My Voyage into Art

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up.” - Picasso.

I have always loved to create- whether it was designing our own choreography with my best friend, collaborating on a play with my sister that we performed for our mom, or drawing for hours on end. Since high school, my favorite thing to do has been to clean my space, open my windows for fresh air, and sit down at my art desk. I can still spend hours at my art desk or editing photos on my computer and it feels like the blink of an eye. 

I have so much love for the creative world and all of the beautiful things people are capable of. There are some truly inspiring artists, and I am still constantly in awe. I didn’t think I had the talent to really pursue art, so, when I went to school, I majored in something completely different: Community Advocacy and Social Policy. This degree taught me so much- the power of stories, the strength in diversity, and the love in human connection.

However, after a few years of working as a health educator, I learned (perhaps a little late)  that artistic talent is more than an innate desire to create. It’s practice and effort. It’s a passion for learning new techniques and artistic concepts. It’s the journey to find your own creative voice. So, I spent the next eighteen months learning the ins and outs of family photography. I have had some truly amazing mentors, taken some informative courses on various subjects relating to family photography, and spent countless hours on practice sessions to build my portfolio. 

Somewhere along the way, I found my artistic voice. I found my true joy in reveling in the simple things, pausing to take in the details of the natural world, and showcasing the sentiment between people who do life together- whether they be family, friends, or romantic partners. When I’m not doing photography, I’m either happily in the company of the people I do life with or I’m in my hermit shell.

My husband, son, and I spend a lot of our free time rock climbing, piling up on the couch to watch our latest Netflix binge, and exploring the local community (with our dogs, whenever possible)!  We are so lucky to have a tight community of friends we make memories with pretty frequently and use whatever excuse we can to visit our family in Tennessee and California.

When I’m hermiting it up, I’m probably involved in researching/creating my next hobby project, reading a book I can’t put down, watching a show I’m way too sucked into, or generally taking it easy- whatever that means to me in that moment.