At the beginning of 2010 I set myself some personal goals.  They weren’t resolutions, mind you, that would be far too cheesy.  And kittens – just so you know – I would never dream of being cheesy.

Just five simple goals, ten words total.

The first one of the list was a single word:

GALLERY

When we neared the end of the year and that one particular goal didn’t seem to be materializing I shrugged it off.  Figured I’d just slide it over into the 2011 column, all casual like so nobody would notice.  No biggie – it happens.

And then, somewhere between Turkey Day and Auld Lang Syne I got an email from Alex Evjen (the genius behind Ave Styles) who invited me to be a part of The Phoenix First Friday Art Exhibit on  March 4^th (that’s tomorrow peeps!) at Day|Twelve – an incredible gallery space in downtown Phoenix.

So what, it wouldn’t take place till 2011.   The invite came in 2010.  I immediately made the executive decision that this totally counted.  Mission accomplished.  Goal crossed off.

~~~

The theme of tomorrow night’s exhibit is STYLE.   I will be featuring images from several fabulous urban fashion shoots – and joining some other incredible artists in showcasing our work.  The best part?  We are collaborating in support of the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation – an organization which exists to educate and assist women in difficult life transitions.  We will be collecting pens and journals all night – these will be used by women at the foundation as they move through the program and on a path to a better future.

The portraits are chosen, the frames are hung and the gallery is ready, but the really important question remains….

What the heck am I going to wear?!*

Date: Friday, March 4, 2011
Time: 6pm to 10pm
Place: 812 2nd Avenue,Phoenix, AZ 85003
*Parking is available across from the gallery and on the street.

Check out our Facebook invite,  and share with your friends. The official event  flier can also be downloaded.

**Send me some style inspiration – if I choose your suggestion (or something close to it) for Friday night, I’ll send you a $25 gift card to use towards your next session or print order!

Haiti.

Most of us were blessedly untouched by the earthquake, at least physically.   In every real way, our lives continue on as usual.  But in the days and weeks following this disaster, we’ve all been shaken by the images and stories and heartache that have traveled back to us.  We sat in horror trying to take in the magnitude of the damage, we cried for the loss, we texted the Red Cross with our donations.  At some point during it all we felt totally, utterly and completely helpless.

In the face of such devastation, we are reminded of just how small we are.  We feel inadequate to the task at hand.  How could we possibly make any sort of real difference when the reality of today is unfathomable, and the road ahead holds challenges beyond our comprehension?  What small gifts could we offer that would make any real difference?

We forget in those moments, that real difference is made moment by moment, dollar by dollar, person by person.  We don’t need a zillion dollars in the bank account.  It’s okay that we can’t hop down there to rebuild the country brick by brick.  All we need is our hearts, and our talents, and people with vision to bring it all together.

To Haiti with Love is  an online auction of art, photography, papercrafts, clothing, and creative goods. All proceeds will go direct to the St. Joseph’s Family of homes for children in Haiti.  This weeklong fundraising event is curated and managed by visual artist René Joshi Sims of fruityfantastica and author Kate Inglis of sweet | salty.

Go and see what magic these two have pulled together; beautiful artwork, and books and gifts from profoundly talented individuals.  Remember to look beyond the items themselves, and know that every single one of those postings is really just about love, about heart, and about a belief that we all have it within us to make a difference.  The magic of what Kate and Rene have really created is the way they have nurtured this reality for all of us.  Our contributions matter.  Our offerings change the world.

My donation, ‘being exquisite’ -an 11×14 print from my series of desert images -  is both small and humbly offered.  It, on its own, won’t bring in a million dollars, rebuild a school, or change the course of Haiti’s future.   But I am mistaken if I believe it is inadequate or meaningless.

All things done in the spirit of hope are bursting with meaning and potential.

{So go, peruse the offerings and bid on something that catches your fancy.  Change the world today, the way only you can.}

I just stopped by the blog of the always inspirational Deb Schwedhelm, and wouldn’t you know it, she’s done it again.

Today she posted about a brilliant idea, conceived by Jeremy Cowart…watch the video to learn more.

Local photographers, web gurus, graphic-peeps, anyone who loves photography or wants to learn more about photography…let me know if you want in.  Lets brainstorm and come up with something amazing.

Jeanette

I love my job. Love it. Not only do I get to pay my bills with my camera (seriously, how cool is that? I still get giddy just thinking about it), but I also get to connect with the most amazing people.  Each of my clients touches me in some way, teaches me something new and leaves me with fresh insight into the art and craft of photography.

I get all sorts of clients.  Shy ones.  Goofy ones.  Quiet ones.  Loud ones.  Lots and lots of silly, giggly ones.  Every now and then I get to work with a family whose love is so sweet and tender that it flows through each and every interaction.  The Maston’s were one of those families.

Rich works for Lauren’s Institute for Education, and was the first one to contact me to take advantage of the matching print credit I offer for donations to their Rock The Budget campaign.  I met with Rich, his lovely wife Adria (isn’t that the most beautiful name?) and his two beautiful kiddos, Ryder and Maggie, at a local park.  We braved the heat, climbed some trees and explored the area to find some cool spots for pictures.  In the process I got the opportunity to observe the quiet, loving connection that Rich and Adria had with the kids, and with each other, and all I had to do was have my camera ready to capture it.

Did I mention that I love my job?

my silent auction display

A few weeks ago I had a chance to donate to a special silent auction fundraiser for Lauren’s Institute for Education (L.I.F.E.), which serves developmentally disabled children with unique programs such as music, aquatic and horse therapy in addition to traditional occupational and physical therapy. I happily donated a session, custom storyboard and print credit, but when I learned more about the Institute and the shortfall they are facing because of the recent budget cuts I felt compelled to do more.

From their website:

“Our philosophy of care addresses the whole child, not just traditional areas of need. Through our eclectic approach we believe that the child’s emotional well being, both social/emotional awareness and self expression, is as equally important to a child’s growth as is cognitive and physical functioning.

The staff recognizes and celebrates the unique characteristics of each child. Using evidence based practices, L.I.F.E. strives to provide highly effective techniques which generalize outside of the therapeutic environment and ultimately contribute to an individual child’s life quality.

It’s no secret that the US economy is taking a beating right now but that doesn’t mean children with developmental disabilities should too. You see, state budget cuts have left Lauren’s Institute for Education in a bad spot. These cuts mean we will lose over $500,000 in funding from March 1st to December 31st of 2009.”

The folks at L.I.F.E. have created an awesome campaign called Rock The Budget, encouraging people to donate just $5 to assist them in meeting their budgetary needs. To help them out, I’ve offered to match any donation of over $50 with an equivalent print credit (up to $200)  for any paid session completed before September 1st 2009.*

Please visit the donation site and check out the amazing work they are doing. And if you’ve been waiting to book your session – this is a great time to do it!

*(Please click here for terms and conditions)