser than me & they always provide me with what I need.