Words will never summarize how meaningful and experiential these past several months have been. These monumental moments include — re/connecting with so many amazing artists, reviewers, and staff at Photolucida in Portland as well as Arles, graduating from California Institute of the Arts (more on this life-changing event below), 11-year anniversary celebration with puppetry, an operatic clown, followed by a magical trip to France with the most important human I share my heart with, spending time with family and meeting my adorable nephew and niece for the first time in Hawaii, a CPAC Photo workshop in the South of France led by the always inspirational Aline Smithson, a phenomenal teacher, artist and friend who has been incredibly supportive ever since I made the decision to pursue my photographic passion in 2010 after losing my beloved parents, my ultimate creative spirits.
I am so thankful to have been blessed with immensely loving, hardworking, and creative parents as roles models throughout the 29 and 32 years we were able to spend together on this great spinning planet, I’d give anything just to hug them both right now and remind them of this gift. A few of my fondest memories include watching classic films, thrift store shopping and sculpting miniatures with my mother, who at one point ran a home business making elaborate memory boxes. It was mesmerizing watching her work on them. And climbing trees with my father. His were long (but well loved) days spent in nature taming unruly brambles in his efforts of utmost import: rooting out of naughty fire-causing sprites and fairies (naughty, naughty. Tsk, tsk.) Naturally, his inspiration was my grandfather, a Fire Chief. It was from the back of my father’s pick-up truck with his Polaroid camera in hand where I first became transfixed by the photographic medium.
Art school was always a dream for me, especially since it never really seemed a financially viable one. Once I had the opportunity through scholarships, savings and the allotted time, I was initially slightly hesitant to return to academia because of my age. Kind of embarrassing to admit this but I just want to say never let age, fear (or…) define your potential for meaning. Invest in yourself in whatever form that takes for you. The intellectual and creative chemistry at CalArts was such a mind-bending and rewarding experience. Relationships were forever forged. ❤️
Thank you to all of the exemplary educators, colleagues, and staff at CalArts and everyone who has contributed to my personal and artistic growth by offering positive reinforcement or suggestions, invaluable insight, to look at ways to genuinely connect and critically ground my work to the world at large, and the many heartwarming hugs.
I am beyond grateful to have these experiences and the privilege to be able to pursue a life of art. Being apart of an artistic community of supportive, talented and engaged folks is the biggest gift of all.
Photolucida portfolio walk at the Portland Art Museum
CalArts 2019 graduation
farewell my CalArts studio
I will miss these walls and the creative energy behind them in the photo and media analog darkroom but I will return soon enough
One of my favorite characters and Bob Baker marionettes, Humpty!
Puddles Pity Party
Hawaii time with my beautiful family
aloha Hawaii, bonjour France!
Atelier des Lumières
so thrilled to see the robot from Fritz Lang's 1927 Metropolis at Cinematheque Francaise
one of my favorite paintings at the Musee d'Orsay by Hugues Merle titled "One Mendiante" (1861)
so much deliciousness!
such entertaining fun at the Musee des arts Forains in Bercy
flowers were in full bloom at Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny
one of several automatons on display at the Musee des Arts et Metiers
a 1915 vintage postcard find, photographed along the Bay of Cannes, the inscription on the front translates to, "the angels of peace keep the barbarian away"
Fragonard factory
the view out my window in La Napoule
a new self-portrait made while in La Napoule titled, "Internal Tides"
my lovely pal Val Patterson
a toast to the incredible Aline Smithson
a fantastic exhibition in Arles called, "The Saga of Inventions"
additional postcards collected in France...au revoir pour le moment!
