Documenting Thanksgiving 2013

When I am home it is a time to relax...not work.

Being creative is not work. It's fun. It's my hobby. It's my career.

With that said, these are images taken around my house from the days

leading up to and following Thanksgiving day.

I believe I've photographed this rug 100 times.

I totally let my mom take my cat while I was on vacation for a wedding...

And I never took her back!

She's a tumultuous woman.

This is the first time I've seen her in a month.

Behind me is a roaring fire. 

(iPhone pics above)

  

This was Jake's (the family bulldog) house.

He was a sweet dog and has since passed away but this is a cute little picture of his abode.

I love this image of him and my mom. She was truly his mama.

My mother didn't want a dog but she feel in love with him.

It was taken with B/W 120 film with one of my favorite cameras (Mamiya RZ67).

-- Fall of 2011 --

My mom is switching out holiday decorations.

Goodbye sentimental Thanksgiving...Hello Christmas!

 So. Many. Candles.

I love it.

Then we photographed a really old painting from Governor's Honors Program.

Better known as GHP in 2005.

We rolled this bad boy up and he'll be tucked away for a while.

It's amazing how much my taste has matured over the years. 

I loved this painting for a few years but now it's not quite so pleasing to me.

My mom and my sister assisting me :)

They refused to be seen.

Out of the whole painting, I would salvage this corner.

The texture is out of this world.

(Photographs taken with Canon 5D)

Forced Vacay

I'm not very good at "taking time off".

But this kind of vacation (with family I never see) is enough to make me forget all the stresses of work and worries in life. This kind of trip is my remedy.

Welcome to Corolla, NC.

I've had time to do completely pointless things like 

re-organizing my Pinterest boards.

Delving into 2 years' worth of home interior photographs and design oriented pins has left me pondering career paths. Here are some images that are giving me a jolt of excitement and inspiring me to GET GOING.......when I get back to the ATL. 

 

 

 

 

Sciency Stuff (Documented & Designed by an Artist)

 
 I had a great time experimenting with one of my videographer friends, Jake. I was assisting him in testing various dye reactions in a variety of water based solutions. He will be filming the final (cooliest) dye reactions as part of a professional project.

 In no particular order...
Water bases: salt water, soapy water, fruit pectin mixed in water
Injected materials: india ink, fabric dyes, food coloring, black acrylic paint
I brought crazy products to try.... These didn't make it to the test kitchen:
honey
glitter
vinegar
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

I guess g l i t t e r isn't very professional.

 

I've never thought about trying to buy needles and syringes...
but you can gather what CVS employees might be thinking.
#promisewerenotdruggies

 Cool food-safe hose hooked up to the kitchen sink.
...the things ya learn

J A K E' S rad camera. 
(Canon 5D Mark III)

  

Behind the scenes

A definite winner.

 
Next we watched dyes travel (or not travel) on dry land (sorta).
We drew water patterns on surfaces like:
poster board, duck cloth, and other woven fabrics.

These are simple snapshots, but the video recording is mesmerizing.
The dye quickly traveled down our handmade paths.


My photography and textile design passions are often intertwined.
I'm amazed at how well they work together.


And VOILA.
A pattern is born.

Admittedly, this is a little grotesque, but with some manipulation the product can be quite beautiful.

  ...continuing with the "gory" theme.
We poured fabric dye in the baking tray so we could lay fabric on it to see if it would absorb around the areas we painted

Heat gun and camera in hand.

What a rich rich red.