"IN LIVING COLOR".......

Set your intention.  Clear the path.  Listen and really hear.  See with clear eyes.  Keep an open mind.  The   journey begins.

I've been overwhelmed with details.  Getting ready for my first big solo photo exhibit and opening reception, while also trying to get branding/marketing materials together, update my inventory, update my blog and put together web site ideas, engage in professional networking, and further developing creative ideas, oh yes, and doing photo shoots, while trying to keep clear about my intended goals.

A true test of practicing the art of "balance."  

I set my intention this year to finally take the leap and share my creative energy and products.  And, as I've been told, once I started, now there is no turning back.  One door opens another and another.  And many of those things I only dreamed of are now becoming real.

When I stepped into the idea of putting my work out into the world for others to see, experience, and enjoy, I had not really given a lot of thought about which photos and why.  I like variety.  I have a lot of different photographic interests.  I listen to my heart and I share what I like.

In hindsight, it only makes sense that my first big solo show would take me back to where I first started the very first time I shared my photographs with someone.  I had been taking photos for years, but  never shared them with anyone.  I secretly filed through my images from time to time, admiring my love for beauty in the simple things of everyday life.

As a kid I loved to color - big, bold, colorful designs.  I NEED color around me - in my work space, my living space, even in my dreams.  I have a place in my heart for black and white photographs, which is where I originally started my photography experience, but I will always need color.

"In Living Color" - an exhibit of bold, beautiful floral photographs.  And although I have since added other exciting photographic adventures to my portfolio, this is a piece of where I began.

JOURNEY TO SOMEWHERE.........

From here to there.

Chapter one:  a dream. 

Chapter two: a spark. 

Chapter three: curiosity.

Chapter four: playing with ideas. 

Chapter five: the journey begins. 

Chapter six: more excitement, more sparks, more play.

Chapter seven: flight into creative chaos.

Chapter eight: bumpy roads, detours and unplanned visits.

Chapter nine: how much longer to my destination?

Chapter ten: I arrive when I get there. 

The creative process.  Sometimes where we are headed is not where we end up.  The outcome is often not what was intended.  One idea sparks a hundred more.  And each of these becomes part of the journey, giving influence to how we evolve. 

The journey IS more important than the destination. 

The destination is just the beginning of the next journey.

BREATHE......

A day without chaos and distraction.

Simple, quiet moments.

A breath of fresh air.

TRANSFORMATION.......

Spring - a time of rebirth, a shedding of layers and the beginning of a new life. 

A time of transformation, from the old to the new.
Sometimes with subtle differences, and sometimes with brand new, bold changes. 

Who we are and who we wish to become,
an accumulation of life experiences,  and shedding of layers,
the unveiling and revelation of our purest, most authentic self.

And then there you are, in full bloom, a spectacular miracle of color and beauty.

COLOR.......

Because life is more vibrant, playful, and interesting when we see things in color.  

.............

  

BALANCE....

WHAT I DREAM OF IS AN ART OF BALANCE - Henri Matisse

Twist and turn,  flex and bend, holding steady within. Juggle brightly colored balls, wearing different styled hats fitting to the performance.   Stand tip-toed and balance the world on a platter like a ballerina on stage.  Be present and grounded, in the midst of chaos and confusion.

To find the art of balance.................  

CREATIVE SPARKS.....

"Just Do It!"  What an ingenious idea Nike had when they created that slogan.

This is a year of creative sparks and roaring fires. I am pushing out of my comfort zone and into places that beg for more time, more attention, and more of my authentic self.  It's a time of change and transition - out of the places that hold me back and keep me from growing, and into places that nourish my spirit and my soul. Moving into the places that feel more like "home." 

Every day I am reminded that I must keep adding substance to the burning embers in order to keep the fire roaring. And each time I add something new, a million sparks fly, adding more beauty, more excitement for what is to come.

This month I entered my first juried photo exhibit and had one of my two photographs accepted.   I  took a risk and sent in images from my "love of all things old" file.  Moved away from my florals and macro work and decided to play around with some of my other images.  It worked! I am doing my first large solo exhibit " In Living Color" coming up in May, and have arranged more solo exhibits of my work over the course of this next year.  Putting together marketing materials is exciting and scary and fun all bound together.  Making myself more visible.  Taking risks and following my heart's true calling.

 First a step, then a series of steps and eventually a steady run toward "home".  

Very excited to be watching the sparks fly!!!