Tonight...

The truth is that I have no excuse for disappearing on you like I've done.  But here I am, on Christmas eve, coming to wish you Merry Christmas!!!

I wish you a joyful night with your loved ones..... stay warm....

Sister Talk

I was babysitting my two nieces yesterday.  One is 5 and the other is barely 1 year old.  It was fun, but I ended exhausted, since they did not give me a break at all!  On my way home, I remembered this picture my dad took of my sister and I when we were younger.  The giggles and the playing somehow reminded me of my own childhood, and the little moments one cherishes for the rest of our lives.

That day, my dad was playing with the Rolleiflex camera I so much crave.  We went to the old city and spent the day playing.  That's all we did.  My sister and I played and he just took the pictures.  In our family photo albums, these are like a signature my dad left on his life achievements.  A true reminder of a happy childhood that lingers like the smell of a good perfume.

On Thanksgiving day one week from today, my love and I will leave New York and will visit my sister's home in Maryland for a home cooked family meal.  After all these years, we remain the best of friends.  See you soon sis'!

P.S. In the picture, I am the one in the bottom.  The cheeks are my trademark! :)

This Must Be the Place

Well.... I got the job! My start day is the 28th of November, giving us plenty of time to go on our trip to New York. Yay!!! I am really happy to be able to do both things, and I am extremely thankful for that.

For those who asked, the job is not related to photography. But, this is a well known communications company, and the nature of the job will be related to the world of television and radio.  I think this is a good starting point.  My entire adult life has been linked to banking and portfolio management.  This is a much needed change of scenery.

On the other hand, my Etsy shop is thriving! This month things have been moving pretty good, and an increasing interest in my photography is showing.  I am really excited about it, and I will continue working with my art and my camera.  I will be doing a giveaway soon, so stay tuned.

We might...

Eye Poetry by Irene Suchocki

... be going to New York again by Thanksgiving week.  We're not sure yet, since I'm waiting to know if I get the job or not (we'll know by next week for sure).  But I am hoping we can do both.  The open road is calling....

Artful Sunday

Good morning, lovelies.  Today I am in the mood for inspiration and discovery.  As we enjoy the extra hour the Daylight Saving has given us, I have been browsing for much needed beauty and wonder.  Expect more posts...

Self-Portraits in Art

Feather Eye

I had been hesitant on the idea of self portraits in photography for a very long time.  For the most part, I thought that self portraits were a conceited effort for self promotion.  Considering all the possible subjects there are for one to capture, I never thought of myself as a good one to start with.  I am average looking, average built, and certainly a typical thirty something woman trying to make the best of her life experience.  

A couple of months ago, I was alone at my apartment cleaning up my studio.  It's a small room where I keep all my DIY projects that I never finished, along with my photography equipment.  I then spotted some peacock feathers that I had bought some time ago, and then suddenly, I had the urge to pick up my camera.  The Feather Eye photo is one of my favorite fine art pictures so far in my store, and it turned out to be a self portrait.  Talk about irony.

Since then I had been reading on the subject.  Contrary to my limited assumptions, self portraits are a very important stage in the life of an artist.  We live with ourselves, and understanding our own nature is the first step for understanding anything else.

I can quote and share thousands of artists whose self portraits have turned out to be the cornerstone of their work.  Here are some of my favorites...

Vincent van Gogh was an avid self portrait artist.  He was a sensitive soul whose last words were "The sadness will last forever".  A troubled soul, van Gogh turned out to be one of the most influential figures in the Post-Impressionism art movement.

I was lucky to be able to see a small exhibition on her work last year, while visiting the MoMA in NYC.  Frida Kahlo's work is irreverent, unapologetic, and honest.  She used painting as a way of escapism, giving us a peak into her mind and soul.

Vivian Maier is probably unknown to most of us, but her work as an amateur street photographer  is stupendous.  She died in 2009, and after her death her work has come out and is rapidly becoming a favorite.  She held a private life as a nanny, always carrying her camera and not sharing her photographs with anyone.  It is said that she produced about 100,000 negatives throughout her life, documenting her surrounding wherever she went.  Her self portraits are that, intimate and simple.  I really like her style, showing that self portraits are as valid as a good street shot.

White Flag

Please don't.  After a bittersweet part time job in retail, I have survived and back to my normal self.  There is a not so distant sound of a much possible full time job in my horizon, and I am praying that it works.  I'm going to interviews this next week, so wish me luck!  For the past year and a half I tried to put together a photography business that didn't go as I had hoped for, although I have to say that I have grown tremendously as a photographer and as a person.  Just the simple fact of trying something so completely new to me has given me a new perspective in life and myself.  So, it was worth all the effort.  My passion for photography is still strong and present.  It is my constant and I hold on to it.