20 things my heart loves..

"Our truth lies in what we love, and as we remind ourselves that we have loved and do love, we find our way unerringly back to the place from which accomplish is possible... it's almost impossible to make a list of heart loves without concluding we live in a rich, savory, and enjoyable world where - if we will just "take heart" - things are bound to work out well." - Julia Cameron, from "Walking in this World" I am nearing the end of the 2nd book of The Artist's Way series, an incredibly inspiring process that I highly recommend to anyone. The most recent task at hand was to simply list 50 specific things your heart loves. I just thought I'd share a random 20, because, well.. it makes my heart happy. This exercise is medicine for the soul..

Some things my heart loves: 1. my mom's homeade bread pudding (warm, with ice cream) 2. Govindas' yoga classes 3. walks at dusk with Ben 4. sending a handwritten note 5. a rainy day in LA 6. butterflies (the tiny, whimsical, fluttering white ones) 7. handmade things 8. afternoon naps 9. going for rides with my dad in his restored MG Midget 10. waking up to a cool breeze 11. going out for ice cream (hand-dipped at the ma and pa shops) 12. laughter 13. being a good friend 14. 6 month old babies 15. Big Sur 16. the way the evening light spills through the curtains 17. traveling to new places 18. long talks with a good friend 19. simplicity 20. star gazing

What makes your heart happy?

malibu, california fine art photographs

runyon canyon bench series (post 5)

Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:36 am... (on left)he spoke passionately about the positive energy he feels at runyon canyon to a stranger new friend... i listened with a smile.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 9:46 am... (on right) big dogs chasing little dogs... too cute.

Friday, June 18, 2010 9:35 am... friends: swinging their legs, laughing loudly... nothing better.

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4

runyon canyon bench series (post 4)

One of the downfalls of shooting film over digital is the wait. And at the same time, that is one thing that I love about it. The time between taking this first photograph, shooting the rest of the roll, and finally seeing the results was about a month. Had there been no wait, I wouldn’t have looked at this first image 3 times (like a fool) trying to remember what it was I had photographed. But, more importantly, I wouldn’t have experienced the moment of surprise when I finally saw him. Do you see him hiding there? These things make me happy. Monday, May 24, 2010 10:12 am | 10:14 am

I'm pretty sure June is my favorite month in LA. Almost every morning is cool with a heavy blanket of clouds. They call it June Gloom, but to me, it's hardly gloomy. I love letting the breeze gently wake me in the morning and the quiet hikes at Runyon. I am in love with these photographs... so tranquil and dreamy. I can almost feel the cool air kissing my skin. These will forever remind me of what it feels like to stand atop Runyon Canyon in June.

Monday, June 7, 2010 9:50 am | 9:53 am

I have many more to share and will continue posting next week. It is also worth noting that my film scans have improved immensley since I switched labs. Thanks to Richard Photo Lab - my bench series just got better!

[photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, may/june 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3

holding on..

There are hardly any words; I think this photograph says it all... how these sweet, brave, strong foster children stick together and look out for one another. They are holding on to each other and to life in a powerful way.

This photograph was taken at a Heart Gallery of Los Angeles event on Saturday. I am proud to be a volunteer photographer for this organization that helps deserving foster children find permanent, loving homes. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the Heart Gallery website or you may find details about the upcoming Heart Gallery exhibit on Facebook.

dreaming of dahlia gardens..

I bought a bouquet of dahlias for the first time recently and deemed them the prettiest things. As I was trimming their stems and admiring their colors, I realized I have been dreaming of dahlia gardens for over 4 years now. Before I could change my mind, I took them outside and placed the vase on the ledge of a nearly empty and uninspired planter. I became lost in my own world as I created this illusion of a dahlia garden in a place where I suppose it should be... since my building is named "Dahlia Gardens," after all.

runyon canyon bench series (post 3)

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."- Pablo Picasso

From childhood through art school, I was constantly creating, without effort it seemed; but, as I grow older I am finding it harder and harder to say “yes” to myself and my personal project ideas. Last fall, in an attempt to remedy this problem, I picked up The Artist’s Way. I poured my heart and soul into the process and it changed my life. Among many lessons I learned, the most valuable to me was how to self nurture. That realization alone has improved all areas of my life in a beautiful way. I am now mid-way through Julia Cameron’s next book in the series, “Walking in this World,” and I am finally on my way to hearing myself say “yes” again, no matter how silly the ideas appear to be.

On the surface, this project is simply a visual documentation of this bench at Runyon Canyon, which is often crowded, sometimes lonely, but rarely over looked by its passerby’s. It is art for art’s sake. But, for me personally, there is another reason entirely... It’s about saying yes to the first spark of an idea, whether or not I have a clear vision for the final product, or even its purpose, and to just begin. It’s about accepting mistakes, mishaps, and mediocrity along the way and to just keep shooting as long as it excites me. Most of all, it is simply about having fun with the process of repeatedly photographing a bench with a plastic toy camera, complete with film grain, unexpected compositions, and light leaks. It is imperfect and I’m happy to be sharing my imperfect process with you.

…

Here are the last few photographs from my first roll of film of the series. I loved that for a few days there was a tiny American flag stuck in a crevice of the bench. I loved that May 17th was so foggy; it was like standing inside a cloud. I loved that on May 19th, all I could think of as I hiked was hopefully seeing these horses again, and when I reached the top, I was instead so happily greeted by the biggest dog I have ever seen – a gentle giant, for sure. And I loved that a few moments later the bench became lonely again, just as it was when I first photographed it last year.

Top Row: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 (my birthday hike!) | Monday, May 17, 2010 Bottom Row: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 | a few moments later...

I am in the middle of shooting my next roll of film, so stay tuned for more… [photographs taken at runyon canyon in hollywood, california with my diana camera, may 2010]

Catch up on the Runyon Canyon bench series: Post 1 | Post 2