hello 2012.

Hello 2012. I realize that it is towards the end of January, so I may be a bit late to the party, but regardless, Happy New Year to you. It is the first month of 2012, so perhaps I am just fashionably late to welcoming what lies ahead.

I really love this time of year. I love the clean slate and the grand idea of possibility. I crave the feeling I have at the dawn of January. Year after year. Some of you may know that the intention behind starting this blog was to hold me accountable. It helps me take responsibility for my mistakes, as well as noticing my achievements. When I look back, I sometimes cringe, while at other times, I feel grateful for a memory or an experience. I try to embrace those cringeworthy moments, because from that is where growth stems.

The morning of New Year’s Eve, with my first cup of coffee in hand, I sat down to write my resolutions. A Resolution. A promise. A resolve. An intent. A commitment. In the spirit of honesty, 2011 was tough at times, so my resolutions to promote change hold more weight for me this year.  At the risk of sounding dramatic, I do feel a sea change coming on, and the duty to nurture that. I, on a personal and professional level, will be diving deep into R&D (research & development) mode, as a transition is on the horizon. Consequently, it may be a bit quiet here on the home front, as we are hard at work at “renovations” for this particular space. I look forward to resurfacing and the opportunity to share new work and fresh ideas.

Thanks for joining me on my travels. May your 2012 be bright. Onward and upward, yours truly.

polaroid: ann mcgarry

She shoots Polaroids. It’s how she remembers.

You've probably heard me speak of her before: Ann McGarry, The Polaroid Queen. I am happy and proud to announce that this royal friend has a solo show up at Albina Press here in Portland.

In her words, “the photos of Polaroid: Ann McGarry illustrate the last 15 years of my life. Polaroids are my memory, as my actual memory is spotty at best. The photo I took at 3:00 PM on the afternoon the Hollywood Hills were on fire, the day that migraine almost crushed me, beer with an old friend, the heat wave from that one fall…all catalogued and viewed as my visual diary, helping me recall time and space which seem to always elude me.” 

She gives you a glimpse into her world, inviting you in with beauty, humor and wit. I love the way her photographs make me feel by conjuring up a memory, and giving meaning to the mundane. There are just a couple of more days to catch this work in person, so treat yourself to a delicious cup of coffee and get lost in some beautifully crafted photographs. 

All images courtesy of Ann McGarry.   

Albina Press, 5012 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, Oregon 

Closes January 4, 2012.