Point of Reflection

Greetings Foto Fans!
Well, it has been a long week and that is an understatement! I once heard it said or read somewhere, "Life is too short to learn from your own mistakes." Well, here is one of mine to learn from.

On Friday I had an initial meeting with a new gallery. Prior to, I worked diligently to ensure my materials were in order. CV, bio, exhbition sample card, business card, and of course the cute fit! But in all the review and review again, I failed to catch a HUGE error on my CV. It is the process that once a new show is booked, you place it on your CV, even if it has not occurred. Well, I listed each show for 2011 and to be sure and keep everything aligned I did the 'copy and paste.'

As the galleriest reviewed my information she began to ask clarifying questions. Apparently, I accidentally placed the current gallery on the listing for both 2011 and 2010. The title of the shows correct, the medium all correct, BUT the gallery spaces... W-R-O-N-G, WRONG!  I listed their space for a previous show, when this will be the first time in this gallery. um, Rock for one please... wishing I could crawl and never return, all I could do was excuse the mistake, offer to take the CV, make the correction and email the correct one.

So here is the lesson learned, while you may proof read again, again, and did I mention AGAIN... just like Mrs. McNabb (my 7th grade English teacher from Australia ) use to tell me, ask another friend to read it for you! Lesson learned? ... you tell me.

A New Mother...

Hello Foto Fans!

Today was another fun day of capturing family moments. My shoot this afternoon was a maternity portrait session for a first time mom. She was definitely having a day of pampering, including a doctor's visit (does that count as pampering?), sassy new hair cut, meditation training in prep for labor, concluding with her memories being captured by your's truly! The happy couple are expecting a baby boy!

Similar to previous portrait shoots, you always want to do your best to offer something special! In addition, taking the photographs of an expecting mom is a bit different than your average high school senior. After all, you need to ensure mom and baby are both comfortable and safe, the image shows the personality of the mother, and you also apply your touch of creativity as the photographer. Needless to say, it's not always as easy as it looks. But! I love it, I love the thought of the new life that is being formed in this mother, who at this stage is absolutely beautiful!                                                                                                                                                  

So included in this post, are a few of my favorite images, from our time together. I couldn't of asked for a better model and the little guy inside, did his part two! Until next time FotoFans, stay in touch with the latest on Twitter@FotoFans

Two Little Ladies

Hello Foto Fans

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I don't know about you, but I love, LOVE the holiday season and all things Christmas. I especially love this time of the year, because I often times have the opportunity to add to the family memories of area families. As a matter of fact, yesterday I had the pleasure of taking the photographs of two little ladies, for their dad's 2010 Christmas cards. We literally played in an area park for about an hour. The great thing in working with different types of families, is each group has a specific preference. In this case, Dad wanted to be sure and have more informal photographs and not the typical formal studio lights and backdrops. Included in this post are a few of my favorites! Follow me on Twitter @FotoFans for the up to date moves and photo shoots this holiday season.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Happy Thanksgiving Foto Fans!

Clemens in his studio

So let me ask you this, are you still stuffed, like that turkey sitting on your table earlier today? I know I am! I am also thankful for not only today, but everyday that I am still here upon the Earth created by God above, able to do what I love; chase light. I am also thankful I was able to bring a new friend to dinner today, Clemens Weiss. A fellow artist, currently visiting Milwaukee and REDLine as a on-site guest artist for 3 months, joined my family for dinner today! Clemens is German born and currently lives in New York and has never had the opportunity to experience Thanksgiving quite the way my family does it (I'm guessing the food). Nevertheless, he loved my mom's cornbread dressing, went back for seconds, took a dogie bag home and seemed to enjoy the Cowboys vs Saints football game that played on the TV (BTW Saints 27-Cowboys 20)!

Clemens' studio and work

It made me proud to see my family embrace him like he was one of our own. Several questions about his background, life as an artist and just how he made his way to the States, let alone Milwaukee, continued for several hours. And Clemens, of course, was more then willing to share.

A part of our family tradition, is to go around the family circle and everyone share what they are currently thankful for. Clemens offered the joy of being with my family and sharing such an important meal in our country's history with us. As for myself, well, I shared my thankfulness rests in opportunity. Opportunity you may ask; seems odd? Well, think about it. We all are given opportunities, but each day we have the CHOICE to accept the opportunity given, reject it, or ignore it all together. I do realize there are some opportunities that need to be both rejected and or ignored, and so we do... but for myself, I chase, like the light, the opportunities that enhance the person I am today. That add to my character and build me as a human, a woman, and an artist, so that I may add to the world around us, created by the God above. So Fans... what are you thankful for?

Take 6

Hello Foto Fans!

I just concluded a meeting with Della Wells. Ms. Della is the curator for the group show I am participating in opening January 21st. During the course of our meeting, she had the opportunity to peruse through several of my pieces. She continuously said, "Show me everything, everything!" As I pulled out one series sample, she would request to see the complete series, "Everything." WOW what  an awesome feeling. Someone that was really curious about my work, the process in which it is created and the value of my voice and what I had to say.

And with that she selected 6 pieces for the exhibition at the Peltz Gallery. A piece from my glass series (a diptych), two pieces of the hair series on handmade paper, a photographic transfer, and a screen print (hanging in the space as a current work in progress! Which means I need to finish it...) I won't be including any photos of the work just yet, you'll have to come to the opening!

Joining me in the exhibition will be: Reginald Baylor, Portia Cobb, George Williams, Jr, Allison Sawyer, Kevin Boatright, George McCormick, Evelyn Terry and the list goes on.