A Look Back at 2014

This year has been a challenging one, both personally and professionally. Growing pains with MAW and at home have made every step forward especially sweet this year, and while I'm enjoying the last few days of 2014, I am also looking forward to the New Year.
I'm not much of one for dwelling on the past, but I do want to revisit some of the highlights of my year, to keep in mind that no matter how challenging life may get, the good stuff will always happen, too.

Placement - my collaboration with Miranda Herrick

Miranda figures heavily into this year being a professional success for me. We collaborated on this series at the request of the owner of The Framemaker, and it came together wonderfully.
Miranda wrapped and gessoed a globe for me to take to different locations and photograph in my style.
I photographed different collections of objects and supplied Miranda with photos to cut up into her signature designs.
This project stemmed from our compilation on a piece from a few years ago called Heartstrings. Miranda wrapped an anatomical model of a heart with fishing wire, and I photographed the progress at different intervals.

The Facebook banner image for Placement, featuring selections from Heartstrings.

It was awesome to work with Miranda, and the show came together better than I think either one of us expected. To see more of her work, check out her website, also designed by yours truly.

The show turned out beautifully!

Go Now, Don't Look Back - album cover art and design project with Jeff Blaney

When Jeff Blaney asked to use one of my photos from Horse Trails -> Highways on the cover of his new EP, I jumped at the opportunity! What an amazing thing to have a piece of mine chosen by an artist to represent a piece of his musical journey. He also hired me to design the layout of the CD jacket and disc. Jeff gave me a lot of lead time, brought all of the information I needed for the layout to our meeting, and even had rough sketches to work from. It was a perfect project experience.
The album will be released in February, but until then, give Jeff Blaney's music a listen. 

The front and back covers of Go Now, Don't Look Back

Works and Days - being published in an art book for the first time

Miranda Herrick is one of the most talented people I know, and her dedication to art is astounding. We have built this amazing working relationship around our friendship-she is the creator, I am the documenter. I've been working with her for about five years now, and one of my ongoing projects is to document as many of her shows as possible. Having this catalog gave Miranda the breadth of images she needed for the introduction to her book, Works and Days, which is the entirety of her year-long daily drawing project. It was gratifying to not only see my name in print in a book, but to see years of work pay off in such a wonderful way for both Miranda and me.

There it is, live and in print. Woo hoo!!

Some perspective: this is the full set of all 365 Works and Days. They span the color spectrum in order of the months.

All in all, it's been a really good year. I hope you're enjoying the final days of 2014, and happily anticipating 2015. Cheers to the close of one year and the new beginnings of another!

Keeping My Inner Dialogue Positive

I've been having a week of fits and starts. I'm currently waffling between angry and hyper-motivated, and discouraged and ready to crawl into bed. Everyone goes through this, both personally and in our jobs, whether we're scientists, artists, or full-time parents.

In the midst of this self-doubt, I am trying to keep several positive thoughts in mind:

1. I have a great life and a fun job. I even have my design work published on a regular basis.

A small ad I designed for one of my clients, Frames By U, as seen in the September 2013 issue of Nashville Arts Magazine.

2. Nashville has a wonderful network of people. I sat for portraits by Deone Jahnke a few days ago. She works with countless local artists, and is making a good name for herself in Nashville. She also happens to be a total sweetheart and one of my neighbors. Occasionally, she needs someone to feed and smoosh her kitties when she's out of town, so we have a trade of photos for pet care going on. Here's one of the photos from the first session:

I am totally willing to believe I really look like this.

3. A week from today, I'll be packing to go on the road for a small tour with The One and Only Bill Davis. We'll be playing in Brookfield, IL, Manitowoc, WI, and Milwaukee, WI. My brother's band will be backing us, and we're going to (hopefully) get paid to play music! While we travel! It's another important step in both Bill's and my music career, and it's really exciting!

4. I actually have everything I need. I am fed, clothed, and have a cozy house to call my own. My husband is talented, smart, loving, and supportive. My family, though they aren't very close geographically, is totally awesome, as are my in-laws. I am healthy and continue to make improvements in my life that keep me that way. All-natural soaps, anyone?

Made On Acorn Hill soaps

The little things often make the biggest differences, and I have to keep that in mind when I feel the weight of the responsibility of making the "right" choices. In the end, even "wrong" choices teach us something.

Now, on to conquering the world, one happy client at a time!!!

Tell me, what do you do turn things around when you start to feel low?