friday . salon

I’ve had some pretty amazing changes in my life since I started thinking of myself as an artist and my photography as my life work. Most of the changes have been wonderful, they are still happening and I’m still growing as a person, as a wife, as a mother and as an artist. Some of them have been painful. I believe that the process of creation is intrinsically tied to our souls and that being open, to people, ideas and moments is the most important thing of all. That means I have to be vulnerable, because to protect myself is to close myself off and the painful moments are so much less then the wonderful moments that occur if I am open to them.

it's raining outside and it is really lovely

I have met so many people, so many artists and photographers who are struggling with the journey. It can be very hard to follow your own vision of what art is or even see that vision when so many others seeming successful people have such strong brands. It’s very easy to want a “how to”. How to be “creative”, how to be “good”, how to be “successful”, how to “make it”. It’s much easier to look at the best ways to market, to look to packaging and talk about the best products then it is to search your soul and follow your heart. I think you can run an amazing business, and nourish your soul at the same time.

I love pretty packaging as long as it’s green, and I spent my fair share of time going through samples and albums before I found something I loved and I am the last person to say that I haven’t worried about whether or not I’m getting my name and my work out to brides and family’s so they can see what I do and share in the process of creation with me.

I am finding that with my eyes and heart being open I’m making connections with so many people. With people who feel what I do and value and treasure the art we create together and with artists who do not want to define themselves only as their brand, who want to find their own way and break out of the is to something more .. but as a very successful photographer told me a year ago, these artists are people who usually keep to themselves, who don’t go to industry events, there is no clique for those of us who are not wired to join up and try to follow the herd. We must rely on synchronicity to bring us in touch with each other.

My blog is an extension of me, I am many and I contain multitudes as Whitman said, and so while most of my posts are about what I’m doing, what I’m shooting and sharing images both professionally and personal work, I’m going to expand it to encompass something more as well. Being open and striving for growth means being vulnerable and I think at this point I need to put my money where my mouth is so to speak. Fridays at Here Today I’ll be posting about the journey, from my point of view, about creating and about the joys, the pain and all it encompasses. I invite anyone who reads this, photographers, clients, artists of all kinds to comment and share or email with ideas for posts and we’ll see what we can come up with, I’m eager to get started.