Milk toast

Jackson is in finest form early in the morning, as he happily announces to his mama and I that our coffee is noticeably HOT (silent T) and that he is ready for his daily cheese ration by banging on the fridge and hooting until he is totally satisfied. (That kid would eat cheese all the live long day if left to his own devices). I will cherish these self timer shots of us, chicken haired and fresh faced.

Jackson Samuel - 12 months, two weeks old
Megan Dawn - 28 years, 3 weeks old

* Olympus - 35 SP / Portra 400

Unearthlings

Wallet trinkets / Winnipeg / 2014

Our home was burgled in early December. When I realized my purse and wallet were missing along with the rest of the goods, I was most saddened at the thought of never again seeing that small photograph of my mother as a wee little babe lying on the floor. Stuff is stuff. Je sais. It was a hard learned lesson of letting go but eventually I moved onward, further and further away from bitterness over loss. Winter is a desperate time.

BUT

Last week, I received a most peculiar letter from a neighborhood stranger alerting me that they had recently unearthed the contents of my wallet in the Spring melt. Why, I never! While majority of the personal ID and credit cards etc are gone forever (I try not to dwell upon where they might be---I hope burnt to dust by now), I did receive this beautiful bundle of precious photos carried faithfully in my wallet until it was no more. The kind stranger wrapped my little parcel up in string and wrote the most encouraging note.

I decided to make haste and scan what was recovered for good measure! So happy to see my little mother's precious baby face again. Not to mention my very prized possession of Lisel King's kindergarten school photo. And the dear photobooth picture from Simon. AND my library card! The culprit ditched every other card save for my library card! That is the only one I had yet to replace!

Miracle on Victor Street.

Didn't It Rain Children

Can't get this big mama diva's voice out of my head. Woman could rip on that guitar! I would take Sister Rosetta Tharpe over Beyonce any day. It rained and rained today and I must have played this song 30 times for Jackson. No wonder he wailed buckets. He prefers Solange. Rain and tears and swimming lessons for babies. My social calendar is really cracking' these days. Oye vey what is my life coming to? April showers bring May flowers. It must really be spring, nothing less. Irises fight for their right to flower power on Victor Street.

In other news, a recent interview conducted by ye 'ol kind eyes Chad Hagen surfaced today. Chad, an age old acquaintance of mine has been busy interviewing various Winnipeg characters in his cosy East Broadway home for his new podcast called Take a Seat with Chad Hagen. The three previous episodes released each Monday throughout the course of April ranged from delightful to hysterical to heavy and hopeful. Initially, I was downright frightened at the thought of a stiff exchange but OOOH OOH CHILD was I ever delighted by the instant ease and flow of conversation. Over the course of an hour and a half of conversational meandering, we touch upon the merit of wood wandering childhoods, the making of slow art, the importance of theory of photography and the joys of making and eating slop. Sound riveting? It was my first foray into the podcast world, forgive me. Rookie Hour. I do recall laughing throughout the entire exchange. Always a good sign when one begins the process crippled with fear and hesitation and ends on a triumphantly satisfied note. In a tiny room at a worn wood table surrounded by plants, we slipped on headphones, adjusted our mics and cheersed to quality bourbon, to taking risks and to Take[ing] a Seat!

Enjoy. Click here to have a listen.

The kimono fell to the floor and she stood exposed once more.

I feel very wacky tobacky today. Where are you LA LUNA? I can't seem to place you from my corner thanks to all that grey. It goes.

Sou'wester

Natalie and Kenneth wear my hats. Tmax 400/ Olympus 35-SP // Winnipeg, MB // April 2014

A L T E R N A T I V E / M A G I C

It has been a real treat to emerge from the winter season with my mind and hands busy with collaboration. Like clockwork, my internal fire continues to be stoked by Spring air after a long season of low light and little warmth. Last week I felt it burn bright and HOT for the first time in many moons as I moved around a white studio alongside Jill Sawatzky. Both of us had eyes trained upon a beautiful woman called Akos as she moved through the space like water, our cameras at ready. Easy, playful energy in an art studio filled with natural light, texture, colour, STRONG WORK! Layers came on and off, all of us rotating hats and scarves as clothing slipped from our own backs only to be replaced by something new from Tony Chestnut. It was one of those incredible photo shoots where I just knew the rolls would reflect exactly how the energy in the room felt. It is not always so,  thus I try not to take afternoons of those kind for granted.

Jill is the vision, the soul and the magic behind her clothing label Tony Chestnut. It has been pretty neat to watch so many people in my life evolve with their trade/ craft/ art over the years, and it was no different with Jill last Sunday. To see her clothing come to life was nothing short of incredible. May the magic translate in the photos to come! While the approach to her label may change from season to season, her vision has remained true with each debut. You know Tony Chestnut when you see it coming for you on the sidewalk. That I like.

Yesterday I printed photos from morning to night and the production was as fluid as the shoot the previous Sunday. Each step flowing into the next. Like magic. It is hard to articulate how rare it is to find that even pace from start to finish.

Midway through printing, I stepped out into the light of day for a break for my eyes, some exercise for my legs and a Kijiji mission in mind. Old Alba carried me to the industrial area in the West End where I was welcomed into a crazy woodshop / production darkroom by a lovely gentleman. We did some wheeling and dealing in his unbelievable set up over a few items he was parting out and I pedalled away with a full Ikea bag on my back, inspired all over again.

2014 continues to be the year for pushing myself, saying YES to opportunity and reviving my love of printmaking. Stay tuned folks, much to come! #tc2014

Hustlin' / Photo. Jill Sawatzky

Quite typical  / Photo. Jill Sawatzky

Shootin' the magic / Photo. Jill Sawatzky

Dusting off the Bessa from the 30's / Photo. Jill Sawatzky

Moon Mother

Happy Birthday to this wild and wonderful creature.

Dear Aunty Daryl, today marks the day you were brought into this world by your dear mother and my dear grandmother Helen, __ years ago. You come from a long line of fiercely strong and complex women who are quick to laughter, confident with hearts wide open. You have taught me many lessons through the course of my 27 years just by being you. Thank you for always accepting my heart's many woes, for being a woman quick to celebrate the good of life of those around you and for inspiring me to be my own woman of strength and knowledge. You always know where the best hole in the wall restaurants are tucked, the best books to read (J. Boyden!) and you are ALWAYS good for a delicious, life giving meal at the drop of a hat. Today I celebrate YOU! Words cannot do my love and admiration for your good soul adequate justice so I will leave it at that.

Happy Birthday Aries woman. You are the ram! And so am I. Enjoy the celebrations to come.

I love you

Long Gaze

Yosh's cat Margaret sums up my feelings toward this long season well. Marshand, MB 2009.

Alls I have to say is THIS TOO SHALL PASS. I have decided to forgo the ever-tempting transit pass for April and ride my damn bike instead. Shove that 90 bucks back where it came from. Winter weight pushing pedals for momentum; at first begrudgingly-- and then with determination. I will find my stride, I always manage to after a long time out of the saddle. This evening I find myself perusing the personal photo stacks of 2009. I seemed to take the Nikon F3 every where I went then. Now all I haul around is a tote filled with useless stuff. No cameras, no rolls clacking at the pit of it all. That too shall change. I realized today while watching Jackson devour an apple with snot pouring up and over it like two open taps that I have hardly any photos of that blue-eyed wonder. Damn shame as he is growing like a beautiful weed.

So, goals. Here is a list of mine for the coming weeks:
- Cycle to Charleswood every single day until it is dry enough to dust off the Magnum
- Bake a loaf in my dutch oven
- Make pasta from scratch and feed some loved ones
- Leave a camera at work, fill up them rollzzz of that beautiful little creature
- Pick up a quill, dip and drag until something entirely new is finished

That is enough goals for now. I find March to be a terribly exciting month. The melt is on, albeit slow as molasses. Light lingers. The sun holds warmth. I am working on a handful of really neat projects with one inspiring mentor at the moment. Last night she said to me from the floor, "sometimes to get creative, all you need to do is create". Sha-POWPOW! Simple application. So I got a little bit creative with two paintbrushes and it felt good. With that said, I am at a funny place within my personal art practice right now. At a stand-still really. Past and present stencils lie all around, dotting the surfaces of home; rolled up, pinned tight, gathering dust, hanging proud. They act as ongoing reminders of what I am deeply, truly passionate about but also what I am deeply, truly avoiding. SO DO IT, FUCK! Okay, okay, okay. I find it difficult to make time for disciplined practice after long days of work outside of the home. It shouldn't be difficult to approach something I genuinely love to do, but it is. All I seem to be able to do these days is cook dinner, clean up and crawl into a place of solitude with Margaret Atwood propped against my knees until sleep beckons. Not so bad, not bad at all. But the stencils in my head never let me off the hook. I suppose that is a good sign? Perhaps.

Looking forward-to's:
- The inaugural Spring trip to pick up planting supplies for the garden I am hell bent on growing this cycle
- First solo ride of the season
- Feeling warm enough to wear my new beautiful leather loafers BAREFOOT
- "Ah-Reeming" out my new sun porch and overhauling that tired space with much lovvvvvve
- First BBQ'd-everything meal in the porch with Craig and Chris and a case of Brewhaus

====++++

Margot's HQ. Painter's tape, negatives, tea, candles, inspirational clippings, greens.

Slices of home: March edition

Humphrey Bogart on the radio tonight. Meatballs and Steve's slow and low tomato sauce digests. Rooibos tea in a ceramic mug from my mother. Nothing to report these days. Head down, deep focus, hands continue to carve carve carve carve with blade after blade. A cardstock flower garden grows.

TIMING
CHEMISTRY
MAGIC
WILL
LUCK

*Ektar 100 // Kiev 60

Lion & Dad Egg

Dino on the loose at the AGO. Toronto/ March 2014

Cool dad on the loose in Toronto.

How I have missed this particular expression of Leo's.

Good eggs; father and son in the sun.

Boy and his bobcat.

* All photos from a single 220 roll of expired NPC 160 // Kiev 60 TTL

Edith Ann's sandwich

Lily Tomlin, I didn't think I could love you any more. Happy Birthday Auntie Marj, I love you too.