A Milestone and the Lesson "Don't Give Up"

Image Source: Manifest Gallery

I've been so busy the past few weeks I hadn't gotten to share this yet. Last month, my photograph "Sanctuary" was accepted into the latest exhibition at Manifest Gallery in downtown Cincinnati!

This one has been a long time coming. In October 2014, I set a goal to get a piece into this gallery space. I researched them online, liked what they were about and the high quality of work they displayed. It was a "step up" from some of the other places I've shown, and a bit more intimidating. I took a deep breath, and submitted my work, and got declined. I submitted again, and got declined again. Over the course of the past year and a half, I have entered nearly every show of theirs that my photo work was a fit for, and been declined from all of them - until now.

When I submitted for this of regional Ohio artists, I told myself "this is the last time I am submitting. If I don't get in this time, I will start putting those submission funds towards other places". And this is the time I got accepted. It was a great reminder to me that every "no" is just one step closer to a "yes", and you just gotta keep on trying. Jurors are always different and you never know what they will like, and it doesn't necessarily reflect on the quality of your work at all.

I am VERY proud to be considered amongst the artists for this show, and to have such a personal piece of my work displayed by such a reputable gallery and creative hub. This, for me, is a milestone moment.

Mike, Shelby and I will be driving down tomorrow for the opening. Shelby has already picked out two dress options to wear lol. I am thrilled that Shelby will get to be a part of this. Most of the time, she probably doesn't have a real good idea of what I actually DO with all these pictures I take! Definitely happy to expose her to some things I never really had the chance to experience at her age. :)

"Sanctuary" to be on the Cover

The voting poll has closed and the results are in! My image Sanctuary will be the cover of an upcoming issue of Artist Portfolio Magazine. 

Thank you again for all of your continued support of my work and my journey. You all have shown me that amazing things are possible when we work together, and I cannot wait to see what else we will achieve together down the road! Much love!

2014: A Year of Self Portraits

Although I've taken hundreds of self portraits since Drew died, I hardly ever share any of them. The above photo is in fact one of the only portraits I've shared that is deeply related to my grief. I took it just 4 or 5 months after he died. This scarf made me feel both powerful and protected at the same time…. very important feelings when your whole world falls apart around you. It also made me feel close to him. As a pilot, his love of flight became infectious and deeply inspiring to me… and so anything flight related became a real symbol of hope for me after he died.

This photo represented for me the in-between - not in my old life and not yet able to be in any kind of new life. It is a part of the journey we all must go through when enduring any kind of loss. This photo for me represents my incubation from the world… the time in which I needed to be sheltered in order to become who the person who is able to step forward into a new life one day.

A few weeks ago, after another man's story inspired me, I shared this post on Widow’s Voice, where I write weekly. In the post, I shared several very private portraits I had never showed anyone. It felt REALLY vulnerable to do, but the response was wonderful and seemed to help many. It got me thinking that there might just be some power to sharing more of this.

My plan is to do a year of self portraits - one a week - to explore my individual journey through grief more deeply. I will use the photo-taking process and journaling in combination to begin to dig deeper into my own story, to see it from different angles, explore it more fully, and have a visual record of this journey.

I'll admit as I type this, there is something about announcing "I'm going to photograph myself for a year" that feels entirely self-centered and irksome. The old demons come up, saying "Who do you think you are? Who will care about a year of pictures of you?". Well… for one, I will. I want to know what I will gain from this, learn from it, how I will heal more, and how it might help others to do the same for themselves. I figure that's a pretty darn good start right there.

So, I'll be sharing my first portrait a week from today, and every week for the year, along with some of the journaling that happens around each image *Shudders at the thought of this!* So vulnerable! But I'm trusting anyone out there reading to be kind to what I give - as I am most certain that most people will be. Until next week… wishing you well.