Paint

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Photography: Folsom Farmers Market

I went to the Folsom Farmers Market last weekend with my wonderful nephew, Wyatt, who will be turning seven in a few weeks. As his parents sold their beautiful crafts, we wandered around, and I worked on my photography. I think my image quality is improving as I get quicker at adjusting my settings and learn more about the exposure triangle, but it’s slow going. I want to get better much faster than I am, but that’s true of so many things in my life right now.

I’m also in the process of developing my photographic voice, focusing on both how I tell stories and how I edit. I’m drawn toward a vintage, warm tone, and a more photojournalistic style. Close-up pictures are usually my go-to, but I’m aiming for more diverse shots now. Let me know what you think of these and if you have a favorite.

Thank you!

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  • These were taken with my Olympus E-M1 MarkII, using a 75-300mm lens and edited with Lightroom Classic.
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Photography: Chalk It Up

Over Labor Day weekend, I attended the 35th annual Chalk It Up event, a free open-art festival for families. My daughter had the privilege of opening the show with her G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento band, Wisteria. It was a lovely, albeit hot, morning filled with art and music.

Let me know if you have a favorite shot and have a fantastic day!

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#100DayProject: Watercolors-Week 2

“The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most.”
― John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice

Welcome to the second week of my watercolor #100DayProject. After some experimentation, I’ve settled into a comfortable morning rhythm of painting and journaling. It occurred to me this week how both serve the same purpose—release and freedom. Both activities are about letting go, self-discovery, and seeing where it takes me. Taken in this context, it’s impossible to do it wrong. What a wonderful thought!

Things I’ve learned this week:

  • Stop painting before everything turns brown
  • Wet-on-wet is very enjoyable, but I need to go slower
  • Trying to copy other paintings can be frustrating
  • My emotional state affects the color scheme
  • I have no idea what I’m doing and it’s totally okay

I’m still trying too hard to control the paint. I ripped up and threw away two paintings this week and started over. The need to be perfect is still very present and I’m trying really hard to separate the work from any kind of judgment. I remain, as always, a work in progress. Thank you for following along on my journey and for all the wonderful comments I received last week.

Here are my offerings for Week 2:

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lavender ladies
standing straight-backed and quite tall
do you ever fall?

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swirling galaxy
locked within my busy mind
yearning to be free

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what dark secrets hide
behind your bright red brick wall?
I want to see all

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happy little sun
shining brightly down on me
do you see me try?