Sees-The-Day

When your imagination becomes real

2012-02-24T07:21:00.001-08:00

Upon meeting Cinderella my daughter kept touching and feeling with her own hands the awesome realness of Cinderella. As we left the room in the castle where we met Cinderella continuing on with our day my daughter kept on saying: "WOW - today I met a REAL princess. "

Magic Kingdom-Disney

Reaching Higher

2012-02-23T07:29:00.001-08:00

There is something amazing when we try to work harder each day. Reaching higher than the day before. It just feels good to seize our full potential each day and give our best.

"Concentrate on finding your goal, then concentrate on reaching it" -Michael Friedsam

Skye at Tom Sawyer's Island-Disney

The wonder of Magic

2012-02-22T05:20:00.001-08:00

Last week we had the wonderful opportunity to be in Disneyworld and bask in the land of magic. The timing was perfect since I am currently working on a new body of work on the theme of the imagination. It was an unforgettable experience to see our little children's eyes wide open with wonder and amazement of Walt Disneys real creations. Walt's life is one of full of persistence and not giving up and of course following your dreams. He is a true inspiration to us !

Songs of Experience

2012-02-12T16:53:00.001-08:00

(Disney's Animal Kingdom)

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Not giving up

2012-02-06T20:05:00.000-08:00

Leaves of Ice

2012-02-05T19:23:00.001-08:00

Brain Pickings

2012-02-03T17:24:00.001-08:00

Beautiful review of Lost in Learning this week in Brain Pickings, one of my favorite spots on the Web.

Flying

2012-02-01T08:30:00.001-08:00

I have been thinking about flying today. Such a joy to lift off the ground and explore the world from a different view. And oh how I love this quote by Leonardo da Vinci:

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.

Bathroom Ceiling

2012-01-25T15:40:00.001-08:00

Some people need to travel to the far reaches of the earth to feel like they’ve discovered something new.

Really though a sense of wonder and discovery is not about our location, but our vision.

Last night my daughter was playing in the bathroom when she heard water running above her and thought it was dripping.

When we came to check it out, we had to move the ceiling tiles.

For that little four year old, the chance to see inside the bathroom ceiling was absolutely thrilling. It was like she’d found Shangri-la in this little corner of our
house. She couldn’t believe there was such a place and that you could actually see it and she took note of every little detail.

The excitement of discovery is within us, it’s everywhere we are, it’s in places we’ve never considered. It takes a different sort of lens though to notice it.

I believe in fairies

2012-01-23T14:33:00.001-08:00

Perhaps not in exactly the same way my four year old daughter does.

I don’t go peeking under mossy outcrops to see if they might be hiding out or look for signs they may have left as they heard me coming and fled.

But I do believe in them, just as I believe in all sorts of created creatures, fantastic figments, impossible dreams and flights of fancy.

Without physical presence these still have power to capture the human imagination and to shape the physical world.

The imagination goes much further than simply influencing the artistically inclined though.

It is the currency of education, of government, of entrepreneurship and innovation.

It is the lifeblood of culture and the promise of a better tomorrow.

We learn, explore, leap and live most fully only when something has managed to kindle that fire.

I hope light may never go out, but continue to get brighter.

I’ll clap my hands if I need to.

Because I believe in fairies.

Pencil and Paper

2012-01-18T15:45:00.001-08:00

I adore my iPhone along with every other new gadget or innovation that allows you to organize, connect, create and amplify your life.

The speed of innovation today is so incredibly breathtaking.

Just look over the last 20 years at all the technologies which have become or are quickly becoming obsolete: they include typewriters, landline phones, ledgers, cassette tapes, VHS, Discmans, drafting tables, film and just about every other analog device you can think of.

And yet…

After thousands of years those most basic of implements, paper and pencil, still hold incredible power, symbolism and utility.

You can still pick up a pencil and address a blank page.

You can jot, sketch, illustrate, brainstorm, plan or just write an old fashion snail mail letter.
(Funny how the instantaneous nature of email makes a hand-written letter all the more precious).

Indeed the digital age has allowed us to do so much so quickly that we now have a chance to take a step back and reminisce, romanticize, and appreciate our ability to dream up something new, grab a pencil and put it to paper.

The Moment

2012-01-12T08:01:00.001-08:00

Sunset’s are important because they remind us of how important the moment is.

Blink twice and it’s past.

Of course you don’t have to wait for a sunset to pause, breath and fully take it in.
That opportunity is with us at any point, we just have to engage it.

Up close

2012-01-11T13:18:00.001-08:00

Real learning is like real life.

It happens when you decide to go exploring - it’s personal, it goes deep.

It’s easy to skim the surface with a passing glance - but that doesn’t light the spark.

It takes the courage and it only begins when we make the effort to look at things up close.

When we knew how to play

2012-01-06T08:17:00.001-08:00

Our daughter Skye is 4.

She doesn’t yet know how to read notes, or memorize songs.

When she gets in the kitchen, she doesn’t know how to read and measure ingredients or bake something worth eating.

But she sure knows how to play.

She can sit at the piano and play whatever notes she feels like while improvising lyrics for her makeshift compositions ad infinitum.

She can empty the dill, the vinegar, the flour, the baking soda, the salt, half a gallon of milk and a box of oatmeal into a mixing bowl and stay engaged
for hours as she bakes a rather green looking cake.

Before we knew what it was supposed to look, or taste, or sound like, we just did, made, played it.

There was no wrong answer so we could imagine to our hearts content.

Even after we grow up, play is still one of the surest ways available to find the drive, the passion and resilience necessary to achieve mastery.

Eyes open and minds ready to imagine the impossible is where the real learning takes place.

The Big Picture

2012-01-05T19:42:00.001-08:00

Tiny rivulets branching in the sand, darting this way or that.

Hundreds of tiny choices when viewed up close.

Taking a step back though the rivers/choices form a picture.

What do you see?

Shadows

2012-01-04T17:22:00.001-08:00

Where ever there is a shadow, there is also light somewhere behind it.

On Caring

2012-01-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

Here's to living with our arms full of the things we care most about.

Maneuvering the many steps of life, one-handedly.

And pausing every now and then with our wheels poised in the air.

To appreciate all we have, even as we prepare to engage in the bumpy ride of life.

New Beginnings as Old as Time

2012-01-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

This photo is from New College at Oxford.

(Oxford is one of the few places where you can still be called New after being around for 700 years).

I love the images here, each of the seven Virtues personified in exquisite painted glass.

This series of Ancient themes at New College has me thinking about the New Year and forward thinking.

Beginnings are amazing in the way they fulfill that basic human desire to become better, to do more, to try to and climb and then dive into life once again with renewed perspective and resolve.

It's a drive that's been pulling human kind forward from the beginning of time.

Given the ancient roots of resolutions, it's no surprise that each year some of New Year resolutions are older than they are new.

We've may have been stewing over them for some time with a sense that we could, should and ought to be doing more.

Somehow though, a new beginning (be it a year or even a new day) empowers us to envision the future and attach a firm stake future of where, what, who we hope to be.

Then that stake in the future acts like the other side of this giant elastic pulling us forward.

It doesn't matter how many times we may have thought or ruminated about these ideas before, a new beginning allows us to reset the elastic and shoot for the stars.

Here's to a wonderful and successful New Year and greeting each New Day with this same attitude.

ENGAGE (Free e-Book)

2011-12-10T17:43:00.001-08:00

It’sbeen a tremendous year filled with inspiring moments of gratitude and wonder.

I’veloved the opportunity of speaking throughout the year about nurturing thespirit of creative freedom in our lives.

It’sa message that I’ve found resonates with all of us, no matter our age.

We’rejust plain happier when we’re creatively engaged.

Thedemands and distractions of life however, can make it difficult to take thosesparks of inspiration and to turn them into a lasting creative flame.

Keepingthat fire alive is the subject of a new e-Book, we've been working on.

ENGAGE: The Journey from Inspiration to Innovation.

ThePDF version of the book will be available through the beginning of the yearFREE of charge at www.illumea.com/engage

Here’sto inspiration throughout the Holiday Season and into the New Year!

Ben Franklin

2011-11-14T18:21:00.001-08:00

The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself" - Ben Franklin

Liberty's Lantern

2011-11-12T17:47:00.001-08:00

"Liberty's Lantern" - Paul Revere's House in Downtown Boston

Lost in Learning exhibit in UTAH and 3 lectures in photos

2011-11-12T17:17:00.001-08:00

Lost in Learning: The Art of Discovery traveling exhibit on display at the Brigham Young Univeristy: Harold B. Lee Library Nov 1, 2011-Jan31, 2012

Saren and myself by the poster sign in front of the auditorium entrance.

Before my speech for the students at the Mcgiles Private School in SLC, UT with the Director of the school, teacher and the staff from the University of Utah sponsoring the event.

With Chris and Julene at the BYU: Harold B. Lee Auditorium. Such amazing ladies that made the showing of my work possible there.

With the Amazing Linda and Saren and the beautiful mountains after the lecture at BYU. So grateful for ALL your help and support during my stay there.

I took the red eye Jet Blue home and LOVED seeing my family after my trip.

Never Finished

2011-10-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

"Art is never finished, only abandoned."

~ Leonardo da Vinci

Upcoming events in Utah - Nov 3rd

2011-10-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Coming up in November I am going to Utah to speak and share the Lost in Learning photographic project with many wonderful people.

Here is the summary of where I am going to be at what times:

November 3rd:
10:00a.m.- Speaking to the students at the Private McGillis School. The address of the school is 668 South 1300 East in SLC (just around the corner really from the football stadium) I am excited to meet some incredible kids and faculty.

Then off to Brigham Young University. The Lost in Learning traveling exhibit is going to be on display from Nov 1 to Jan 2012 at the Harold B. Lee Library's Gallery. It has been wonderful to work with the people at BYU and I am very grateful for their support in organizing this event. My lecture there is at 3 -4 p.m. in the HBLL 106 main auditorium. Click here to see the invite for it.

Then I am off to The Leonardo Museum where the University of Utah and The Leonardo have teamed up and will be hosting my lecture starting at 7p.m. All events are free and open to the public. I will be doing book signings right after the lectures at all locations.

I am looking forward to seeing old friends, making new and being inspired by many.

The Odds of Innovation (Columbus Day)

2011-10-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing history has to teach us about innovation, it's that it is almost never guaranteed.

In fact, in the adaptive and evolving process of working outside the box, it is nearly certain that whatever innovation ends up succeeding in the end will bear but little resemblance to the ideas that engendered them.

If ever it seems like innovation is a battle against impossible odds, keep in mind that you don't always have to hit the exact mark you were anticipating to leave your mark on the world.

Columbus' calculations of the world's diameter were all completely wrong.

Like a true serial entrepreneur, he left the material comforts of Spain to sail again and again to the New World, always expecting to round one more cape and set his sights on China or India.

He never even came near them.

His failure to meet his own expectations does not change the fact that his exploration opened up the entire world.

Whenever we labor in those spaces where there are no maps and we start to push beyond the boundaries most are comfortable with, we are probably not going to be very good at predicting precise outcomes.

Odds are though if we keep at it, we will open up the world in ways we had never imagined.

Questions

2011-09-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

What if learning wasn’t just that thing we do to land a decent job?

What if instead it was transformed into life’s greatest adventure?

What if education and aspiration were so tightly interwoven that they became our life’s journey?

One fueled by curiosity and driven by our imaginations.

What we saw it as a challenge, standing at the precipice, the very boundaries of our knowledge and then taking that leap of faith to explore, experiment and illuminate the unknown.

What if the names and dates of history weren’t nearly as important as the people and passions behind them?

What if the past was really a window to the future?

What if we learned to see the world through the lenses of the explorers and innovators of long ago?

An endless ocean transformed into a path to a new world

A military instrument repurposed to survey the heavens

A piece of falling fruit re-imagined as key to the workings of the Universe

What would be the progeny if art and science were to fall in love?

Would there not be a rebirth of truth, of beauty, of knowledge and hope?

Questions are but thinly veiled invitations

The Renaissance beckons anew

How shall we reply?

Vision = Transformation (BIF-7 Day 1)

2011-09-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

This past week was one of those inspirational highlights of life.

Just returned from the BIF-7 Conference in Providence, RI where over the course of 2 days the world was taken apart and then put back together in a way that turned problems into possibilities through the power of story.

The stories were as diverse and profound as the raconteurs behind them, but they all seemed to harness this big idea that once we learn to see things differently, we tap into a source of transformative power and potential.

Here are some of the major propositions and redefinitions from day 1:

Healthcare = NOT just a crusade to cure, BUT an opportunity to heal & console (Alex Jadad)

Creativity = NOT some highly selective innate talent, BUT the quest to unleash our potential (Fred Mandel)

Entrepreneurship = NOT the act of building a business, BUT the art of engaging, experimenting and taking initiative in life (Len Schlesinger)

Musicianship = NOT a measure of mastery, BUT the very act of communicating something from deep within yourself. (Sebastian Ruth)

Freedom = NOT just the permissions others grant us, BUT those opportunities we envision and the dreams we allow ourselves (Eva Timothy)

Education = NOT just a sheepskin, BUT a magnet for interests, passions and everything else that gets you out of bed in the morning and closer to your dreams (Dale Stephens & John Werner)

Church = NOT just a theological repository, BUT a focal point of positive leadership in the community (Jim Mellado)

Poverty = NOT a bunch of broken communities, BUT centers of life, families with stories of hope, and collective strengths when mobilized and recognized (Angela Blanchard)

Every one of these themes was, in a sense, an expansion of humanity's present and prevailing

visions.

While VISION is certainly one of those overused buzzwords that often gets watered down into statements of biz-speak drivel, listening to these stories it was apparent that genuine vision is indeed the birthplace of the sort of inspiration that leads to big world-shaping transformations.

Innovation asks us not only to be forward thinking, but also more holistic in our outlook, more purposeful in our perspectives, more open to observation and more generous in our collaborations.

Walking into a theater of a few hundred people you’ve never met in person and finding that you share a common language, vibe, purpose and yes VISION; it’s one of those life-affirming experiences where you realize that while there is art and innovation, imagination and community, the world has hope, whatever our challenges.

Thank you everyone for a fantastic experience and more to follow.

Adam & Eva

Two Quotes......

2011-09-08T05:42:00.000-07:00

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." - Michelangelo

News.....

2011-09-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

This is mostly for locals fans of the work:

Lost in Learning-The Art of Discovery traveling exhibit and monograph are on display at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport MA. (Sep-Oct 2011).

So stop by and I hope you enjoy the show.....

What does YOUR imagination see?

2011-08-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

I am working on a new body of work on the theme of the Imagination.

What do YOU see in this photograph?

The Entitlement Trap book

2011-08-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

Fantastic book by two of my favorite authors.

Love the idea of giving kids more freedom and helping them learn through their own choices. An excellent resource for parents to help their children overcome the entitlement mentality and realize their fullest potential.

Click the link for more details: http://www.entitlementtrap.com/

20 Years of Opportunity

2011-08-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

A photograph from the Finding Freedom Project(www.findingfreedom.us).

 
Today  marks 20 years since the beginning of the fall of the Soviet Union.

It reminds me of the night my parents awoke me up from a deep  sleep and we rushed to the city center of Sofia, Bulgaria to witness a turning  point in the country's history. 

The national government offices were set on flame, the red  star of Communism had been ripped from its perch and a throng of people took to  the streets with chants of Freedom and Democracy. 

I still get chills thinking about that night and the wave of  opportunity that seemed to flood over an entire nation.

Simply having freedom though did not produce immediate  prosperity for the country of Bulgaria.
 
In fact, within a few years after the wall fell, many of  those same people who had clamored for deliverance from Communism were now  demanding a return to the security of bread and jobs which Communism had  provided, albeit poorly.

Freedom by itself does not guarantee anything, it merely  provides an opportunity. 

It makes me wonder, when we have some free time and space,  what do we do with it?

Do we create, pursue, foster and engage?

Or do we do our very best to seem busy?

 Freedom is too precious to not make the most of it!

The Way we See the World

2011-08-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

Sometime today, take a few moments out of your busy life and make an attempt at really seeing.

Find something intriguing to focus on and put in the effort to notice the details: shapes, textures, negative spaces, light and shadow, contours, shades of color etc.

Contemplate for a minute, why that detail caught your attention and how it moved you once you took note if it.

Learning to really see the world is a labor common to the inventor, the writer, the leader, the musician, the teacher, the entrepreneur and anyone else who might bear the title of artist.

It’s one of the reasons I get irked when people learn I’m a photographer and the first question out of their mouths is “which kind of camera do you use?”

I just point to my eyes.

The magic isn’t in the black box, it’s in the way we see the world.

Our vision begets creation.

The lenses through which we look determine the world we live in.

The Crystal Ball of History

2011-08-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Seth Godin has an interesting take on Twain’s quote about history rhyming and how we look at innovation.

A corollary to this idea would be:

Some of the best glimpses of the next big thing are often discovered by examining the trajectory of those that have preceded them.

History really can offer a spectacular window on the future, but it's up to us to pull back the curtains.

Alive and Free!

2011-08-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

When I look at the future through the lens of my children, I wish two things for them, above all else.

Sure I want them to smart, successful and confident. I hope that they’ll be kind, generous and wise too.

But most of all I wish for them to grow up Alive and Free!

I want them to be moved by beauty, touched by grace, brimming with enthusiasm and always wanting to learn, explore and discover something more.

I want them to bask in the wonder in the world around them and to experience the thrill that comes of meaningful connections and relationships.

I don’t want them to ever settle for the mediocrity of endless entertainment nor the counterfeiture of a virtual life when there is a real one ripe for the living.

I want them to know the power of dreams and the infinite potential of the human soul when we set our hearts and minds to something.

I want them to grow up understanding the gift of true freedom and the awesome imperative that we put that gift to good use. They can do anything, now it’s just a matter of doing it.

I want them to run with arms outstretched in the open spaces until they find their wings.
I want them to learn to imagine the world.

Perhaps not a perfect world, but one where they nonetheless can and will make a difference.
A place where their gifts, their light and their insights might be brought to bear in shaping and transforming the landscape of their community and humanity.

Of course, if that’s my wish for the generation at the doorstep of tomorrow…

It’s my life and attitude that sets the stage today...

Alive and Free!

Conducting Inspiration

2011-07-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

"Courting Electricity"
Ben Franklin and Son William
From The Finding Freedom series

Inspiration seems to follow the same principles as electricity.

It abhors a short-circuit, following the path of least resistance and maximum continuity.

When we're too easily distracted or perpetually procrastinating, inspiration tends to knock less frequently and less forcefully until it finally fizzles.

On the other hand, if we want to court inspiration, we should focus on becoming Conductors (in every sense of that word).

Conductors as in Creators who follow through, nurturing the spark of inspiration until it blazes.

Conductors as in Composers who orchestrate diverse ideas, connections and resources into a symphony of innovation.

And Conductors as in Engineers who, having laid the track, can hardly wait to invite an audience to climb aboard and experience the wonder of our discovery.

Business Innovation Factory-BIF

2011-07-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to be attending this years BIF-7 Collaborative Innovation Summit as one of the summit's storytellers.

I'm honored to be telling my story alongside such an incredible group of innovators, artists and forward thinkers.

Looking forward to a fantastic experience in Providence, RI September 20-21. If you're interested to attend yourself or with your business, registration ends this week. For more information click - HERE

A quote.....

2011-07-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities." -J. R. R. Tolkien

PHIG Photography Show

2011-07-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

I was asked to be the juror for the upcoming annual PHIG show at the Newburyport Art Association. I am really excited to do it and I am looking forward to seeing some great photography;) Reception date for the event is August 6th from 7-9. I will be doing book signing as well that night so if you are local come on over to see the show and say hi.

The View from 3 ½ Feet

2011-07-18T05:12:00.000-07:00

There is something absolutely remarkable about the view from 3 ½ feet. That time when the grass is still taller than you.

At that altitude, the distractions we are so prone to as adults and the pull of consumption away from innovation, don’t seem nearly as pronounced.

For those of us living closer to that grown up elevation of 5 or 6 ft., our attempts to see the world from a child's perspective can often require an altitude adjustment. Many of the things we deem most urgent and important don’t hold much water down there.

I refer to this as last-night-in-the-nursery syndrome or the theory that there comes a point when we must simply grow up and leave that whole world behind. (Of course that’s all a lot of rubbish and the whole thing is quite admirably documented in Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book The Little Prince.)

In essence we start out in this place where the world is our playground, pretending is the real deal and caring deeply, taking risks and exploring are the focus of life.

Then somewhere along the way, our heads emerge from the clouds and we descend to earth where we start to construct an air of self-importance, built predominantly upon our ability to be busy at all times and to worry extensively about things we once didn’t even know existed.

As artists, innovators, teachers, learners and human beings, it is imperative that we develop eyes for seeing beyond the literal world.

Whether it is the castles in the clouds, the transformation of a forest in that golden light just before dusk, or the space shuttle trampoline in the back yard, these are the stuff of stories which hold the power to capture the imagination and to bring us back to those altitudes when we still remembered how to fly.

Why Planets don’t need Pushes

2011-07-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Most of us need little pushes through life.

It starts when we’re first learning to swing and we keep asking our parents to push us to keep the fun going.

In adolescence we face challenges that seem daunting or too hard and again we rely on others to push us to keep working through them.

As we get older and we often still need nudges.

At times it’s to face the daily grind at others it’s to pursue something were passionate about.

The fortunate ones in life though, are those who discover why planets don’t need pushes.

They simply find a star that is big, bright and hot enough to set them in orbit.

Shooting for the stars is more than wistful wishing.

When we genuinely seek out, find and follow those big, fiery dreams that define our lives, we find we no longer need the pushes. The dream itself is enough to keep us moving.

The Aperture of our Imagination

2011-06-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

I LOVE to imagine things though the day to day necessities and routines often distract me from it.

Luckily, I have three of the best teachers in the world in my children.
They know how to open wide the aperture of the imagination to let in its transforming light.

Living this way ensures that there is never a dull moment. Mere sticks can hold hundreds of forms becoming horses, swords, scepters, wands, instruments and the list goes on and on.......

When we imagine we are able to see things not present and this ability somehow makes us freer.

There is no end to the game as every element of reality can continually take on new meanings and the stories we tell, new directions.

Whenever I'm caught up worrying or just busy doing the mundane stuff, I try to remember how simple it is...just open your heart, close your eyes and dream.........

Update......

2011-06-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy few weeks here.

Great trip to Utah and wonderful time presenting at the Springville Museum of Art. I loved meeting Vern-the director of the Museum and learning more about his passion in life after my lecture. He is really a great man.

Thank you everyone who came and hopefully left inspired. It was great to see old friends, mingle with family and make new amazing friends too. I only wished I had more time to chat and hang out. But I will be back in Utah this fall as the Lost in Learning travelling exhibit will be shown at Brigham Young University and will do a lecture there as well.

Book Signing at the Utah Book Festival. I presented at the BYU auditorium and then met some great people who loved the work. It was awesome to see the big beautiful mountains and show the kids where I spent my college years at the University of Utah.

Had a great time talking to Alex H. at the Leonardo Museum where I will be giving a combined lecture with them and the University of Utah this fall. What a great Museum the Leonardo is and the people that work there are truly inspired and real loves of Art and Beauty!!!!
My husband Adam was interviewed by BYU T.V. at he New Soccer/Rugby stadium in Salt Lake City for a documentary on his rugby coach and it was fun to see him talk about Larry G. with such love and gratitude for all he has taught him. It will be a great documentary.

My book is now part of the Soura Magazine featured library book collection and if you are in Dubai check it out!!!! They did a great review of my work and I am grateful for their support of the project.

Now back working on something fun and exciting which I am not allowed to announce yet;)
Stay tuned though and let the Summer begin;)

Seeds

2011-05-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

Seeds are such a miracle.

Even though I've seen it all a thousand times, even though I know the giant oak was once an acorn, I'm still bowled over every time I stop to consider the power of a seed.

Small, fragile, unassuming yet also alive and filled with power and potential.

The thing about a seed is that it's never guaranteed. Something I've learned quite often as wild turkeys pick their way through my garden.

This miracle takes great care.

Not every seed will make it, but those that do take root and grow and grow and grow...

Every day there are seeds planted within us as well.

They range the gamut of life's experiences and they shape what we are becoming today and tomorrow.

So I imagine it's worth asking, which of those seeds we’re cultivating, for those are the ones which hold our future.

Catch a Raindrop on your Tongue

2011-05-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

Why is that something as simple as opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue in a rainstorm can transform the experience from dreary gray to something alive with passion and feeling?

The next time you feel inclined to complain about the weather this spring, try catching a raindrop on your tongue and thinking about the sensation and the wonder of that single drop in the midst of millions.

And if you're feeling especially brave, try puddle jumping.

I bet you'll find it changes the way you see the world.

Freedom of Aspiration

2011-05-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

(John Adam's Original Copy of the Constitution)

It may not be in the constitution, but the freedom to dream is still one of the most fundamental of human rights.

This freedom though, can't very well be legislated. Rather it is one which we give ourselves.

We decide to what extent we will allow ourselves to believe in our gifts and pursue our passions.

We determine the height of our hopes and if we permit it, we can soar with them.

When we shoot for the stars, our feet may occasionally catch in the treetops, but if we don't, were destined to tread a long dull road.

“...only in their dreams can man be truly free. 'Twas always thus, and always thus will be.”

- John Keating, ~ Dead Poets Society ~

The Power of Laughter

2011-05-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

My parents always had a way with humor.

In the midst of Communism, poverty and grave seriousness all around us they would still find something daily to laugh about.

It would begin as a chuckle then one of us would add something and it turned into a guffaw.

Then back and forth it went becoming just a bit funnier each time, until tears were rolling down our cheeks, our sides ached and we could barely even get out the next statement through our laughter.

In those moments we felt the weight of the world become lighter. Life was wonderful and there was no doubt we'd be OK.

Laughter has such a wonderful transformational power in our lives and every now and then a good belly-laugh can set the world aright again.

Overreaction

2011-05-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

I’m guessing that we’ve all been there.

Something happens that sets off an emotional chord and without considering all the facts we embark on a fault finding crusade and leave a trail of hurt feelings in our wake.

Or perhaps if we’re wise enough or patient enough, we let the feelings simmer then settle and allow ourselves to view the situation from a better perspective. Taming our reactions is one great way to cut down on regrets in life.

Then again, when it comes to celebrating, to thanking, to fully living and loving I think we risk under-reacting. Life’s much too short to spend it worrying about appearing overly exuberant or enthusiastic.

Great joy and gratitude warrant great emotion - when you’re happy let it show!

Eating our Words

2011-05-04T04:19:00.000-07:00

So you can't literally eat your words, but I've found they still make a huge difference when it comes to dining.

In Bulgarian folklore, food is practically the central theme, so my kids have grown up hearing story after story about wonderful food.

This carries over to mealtime in our home and we make a point of talking about the food at length: its color, its texture, the way flavors run together and of course what we feel and think about as we savor each bite.

I think back to at all the stories where vegetables, which kids may have found uninteresting, were transformed (a pumpkin carriage, a giant beanstock etc.)

With my upbringing, I’m probably biased that Bulgarian food is some of the best in the world, but taking the time to talk over our food has won over my family to the point that my kids have no interest in candy or the empty calorie processed foods marketed to children.

If talking about food has that kind of power, what else in our lives could be rethought or more fully felt simply by taking the time to talk about it in depth and with greater artistry.

The Great Optimism

2011-05-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

There's a lot to be said for living life joyfully, positively, looking on the bright side and hoping for the good which life might bring.

You don't need rose colored glasses to do this. You don't need to stick your head in the sand either.

I think real hope is optimism with your eyes wide open.

Have I ever been disappointed...you bet! Had my hopes dashed...of course! Been hurt, had trust broken, lost something that meant a lot to me? Yes, yes and yes, but I've found the best way to deal with the inevitable letdowns is not to run and hide.

Rather it's to look for the next bright ray breaking through the clouds.

In a big dark room a single candle is extremely bright. But only if you keep your eye on the flame.

Courage in the Face of Comfort

2011-05-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

(This photograph is from a series I am working now on Imagination.)

Fear and comfort are close cousins and they tend to build on one another.

Our fears don't lessen as we become more comfortable in life. Rather they grow roots and raise walls that make them seem even more insurmountable.

Comfort offers very little besides the idea that we can put off facing our fears for another day.

Somehow though I don't think there will be much solace in looking back on our lives in terms of the fears we managed to avoid confronting.

On the other hand working to make ourselves less comfortable, pushing for responsibility, exercising our freedom to its fullest, these are the things that diminish the fears, that give us power to follow our real dreams and leaving us fulfilled and ultimately happy.

"Do you want to be comfortable or do you want to live fulfilled?" is one of the most important choices we make almost daily.

To Tame a Bit of Earth

2011-04-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been working in the garden; trying to tame a bit of earth.
Gardening is full of symbols and metaphors.

For me the idea of working as a partner with the earth, helping it to bring forth something of beauty or tasty or both is one of the great learning arts in life.

Filled with challenges, requiring tremendous patience, hard work and offering both an education and sustenance at the harvest.

I think it's a fantastic reminder of how we ought to approach our relationships, parenting, our workplace or any other great and worthy endeavor in life.

Somehow the soil puts the rest of life in perspective.

DIY

2011-04-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

I love do it yourself – the thrill of learning something new, tackling a challenge and the pride you can take when you finally finish something you had no clue about before you started.

Between economic pressures and the explosion of information on the web, DIY has now spread from home renovations and auto-repair, to home businesses and even University education.

Most intriguing to me is the fact that the DIY as a brand or idea would never have existed 100 years ago simply because it was all done yourself. You learned it all and came to understand whatever was essential to life.

Now that technology and economics have compartmentalized so much of our daily lives, I find it refreshing to go back and explore, opening those black boxes that are reserved for the “experts” and learning something new about ourselves in the process.

Helium Balloon Heartbreak

2011-04-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

How many of us can remember watching a helium balloon which slipped our grip and floated skyward with our hearts following after it? Or perhaps the scare when one popped suddenly leaving us empty handed.

Well at a function recently, a kind someone gave my 3 yr. old daughter a beautiful pink helium balloon.

She was entranced and smiling ear to ear for all of 5 minutes until the the balloon brushed the ceiling the wrong way. There it lay small deflated and lifeless upon the floor. Many tears followed until I managed to find another balloon to assuage the grief of her loss.

The 2nd balloon lasted another 5 minutes and more tears ensued.

It made me appreciate the importance of what we set our hearts on.

We can put our hope in things that last, knowing that even temporary disappointments are just part of life – or we can close the shutters and keep the sun out so we won't feel as bad when it sets.

I think we get more out of life by savoring the sunsets.

The Virtue of Sensitivity

2011-04-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

I look at sensitivity as one of the great long lost ideals.
After all we live in a society that celebrates thick-skins and sensory overload.

Sensitivity is often associated with a penchant for worrying overly much, crying easily and hiding from what can be an awfully unforgiving world.

And after all, hard hearts are less easily scarred, marred and broken, right?

But what is life without an open heart and mind, senses that are ready to embrace all that life has to offer and which seek after the light and good.

When we open our eyes to connect vision with emotion, we are ready to be moved to be inspired.

Without such sensitivity we lose compassion, we lose true beauty, we lose gratitude and grace.

Sensitivity is a risk, but ultimately it opens us to feel more and expands us to experience life for all that it has to offer.

The Wonder of Workbooks

2011-04-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

Remember workbooks.

Those pages and pages of mediocre art with a limitless supply of practice problems that were meant to keep us busy doing something the adults around us viewed as productive.

So wanting to be a good parent I bought a bunch of these for my kids, but couldn't seem to interest them in them very much.

Then one day my oldest picked up one on math and put it to a whole new use.

On every page instead of simply answering the questions, he started cartooning. He came up with amazing stories connecting the existing characters and math objects with new ones he drew. They were mostly humorous in nature, but it made me appreciate the natural creativity of my children more than ever.

It's something I think that as we allow in others, we give ourselves permission to cultivate our inner creator as well.

More Instant! (Day 5)

2011-04-22T04:32:00.000-07:00

More Instant!

Sometimes this feels like the unstated goal of modern living.

As continuously connected and catered to consumers, one wonders if the day will arrive when we no longer have to wait for anything.

Which brings me to photography.

We now have hundreds of hand-held devices that can capture and relay an image anywhere and anytime to the rest of the world. Can it get any more instant than that?

And yet, art (even art made with a digital camera), still holds the power of slowing and freezing time. It causes us to stop, to notice and reflect. It can moderate the incessant sensory feedback, giving our minds time to regroup, to rethink, and to wonder what all the rush is about.

Of course it's up to us to put on the brakes and to allow our eyes and hearts to take it all in.

Facing the Chaos (Day 4)

2011-04-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

As a visual person, I find myself constantly trying to put things in order.

There's something wonderful about walking into a room where everything is set in its place.

Of course having three kids with the creative impulse to constantly rearrange everything, there are few rooms always in order and I get a lot of practice in facing chaos.

Chaos in our lives can be a source of frustration sometimes viewed as an overwhelming or endless burden.

But it can also be viewed as a creative opportunity. Taking on chaotic elements and giving them form, order, balance and life is at the very heart of the artist’s work.

The key is to be consistent, taking on one thing at a time. Of course you’ll never have everything under control, but simply engaging the chaos is an the first step on the journey to inspiration.

Inspiration in the Details (Day 3)

2011-04-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

I love details.

It's one of the reasons I so enjoy reading about the Renaissance with all these amazing lenses which brought both the cosmic and the microscopic close enough to see every little detail.

Whenever spend the time to look deeper we open the door to an understanding and appreciation often hundreds of times greater than when we settle for the superficial.

The interesting thing is that the decision to delve into the details usually isn't about time.

It's about attention, which is unfortunately becoming an increasingly scarce commodity.

What do you want in Life?

2011-04-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

Ever noticed how poignant visual imagery is in shaping our desires in life.

Just try watching someone slowly eating a piece of delicious chocolate and notice the way your salivary glands react. Really, what would advertising be without visual triggers constantly working to manipulate our desires.

So what happens when we choose our own vision of what we desire most to become.
When it's a vision deeper and more intense than any of the superficial distractions.

Whatever we want most in life, we have a pretty good chance of finding it.

You Are the New Day (Day 1)

2011-04-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

What is the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning?

Is it the digits on an alarm clock, the ceiling, the morning light peeking in the window or the face of a loved one.

I am often woken by my toddlers bright eyes and ear to ear smile as if there were nothing more exciting than the prospect of a new day.

It seems that no matter how well or poorly I might have slept, her enthusiasm is contagious. Seeing her I can't help but get excited about everything that lays before us.

The first things we allow our minds to focus on as we gain consciousness each morning seem to set the tone for our whole day.

What an opportunity!

101 Days of Seeing Life Anew

2011-04-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

I've felt inspired lately to start writing about the ways we look at the world and the things we notice.

As a very visual person myself I've learned again and again the way our vision and perspective often shape our lives even more than our circumstances.

So for the next 101 days Adam and I will be posting on the blog about SEEING more in life.

Looking forward to the conversation.

Help for Japan

2011-04-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm donating 10 limited edition prints of The Brooklyn Bridge to The Life Support Japan Photography Auction (online now thanks to The Wall Space Gallery.)

Proceeds go to support Direct Relief Intl. & Habitat for Humanity Japan.

This is wonderful opportunity to support a great cause and to purchase limited edition photographs at the same time.

http://wall-spacegallery.com/displayShow.php?showID=128

If interested in buying my photograph to support Japan when you click on the link above there will be a slidebar on the left side and just scroll down about midway till you see my black and white photograph of the Brooklyn bridge.

Thank you and Japan Thanks you;)

Lost in Learning at PPAC

2011-03-31T06:25:00.000-07:00

My book Lost in Learning: The Art of Discovery will be on display at the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, as part of the Indie Photobook Library Collection.

The address is 1400 N. American Street on Saturday, April 2nd from 12 - 6 PM. If you are in that area there are some great photobooks to discover;)

The Event is free and open to the public.

for more details here is a link to explore:

https://www.philaphotoarts.org/news-and-events/2011-book-fair/

Creative Procrastination

2011-03-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Why is it so easy to be creative about procrastinating things we don’t feel like doing, yet so difficult to be productively creative.

We tend to wait to for inspiration, focusing on the dozens of urgent matters and the hundreds of faceless fears that come with the territory of creation, rather than bravely embarking on the types of creative voyages that transform us.

What if we were to move our lens ever so slightly and refocus until all those illusions of urgency and worry are properly blurred.

When our vision is sharp with meaning, we were engage in telling the greatest story we can imagine for our lives.

Often the greatest antidote for cold feet is a creative plunge.

Imagine MORE......

2011-03-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

Imagination is extraordinary.

It can take you places nothing else can.

It can make you happier and more alive.

But it doesn't just come to you. You need to work to get it. To be inspired. To feel more to reach higher and to create more.

I feel so grateful that I have my kids around daily to remind me of the importance of imagination and its power in our lives. The kids do wake up each day and are ready to imagine and explore every single idea that comes to their heads. And they do it. They imagine daily, happily and amazingly.

I want to be more like them. I want to see beyond what is visible and bask in it's creative power.

Because of this one of my goals is to IMAGINE MORE this year. To see beyond what is here and now and look forward and imagine the world around us. I even got a dictionary of the Imaginary Places.....

Book Signing: This WED.

2011-03-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

~THE GENIUS
WE ARE BORN TO~
Join us for an intriguing discussion
and book signing event with photographer
Eva Koleva Timothy, L.R.P.S.
This Wednesday March 9th
7:00 P.M. Newbury Public Library MA

If you are local I hope to see you there. We are going to have so much fun!!!!!

A quote:

2011-03-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."

-Leonardo da Vinci

Finding Freedom: The Light of Liberty

2011-02-28T17:08:00.000-08:00

Finding Freedom is so close to my heart.

I grew up in Communist Bulgaria and Freedom was not a given there. There is part of my past under story on the site here:

FINDINGFREEDOM

I am happy to have the work finally done and ready to view.

I am so grateful to the many people that assisted me in my journey to find my way to the USA including the Amazing Richard and Linda Eyre, The Blackburn family and so so many other people that I have met along in my life. Also big thanks to the people in the learning institutions that I visited who helped me find the original documents pertaining to the lives of our Founding Fathers. My trip to D.C. and the Library of Congress is never to be forgotten.

I hope the work touches you and makes you appreciate Freedom more .......

Inspiration & Kids

2011-02-05T17:41:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about where inspiration comes from.

As much as I work to teach and make life exciting for my kids, I must say they do an equally good job of teaching and inspiring me.

There's something we lose when we become "adults", that kids give us back to a large extent.

It's that sense of the last night in the nursery (Peter Pan) or that last trip to Narnia and it can subtly escape our grasp and become almost unimportant if we're not careful. Just the same I'm not sure it's something we can't relearn.

When I walk into a toy room with buckets dumped and toys littered across every inch of floor space, I tend to see a mess, something that needs organization and putting straight.

My kids don't see that at all. They see towers to be built and adventures to be had.

That power of imagination lends light and life to all it touches. It lifts our sights and engages us.

Thank you kids for reminding me.

Newest Collection!!!!!

2011-01-26T08:32:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to announce that two of my photographs from the Lost in Learning Collection have been collected by the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, TX. I feel so grateful and honored to have my work in this prominent museum. Below are the two photographs:

"The Astronomer"

"The Man Behind the Mona Lisa"

Recent REVIEWS:

2011-01-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

A lot happening lately with my work.

People are calling for interviews and reviews of the Lost in Learning monograph and the current travelling exhibit. It is so much FUN!!!

Stoneham Sun interview and review done by Kristin Erekson here.

Art New England Review of the Lost in Learning Monograph and show at the Griffin Museum of Photography by Susan Boulanger here.

Recent Lecture and Book Signing.....

2011-01-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

On Thursday had a wonderful time at the Griffin Museum of Photography/ Atelier Gallery. Met some great people and really enjoyed the company of collectors, fellow photographers and the Museum Board of Directors and President. I also had to chance to meet Lee Griffin in person. What an amazing lady.

I am very grateful to Paula and Frances for all they did to make the event such a success and the Lost in Learning exhibit looks beautiful as it is currently on display there till March 20th. 2011.

Click here to read the press release for the work:

The Freedom Paradox

2011-01-12T16:02:00.000-08:00

Freedom is one of those wonderful ultra-positive words.

We all feel like it would be nice to have a bit more freedom at home, at school, at the office etc.

Yet when confronted with the opportunity we often forget how much we wanted it.

When we have some free time and space:

Do we create, engage, foster and move forward.

Or do we shrink and seek safety, a sense of being busy, the TV or checking email one more time.

There was a lot of excitement when the wall fell in Eastern Europe.
Five years later a lot of it had been forgotten.

The desire for security and guarantees is a strong pull, but in the end, nothing compares with real, hard-fought, longed-after and well-used Freedom.

A New Years Dedication

2011-01-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

A philosophy
of LIVING

Not merely happening to be

But a conviction to Become

A decision with a focus on
Seizing each day

Leaving the torrent of waylaying distractions
By the wayside

And pursuing the path of
Greatest feeling
and Ultimate Freedom

The willingness to live with a grateful heart
Taking in each moment
With every sense

Especially a sense of wonder

The mettle to spurn the easy way
Of escape, when life throws a curve

So that the latent light
Might shine the brighter

So that the story you weave of you own life

Might be the adventure
You dared to dream of

So that facing your fears and failures

You might grow into a being
Alive and Knowing Joy

Steeled against the buffeting storms of apathy
and the cynic’s frost

Ready, Willing & Able

To blaze a fiery trail
And illuminate the way

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T08:14:00.001-08:00

Mental Magnification

2010-12-21T17:16:00.000-08:00

Mental magnifying glasses are incredibly powerful.

When we blow up the shortcomings, the missteps and mistakes in vivid detail they become larger than life and crowd out our ability to see much else.

We start critiquing ourselves, then we pull others down to appease our sense of inadequacy.

Curious though - what happens though when we magnify the good stuff ; when we think first about our best moments, our greatest gifts and our bravest dreams?

Could focusing on our strengths give us the push we need to overcome our fears? Could it give us permission to focus on and praise the strengths in those around us?

The gap between weakness and willingness can be big.

We get to choose though whether we treat it like a pit that pulls us down, or like an elastic to propel us ahead.

Griffin Museum of Photography

2010-12-20T07:38:00.000-08:00

Save the Date-

Lost in Learning traveling exhibit will be on display at the Griffin Museum of Photography from Jan 10th to March 20th. I will give a talk/lecture/book signing at the reception on Jan 13th starting at 6 p.m. Would love to see you there if you are local;)

Many thanks to Paula Tognarelli for all the great work she does at the Museum!!!!

today...

2010-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

off to photograph John Adams original documents at the Boston Public Library. Can't wait to see those amazing and inspiring books...

Little Things.....

2010-12-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

Sand is amazing!!!!

Few weeks ago it was SO warm here for November and of course the kids and I went to the beach. There we watched and observed the SAND. There is a magical place we go to called Sandy Point where one can find this incredible purple sand. And so we spend time looking at the sand, its colors, the shapes of the tiny rocks and how they blend together so perfectly.

It made me think how important it is to stop and ponder and notice the little things in life. Intriguingly the more we appreciate the little things the more the big things seem to fall into place.

The Art of Receiving

2010-12-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

Receiving is a gift in and of itself.

That ability when friendship, kindness, inspiration or thoughtfulness strikes, to unfurl our sails, to redirect our thoughts and allow ourselves to be moved from a place of comfort to a place of gratitude and appreciation.

Unfortunately receiving is in danger of becoming a lost art.

It seems that we move all too quickly these days from a day of Thanksgiving, pondering blessings and gifts of health, friends, family, good food and life itself to a week long retail “Holiday” which is all about a return to focusing on the things we don’t have or which we allow ourselves to believe our satisfaction in life depends upon.

I love this season of gift giving.

The idea of looking outwardly, of making offerings of ourselves without thought of return.

How important it is that we learn too, to receive well. To prepare our minds and hearts to understand the efforts and intentions behind the gifts we are given. To spend time on them and coming to better appreciate the giver.

Growing up in Bulgaria, I learned to absolutely cherish each and every gift. They were small, few and far between so it was easier in a sense. Still they seemed larger than life and their value was increased a hundred-fold by the attention they were given.

Dare to Dream....

2010-12-01T20:27:00.001-08:00

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
- Michaelangelo Buonarotti

Dare to Dream!!!

Reading and Reseach for my Upcoming Project

2010-11-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have a whole stack of books on the theme of Freedom and how democracy originated in Greece, then seen through the ages and seeing how the Founding Fathers of the USA created the government and the constitution. Here are some of the people that I am researching and studying their lives:

Themistocles
Cleisthenes
John Lock
Thomas Jefferson
John Adams
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington

and the books: John Adams by David McCullough
and the Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis

It has been so interesting to peak into these amazing peoples lives. I am reading and learning so much more about democracy and how a republic is made up than I have ever known before.
The Founding Father has gone through SO MUCH to create the USA. How precious the constitution is and all that they did. Oh I am so THANKFUL for their lives and sacrifice.

More to come soon.

Exhibit at Northeastern University

2010-11-18T05:24:00.000-08:00

Lost in Learning exhibit is on display starting today at Northeastern University Art Gallery. It will be there till Jan 2011. Details on the lecture and book signing will be announced shortly.

p.s. Adam and I had a great meeting last night in Boston with the Dean of Humanities at the University of Utah Robert Newman and his lovely assistant Heidi Camp. They are such wonderful people with incredible experience and knowledge.

Book Signing this Friday

2010-11-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Lost in Learning Book Signing this Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Jabberwocky Bookshop
at The Tannery Marketplace 50 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950. Come I would love to see you there;)

Washington D.C. Trip -Library of Congress

2010-11-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

It was an amazing trip to Washington D.C. working on my upcoming project "Finding Freedom".

Some highlights from my trip:

-Photographing at the Smithsonian Museum

-Photographing in the extraordinary Library of Congress
-Seeing and photographing some of the original books that Thomas Jefferson had in his collection at the Library of Congress

-Seeing the great monuments true symbols of Freedom

-Meeting up with some great friends and having some great conversations!!!!

Now onto working on the Finding Freedom Project......

Hallows Eve and The Imagination

2010-10-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

I always get excited about this time of year

It’s not the prospect of a year’s supply of chocolate nor the more morbid themes of Halloween.

It’s something about the idea of playing make-believe for a day.

I love how boundless the imagination is; how open and often unpredictable.

Of course the imagination’s power can work both ways.

I’ve found for instance, that being a mom means an incredible capacity to dream up worst case scenarios and to worry about every possible thing that can go wrong where one's children are concerned.

Imagination can magnify the negatives of worry, resentment and escapism if we allow it. But, it is also the medium through which we face our deepest fears, solidify our hopes and give form to our future.

The seeds of great dreams are most often sown in the fertile fields of the imagination.

Cultivating a constructive sense of creativity we reap the harvest of inspired fulfillment.

Enjoy this slideshow of the enchanted Red Cloak.

Book Review......

2010-10-29T19:34:00.000-07:00

I am grateful to Linda Naiman for her beautiful review of the Lost in Learning monograph on her blog below:
http://www.creativityatwork.com/blog/2010/10/28/lost-in-learning-the-art-of-discovery/

Linda is involved in Coaching, Consulting, & Training
for Creativity, Innovation and Leadership Development
Co-author of Orchestrating Collaboration at Work.

Thank you Linda!!!

Renaisance Moms

2010-10-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

I attended a wonderful retreat this last weekend in NH with the Power of Moms group (started by my wonderful American sister Saren Eyre). It was great to have the chance to get away and do a bit of reflection on what one is trying to do as a woman and mother.

A lot of women I met there and others I've talked with express a creative urge to do more with their lives and talents, but sometimes feel constrained by the difficulties of balancing their own personal development with the demands of motherhood and the needs of their children.

I can empathize with them.

The idea that mom needs to stagnate, to abandon her sense of self, her creative impulses and the development of her talents in order to help her kids is, I think, just plain wrong.

Indeed, being a mother requires such a wealth of emotional giving, support and inspiration that often the only means available for mom to recharge and refill her cup is through some sort of creative outlet.

Still It seems whichever side one pays most attention to, there’s a nagging sensation that the other is being ignored.

I think there is a way to do both, to become a Renaissance Mom, who combines her devotion to her children and family with her personal creative side in such a way that they build on one another instead of pulling at each other.

Here are some ideas on cultivating our creative selves:

1) Guilt-Free Time and Space

A continual sense of concern comes with the territory of motherhood, so it’s essential to find time when you know you won’t be called upon to solve the world’s problems.

Enlist dad’s help, enlist older children, enlist the DVD player if necessary, but work to consistently carve out this space where you don’t have to give your attention to anything but your inner muse.

2) Passion

Taking the time to find your passion is key to maintaining creative momentum.

Once you find something(s) you absolutely love, where your heart beats a little faster and you feel like your true self doing it, you’ll find the motivation to keep this up even when life is more than a little crazy.

Whether that love is scrap-booking or blogging, photography or painting, weaving or writing, trying out a crazy new recipe or something else entirely, the important thing is to start doing it and establish creative habits.

3) Dismiss Distractions

Modern technology and innovation have given us so much more discretionary time and opportunity than our predecessors had. There’s also 1001 new ways to fill this time without doing much at all.

Even when you don’t feel particularly inspired, avoid the minutiae or the mind-numbing and just start creating until the muse takes hold.

4) Full Engagement and Less Worries

The biggest challenge is often trying to fully present in whatever you’re doing right now.

Two thoughts on this:

When you’re with your kids, don’t worry about what you’re not getting done or doing for yourself right then. Enjoy the thrill of motherhood, see what life’s lessons you can pick up from your kids which you may have forgotten about creativity, imagination and curiosity.

When you’re creatively immersed, same principle…let go of everything else. Remember that as you fill your cup this way, you will come alive, feel a renewed sense of enthusiasm and be ever more capable of nurturing, teaching and meeting the demands of motherhood.

Smithsonian Museum

2010-10-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

I just received my official letter that 5 of my photographs from the Lost in Learning project are now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum in D.C. They also acquired the monograph.

This is a big step in my career and one to remember. I am thrilled to have my photographs in one of the greatest museum collections in the world and feel gratitude towards the people who appreciate and understand Lost in Learning: The Art of Discovery!!!!

The Young Victoria

2010-10-23T19:23:00.001-07:00

The Young Victoria was a truly amazing movie with a great soundtrack.

I went on after the movie and did some study of the lives of Victoria and Albert together.

It was truly wonderful to find out more about the people's names that Victoria and Albert Museum is named after.

I honestly didn't know much about Albert. The speech which he gave on the Great Exhibition is incredible!!!!

here is the link to his speech:

http://www.ringmar.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=825:prince-albert-on-the-great-exhibition&catid=98:wonders-of-technology&Itemid=142

Washington D.C. Trip

2010-10-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

New Trip coming up.

I just bought my tickets to Washington D.C. I will be there in the first week of November photographing for my upcoming project called "Finding Freedom". I have meetings at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian.

Can't wait to see D.C. again. Last time I was there as an intern some 10 yrs ago. I am going to see parts of FotoWeek D.C. as well since it will be going on while I am staying there.

I am super excited!!!

BHCC book signing this WED.

2010-10-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here are the details:

This Wed. evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. I will be at BHCC Art Gallery in Boston doing a discussion and book signing.
Come if you are local. It would be great to see you. Here is the actual address:
250 New Rutherford Ave. Boston MA /617-228-2093 gallery phone number

We are going to have a great time!!!

Welcome Distractions

2010-10-15T16:03:00.001-07:00

As a photographer I'm often focused on focusing better.

There are enough distractions in modern life to keep us endlessly chasing the peripheral and the trivial.

I try to get rid of the noise, turn off my phone, forget my email for a while and seek out a creative place.

Just the same, there are certain times when distractions are essential.

Every drive these days in the New England Fall is not just to get where I'm going, but to bask in the brilliant foliage.

When my boy is supposed to be doing workbook problems and he starts instead to draw an epic adventure incorporating the characters on the page, I don't treat it as a distraction, but as the goal.

When my daughter stops me as were racing through town, so that she can observe a small colony of ants its tempting to pull her along, but I've learned it's more fun to stop, observe and enter her magical world for a moment.

Bring on more of life's great distractions

The WELL Dialog

2010-10-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

A wonderful discussion at Salon.com's The WELL concerning the Lost in Learning book here.

Current and Upcoming Exhibits

2010-09-29T05:38:00.000-07:00

BHCC Art Gallery, Boston, MA

The Art of Discovery and Book Arts

www.bhcc.mass.edu/artgallery

9/13 – 10/29/2010

Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, TX

Photoforum Exhibition

www.mfah.org/member.asp?par1=3&par2=27

9/20-1/23/2011

Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX

Created and Found Maps - Exploration of Self and World

http://www.hcponline.org/

09/10 – 11/7/2010

The Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA

Lost in Learning: The Art of Discovery

www.griffinmuseum.org

January – March 2010

I am happy to have Lost in Learning as part of these exhibits and express gratitude to all the wonderful people who have made the exhibits a success to name a few: Del Zogg, Anne Tucker, Laura Montgomery, Frazier King, Bevin Bering, Paula Tognarelli. Thank you all!!!!

at THE WELL.....

2010-09-29T05:34:00.001-07:00

I'll be on the WELL (www.well.com) over the next few weeks on the InkWell.vue conference as part of an interview series on the Lost in Learning Book.

Exploration's Fire.....

2010-09-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

This photograph is from my upcoming project called Finding Freedom.

Seth  Godin penned these lines today on exploration:
 
“A  well-rehearsed performance will go without a hitch. 
An  explorer seeks  the hitches, because hitches are the fissures and chasms that help us leap  forward.”
 
(Actually  he probably didn’t pen them, but typing, texting and touch-screening lack the  eloquence of penning something) 
 
I  love the idea of exploration as a matter of risk taking and a willingness push  ourselves beyond the realms of familiarity.   
 
Just  last week I was at the Houston Center of Photography as part of an exhibition on  mapping. 
 
I  have a great fondness for antiquities and old maps particularly which have a way  of enticing you to explore more.
 
When  you read “Here be Dragons!”, or “World’s Edge”, it like this incredibly alluring  challenge to find out what lies beyond the known.
 
It's  especially poignant, in an era where the Internet seems to have mapped every  corner of human knowledge and we have a GPS to make sure we never get  lost.
 
There’s  nothing wrong with taking a compass on the journey but…
 
There’s  nothing wrong with losing oneself, embracing serendipity and discovering  something altogether new either. 
 
That’s  what explorations fire is all about…it’s capricious and untamed, yet channelled  it to leads the breakthroughs we would never encounter from the comfort of the  couch.

Houston and Back....

2010-09-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

It has been such a busy month already.

I just got back home from a weekend spent in Houston, TX.
Half a dozen of my photographs were included in a 7 people show at the Houston Center for Photography.

I was wonderful to see my work there and to meet some great people.

Such nice people work at HCP and make the Mapping show a great success.

A Taste of Light

2010-08-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

As a photographer, one is continually dwelling on, dabbling in, and directing (as well as one may)…LIGHT.

It’s the source of vision, exposure, and revelation for the camera as well as for the mind.

Without a tangible presence, it can open, shape, beautify, and transfigure a subject.

It can even be tasted; filling a space which food never will.

And of course light tastes Amazing – that kind of creative, mind expanding, inspirational surge through the system.

If you want to taste light:

- You can wait for it, like you do when trying to catch raindrops on your tongue.

- You can hunt it, seek it out and give chase, hoping to capture it before it escapes.

- Or you can cultivate and nurture it, the way you would a seed.

The last of these methods requires the patience of the first and the labor of the second, but it is by far the most consistent and the most fulfilling.