Questioning Myself...

i just finished a new powerpoint presentation.  it’s about contemplative photography.  it’s a topic near and dear to my heart and i’m pleased with how it all turned out.  i would love to do a little workshop on this topic, but i have to be honest.  i have absolutely no confidence that anyone would come. 

i know that this probably sounds like i’m beating myself up – like a case of the old demons, creeping up behind me and craftily wielding their wily wands.  in part, that may be true.  when i come up with something new, i have trouble believing that it will be well-received.  and i’ve successfully moved past that stuckness on many occasions.

but another part of this is actually based on experience.  i’m starting to realize more and more that my creative passions are somewhat out of the mainstream.  for instance, the average person who would take a photography class is more interested in developing technical skill than in wanting to use photography as a form of meditation…..

 

so what happens if the things that you want to teach are not things that most people want to learn??  i have really been struggling with this lately.  i have put soooo much time and effort  into creating various presentations and curriculums for things that i am passionate about and, for the most part, i don’t know what to do with them.

i suppose there are others out there somewhere who would resonate with them, but i’m not at all sure i have what it takes to go about finding them.  sorry to be on a bit of a downer here…. just trying to keep it real.  and i know that no matter what, i need to follow my own path and not one that is designed by the demands of others.... sigh...

curious if any of you have ever felt this way.... it's entirely possible that it's just me.

In Our Own Backyard

Hotel del Coronado and Coronado Bridge

 first of all, thank you soooo much for your support and comments regarding my inside out project idea!  i have created an “inside out” page you can click on to read more details.  as things develop, i will update the page and keep it in the tabs above.

now, for the backyard….do you have cool places close to you that you rarely visit?  in san diego we have lots of these.  places we like but we tend to save for visiting guests.  some of the places, like the one here – cabrillo national monument – don’t allow dogs so we have stayed away for a loooong time.

but in the “venturing” spirit,  we decided to drop everything right in the middle of the week and head down there.  ok, it didn’t hurt that we have been having summer-like weather over here for quite a while now!

there’s an amazing old lighthouse:

and a new lighthouse too:

and a hike:

and best of all, those fabulous views of the city!

 lest you all start packing your bags and heading over…. (although seriously, i would love that!) i should probably make it clear that this isn’t entirely typical.  it happens, but right now is usually the heart of the rainy season…. complete with fog, drizzle and gray skies… probably just delayed until february!

Juan Cabrillo

 Thanks for stopping!!

I Have a Dream....

yes i do.  it started out as a tiny little seed and it seems to be growing.  you see, i have witnessed and experienced firsthand the power that art and journaling and creative expression in general can have in women’s lives (and i’m guessing if you are reading this that you have too!)  power to heal.  power to inspire.  power to bolster self-esteem and enable women to do amazing things.  

 i’m drawn to wanting to harness a little of this power and put it to work where it is needed most.  not in the lives of women who have every advantage already, but in the lives of those who don’t.  those who are hurting.  those who are struggling.  those who are in crisis.

these women need to tell their stories.  they need to document their lives in a way that feels meaningful.  they need to write.  to paint.  to draw.  to clarify their feelings and have a record of their journeys.  i’m convinced that doing so could be life-changing.

 my dream is to find as many women like this as possible and to get art/journaling materials in their hands.  i want the journals to be very special.  lovely books with lined and unlined pages, filled with images, words and quotes that can calm and uplift the spirit (i have started working on this!)  a small stash of art supplies.  and a stack of optional specific prompts to get them started.  maybe even a way for them to connect and/or share their work.

i’m pretty passionate about this idea…. but i know i cannot do it alone.  MANY details are yet to be determined.  so i wanted to throw it out there and gather as much input, info, ideas, suggestions etc. etc. as possible.  please feel free to chime in - the more feedback the better!!  i believe in the power of this community and i know that together we can pretty much move mountains...

  you are awesome and i THANK YOU!!

p.s. i forgot to tell you what the project is called: 

INSIDE OUT (discovering what's INSIDE and bringing it OUT)

Little More AZ (a venture)

Sonoita, AZ

it may not seem like a road trip to arizona would be much of a “venture” in terms of stepping out of my comfort zone since it’s the kind of thing we tend to do anyway.  

Patagonia Lake State Park

 let me explain.  we planned this trip when we still had muffin.  we found a dog-friendly vrbo rental in a place where we could hike as well as do some sight-seeing.  it’s the kind of trip the 3 of us really enjoy.

so when we lost her, sooner than we had anticipated, the idea of the trip no longer sounded enticing.  it felt too soon, like we would be missing her too much.  we seriously considered scrapping the whole idea.

Tombstone

 

Tombstone Courthouse

  in the end, though, we decided that it would still be a good trip to take.  that it would do us some good to get away.  so we decided to venture out and go for it.  we are so glad that we did!

this area (south of tucson) is a pretty obscure part of the country.  most folks have never heard of patagonia, sonoita, canelo or fort huachuca.  these are exactly the types of places we are drawn to.  i guess it’s the “explorer” instinct.  anyway, it’s an area rich in natural beauty, history and fabulous climate. good stuff!!

Bisbee

i have a little retreat update here.  check it out and have a marvelous monday!!

Ramsey Canyon Preserve

Karchner Caverns State Park (no photos allowed in caverns)

Our ranchette

 

AZ skies