being a professional

I took these pictures during the summer, and there are probably a million things wrong with them, but I love them.

With two more photography classes this semester, I have been doing shoots multiple times each week. A while ago someone asked me if I was a professional photographer while I was snapping away a mile a minute. He probably wondered why else I would be out taking pictures at five in the morning and noticed my spiffy camera (which I love and would probably be one of the top five things i'd save from a burning building--besides all the people of course.) I paused and without really thinking about it said no and smiled until he walked away and then I sort of frowned thinking about what that means. I rarely call myself a photographer since I've only been working on it for about two years, although I've had the interest since high school. But I still think of myself as a photographer. As much as I think of myself as a writer (although it's up to you as to whether or not I deserve that title since you have to read my innermost thoughts so often. :) or an artist, in the general sense, and a designer in particular or even a chef and baker. The word professional is what threw me. Do you have to be paid to be a professional? Some of the world's greatest artists were unpaid or poorly paid for their work during their time. Not that I'm comparing myself to Monet or Charlotte Bronte, but the fact that they worked for their art more than money is motivating to me. At the same time, Dickens reputedly wrote more than maybe he needed to because he was paid by the volume. I don't think of that as selling out, but I can't imagine myself doing the same thing unless I was in a similar circumstance of being the sole provider for my family of many children.

So, am I a professional? I don't know or really care, but I am a writer. I am a photographer. I am a designer. I am a stylist. These titles aren't less to me because so many people own computers, cameras and kitchens. if anyone else wants to call themselves a photographer or writer that's fine by me.  if you love it and want to do it immerse yourself. That's what appeals to me about the arts so much. To be a doctor or lawyer or engineer you need a certificate and schooling and exams and then you are that thing (and I have no complaints against making sure that the people who have others lives in their hands be exceedingly well trained), but I rarely hear of someone becoming a doctor when they are 50 or 60 years old. I'm not surprised however, when I hear that someone wrote their first book, or has developed a passion for photography or is taking painting classes at any age. I'm going to keep learning too.

a moose head in our living room

We have our tree up, a bunting in progress, a garland strung and a paper maché moose bust completed.

Christmas is well on its way in the Jones family house. However, so are the semester finals. Hence why I've dropped off the blogosphere last week and probably for most of this week, but here's to study breaks, craft projects and good grades. (*fingers crossed)

Meet Maxwell the Moose. He's newest member of our family and even though he's not a person or a pet or even a house plant we sort of love him and think of him as a permanent fixture in our home. Maxwell and his bow tie add a hint of class to our currently messy living room.

Tuesday Tips-Be Prolific

I'm not sure if this tip is for you or for me, hopefully a little of both.

It goes back to some topics that I've touched on before, like the creative process and passionate but it's a little different too. To be considered an expert in something you need to spend at least 10000 hours doing it. At first you might think where would all those hours come from, but it's not really that long in the great scheme of things. Only 3 hours a day for 10 years, or 6 hours a day for 5 years. But I think expertise comes from both quality and quantity time. Be prolific and make the time count.

I love design and so I need to create until it seeps from my pores. I want photography to become second nature to me, to the point that I can adjust my shutter speed and iso in the dark. I need calluses where my hands grip the paint brush. When you're passionate about something you do it. A lot. Regardless of what your day job is that is what draws you back again. Passion will drive you when money won't and when tiredness and illness could make you take a break.

What are you passionate enough about that you want to become an expert?

self-expression through clothes

Sweater: Ebay (JCrew), Skirt: Thrifted, Boots: Gift (TJ Maxx), Trench: Thrifted

There have been multiple posts on other blogs and comments and my own thoughts that have made me consider why I do "fashion" posts or at least fashion pictures to go along with whatever I want post that day. Maybe you don't care. Or maybe the only reason you come to my blog is to see what I'm wearing. Or maybe you think I should get over myself and stop being so self-involved and materialistic. Please, read on.

I like clothes. I think they're great. And I'm glad that I don't have to go around starkers, especially with the changing seasons and increasing cold.  But the reason that I choose certain outfits and dress up and take pictures of myself, or at least have Nick take pictures of me is the same reason that I paint and write and cook--to create.

Clothes are a form of self-expression and getting dressed can be a creative process. Some days my clothes express that I'm busy, tired and haven't showered, other days they express more of my personality, interests and even sense of humor. I don't buy clothes just to take pictures for my blog, but there are times that I feel like the colors, patterns and textures are so delicious that I want to share them with someone else. Someone who might think, "Dang girl, I like your style." Other times I share my failures because those are real too; who hasn't gotten dressed, after spending too much time trying on alternatives and then left the house only to realize that whatever they're wearing isn't really working? I don't think I'm the only one. And that's the one of the life parts of lifestyle blogging that I want to share and be true to.

You may have noticed that I rotate through my wardrobe, which is largely thrifted because that's how I learned to shop growing up and because I think that it would take intense brainwashing to allow me to overcome the guilt I'd feel at buying all my clothes retail. :) Like I said, I don't buy clothes for my blog and sometimes when I see a new outfit everyday on someone else's blog I wonder how big their closet has to be to accommodate all those clothes. (My side of the closet already encroaches on Nick's side.)

I know that lots of people have their own opinions on "fashion blogging" and I hardly ever talk about where I shop or fabrics, brands or trends (cause that's not super important or interesting to me), but I do like to share my outfit creations.

What do you think about outfit posts in general? Do you love 'em, hate 'em, couldn't care less about them? Do you think I should stick to photographing other parts of my life instead?

make stuff happen

We've spent some time in Nick's ceramics studio lately. He needs to spend 17 hours, outside of class, throwing on the wheel. It's been no hardship for me to spend some in between/after class time there. It's a pretty peaceful activity. 

The wheel whirs, clay builds up between my fingers and leaves it's white residue on pants and elbows. Our skin is dry after working with clay, especially in the desert weather, especially in the changing seasons move towards the cold. The wheel hums, my hands are flexed, exerting just the right amount of force. The restraint, not the pressure is what makes my muscles the most sore. And Nick instructs us, dipping the small round sponge into water and squeezing as the wheel rotates and his hands shapes the clay.

"the sky was the color of breakfast"

I live in a place of two worlds.

There is the material world that we all live in and see and feel, and then there is another place. It's less tangible to me at this point but it is just as real. I feel it in the air on the uppermost layer of my skin. It pushes on my consciousness at odd times, when my thoughts are firmly here and now but are beguiled away by another force. It is a world of images and colors, hopes, dreams, stories and genius. Trying to describe it feels like the taste of a word that your tongue tries to form but can quite reach or remember.

Every day I build it, break it, change it. Some people can't see this world. They're not bad people but I ache for them. For what they unwittingly miss out on. For how blind they are to the ephemeral reality around them.

I will create a place for them. And give them what their eyes cannot see.

Picking up a paint brush, something magical happens. Not on the canvas. The change occurs inside of me as I hold one implement of creation. Right now it is just a sketched a scene in water across the canvas but I saw so much more.

paint splattered fingers

The other day my mom asked me if I had painted anything lately. I was sad to say no. It's been awhile since I've stared at a blank canvas and created something from the blankness. I miss holding a brush in my paint spattered hand.

        

When we went to Boston Museum of Fine Arts we walked around for hours and only saw a third of what they had to offer. The Alex Katz and the French masters exhibits were my personal favorites, although I also found myself surprisingly drawn to the contemporary art room.

Clean lines, smooth flowing colors, bright, jarring ones too. My soul is stirred by beauty. It wakes up, stretches the bounds of my bones, muscles and sinews. It creeps to the edge of my stomach and pushes me closer to the beautiful, the inspiring, the evocative. 

the creative process

I have recently read and seen this Ira Glass quote on two of my favorite blogs. (Strangely enough, they have the same name—The Secret Life of B and The Secret Life of Bee. Weird, right?)

I find this quote both inspiring and disheartening. It inspires me to keep trying and believe that I'll get better in time, but I know I'm not there yet. Check it out. That's an order.

What do you think? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Cooking to Create

I really did start this post for Tasty Tuesday. It said and I quote "It's Tuesday again; the second day of August. It feels like the days of summer are slipping by faster and faster! (Insert panicked feelings here at the return to school.)Anyway, last week I told you about our meal plan for the week and one of the recipes I planned to try was Kale and Bean soup. At first glance it didn't sound too tempting but it was a good way to use up kale (you know, one of those dangerous vegetables that I never buy because I don't know what to cook with it.)" blah blah blah. But I didn't finish it and I didn't publish it because it felt...well, blah. It felt gimmicky and "look I made a great recipe" and a little boring so I stopped.

What I should have wrote about instead was how fun it is for me to create. I love to cook and sew and paint and dance and write and read and make things and be a part of the things that other people have made. Where I work on a university campus there is a museum, but the building across from me is the art building and as much as I enjoy the museum I find myself walking through that place even more. They change the exhibits more often and I can talk at a normal level and not feel disrespectful. The art varies. Some is professional-quality and other seems very amateur, but they are all interesting and beautiful in ways. I am amazed when I look at the art to think that the people I walk by and work with could be the creators.

I read this on this blog today:

"The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time."
— Mary Oliver

I don't want to ever want to feel that way. How crushing would that be? And so even though I am busy, I am going to keep dancing and painting and thinking and writing, sewing and yes, cooking. 

The recipe really was great. Not, let me eat this everyday great, but, rather, I didn't know Kale could taste this good great. So, if you want to eat healthy and are adventurous enough to try new recipes, check this one out. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
• 8 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cups chopped raw kale
• 4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or navy, undrained
• 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped parsley

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion; saute until soft. Add kale and saute, stirring, until wilted. Add 3 cups of broth, 2 cups of beans, and all of the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken. Simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley. 

Simple, but delicious.

dessert is my one weakness