Happy Trails

Last weekend six friends piled into a family van after a wild work week and hit the open road. We took our time making our way to Clearwater, Manitoba for the much anticipated 14th annual Harvest Moon Festival. It was a life-giving weekend of strolling with my lover and our friends. Fellowship during the most beautiful time of year! There was much laughter punctuated by good meals, plenty of meandering along the riverbed with the freedom to stop here and there to lie down in the light or duck into the trees for shade from the bright autumn sun. There was a constant stream of beautiful music being performed from a straw bale stage to absorb. I can hardly wrap my head around the positive energy and overwhelming sense of community, safety and acceptance that I felt at this year's Harvest Moon Festival.

I took time to wander off alone in the early morning light on Saturday to climb down the steep valley wall like a nimble goat into the dry riverbed below. The light slowly crept in as the sun rose and splashed down, down, down into the deep crevice where I sat criss-crossed on an inviting rock in the middle of the water's pathway. Sitting in peace, I felt the heavy weight of a harsh learning curve of new school, new job, new rhythm leave my shoulders. I sat for a long while, wishing for a pen and paper to transcribe the feeling. There was nothing on my person but a loaded camera, a boiled egg and a croissant-- so I ate in silence and wrote internally. I need to practice sitting with myself more, empty handed with nothing but my thoughts. It was a good for the soul getaway to say the very least.

Here are some photos I felt compelled to capture while observing people in a beautiful landscape.
Portra 160 / Pentax K 1000

This is where I am; right where I need to be. 

11:11 
11:11
11:11

For Andrée

One of my favourite captures from the wedding of Pascale & Jay. Sister and cousin to the bride busily icing a cake!

N'sync icers.

Lovers at a family wedding.

The wedding of Pascale & Jay was so striking and warm and beautiful that I ran straight out of film. Always a good sign. I have so many unbelievable photographs from their wedding that I have been a little overwhelmed by the narrowing down process. When Pascale's cousin Andrée inquired as to whether or not I had shot any nice ones of her and her lovely man Michael, I was happy to start wading through this wedding work again. Full wedding post to come. In the meantime, here is a look in to one of the best weddings I have ever attended!

Dear Andrée, here are some photographs I felt free to capture of you and yours. I never did shoot a proper couple portrait of you and Michael, but the look of love is definitely present in what I did manage to catch on film. You are lovely and do so much for others. Enjoy! Feel free to share what is here.

Portra 400
Tmax 400 + 3200

Tony X Suzie

Here is a funny tail end of the roll photo story showcasing a funny and very impromptu try on party / photo shoot captured way back in early August at the Tony X Suzie summer trunk sale hosted by Lisa Kehler Art + Projects. What a fun celebration of two female artists just DOING IT in sweet, old Winnipeg. Jill Sawatzky and Suzie Smith came together and threw their individual talents of print and form into the magic cauldron between them and out came a flying, fun run of summertime throw-overs: a tunic dress as well as a structured top made out of easy breezy muslin. Hand printed and graphically designed by master printer Suzie Smith and drawn up and hand sewn by Jill of Tony Chestnut.

Punchy and peachy.

The models in these funny photos are not only Tony Chestnut and Suzie Smith fans, loyal shoppers and supporters, gallery owners, social workers and jewelry makers; they are all around good folks and Winnipeg powerhouses standing up for other Winnipeg powerhouses. That is something I can get behind!

Thanks for humoring me behind the camera!

Delta 400 / Pentax K 1000 (thanks be to Suzie for handing over the mint Pretty Girl Pentax on which this roll of Delta was shot). It works! Thank you!

Portraits of Emotions

Delight in each other as brother and sister, together again after too long.

Pure just-married joy.

Beautiful hysterics.

Portrait of mystery. How many lives has this man lived I wonder?

Apprehension and anxiety propped up against steadfast love and delight in it all.

Enjoying the weight of a healthy new soul, he is. This is my dad in true form.

Strength, joy and support. This is my family.

At ease amidst celebration.

Coy spirit is Izzy.

This is a portrait of deep pride and deep sorrow captured in a precious moment.

The wedding of my dear cousin Sara and her beloved Anthony was an event to remember. I photographed freely and easily, soaking in the wonder of it all. Where was Marj? She was there in sprit, giving the gift of light for her baby girl's wedding day. The hazy light was unbelievable. Remarkable. I tried not to take it for granted as I shot and shot and shot. I would like to write more on this beautiful day, but for now I will let this small photo essay on EMOTION do the narrating for me. More to come.

Delta 400

Nutmeg

Chanel ma belle at the Sugar Shack while visiting from Montreal; August 2015.

Iain and his niece Arlo; August 2015.

Bride-to-be Sara and her sweet peach of a friend Evelyn; August 2015.

My dear Grandma Helen on the right with her twin sisters Katie and Bettie; August 2015.

Twin brothers Efram and Noam on their prized push bikes; August 2015.

Half-crazed self portrait after processing 25 rolls of contrast film. Going a little nuts; August 2015.

New living room (book-ended by worn bow and Manitoba sweetgrass); August 2015.

New kitchen after many licks of white paint; August 2015.

From where I write, my corner starring Old Owl Eyes; August 2015.

Looks from all around. New babies, old friends, favorite places, new spaces, aging faces, loved ones and wise ones.

Kiev 60 / Delta 400

Rain / Shine

Another batch of photographs shot near the Escarpment in Manitoba from the Olympus partycam. These are the dog days of summer spent with people I love.

Delta 400

29°58′31″N 31°08′15″E

Happy together. Carman, MB; August 2015.

As my cowboy works away from home, I work away on the home. It was a good and grey weekend to organize each and every nook and cranny that was driving me nuts, bake some loaves with my brother, make fresh pasta for my colony, get the darkroom rolling, process many rolls of film, get a pedicure with the women of my family, wash the floors, move the plants around and listen to Joanna Newsom a few times over. Tomorrow my sweetheart will be home at last. I look forward to his grin upon arrival.

What a year it has been! I am beginning to feel settled in our nest at last. What a relieving feeling after a frantic month of hard work shining this gem up. Today after putting my work room into working order, I suddenly felt at home. Tomorrow I head back to work in a new family home in the neighborhood to entertain two of the most hilarious four year old twin boys I have ever met. Noam and Efram. I shot their brotherhood portrait on my back porch last Thursday afternoon. Boys and their bikes. I like them and I think they like me.

On the first of September I will begin my career as a Montessori teacher guide at Winnipeg Montessori School. Perhaps the universe led me to those two little creatures to warm me up for what is coming in hot: big kids! These little guys are not toddlers anymore (although I am glad I knew them when they were). They can ride bikes and put on their own clothes. They can sing entire Raffi songs and run for hours. They don't need naps and they both think the food I cook tastes weird. On Thursday we spent hours in the park across from their home building elaborate nests out of grass for objects found in their toy box. Pretend eggs. It was wonderful!

Being around kids with such charged imaginations is a whole new world for me after years spent caring for 0-2 year olds! Noam and Efram have already rattled off many ideas for the art class at my new school when I asked them what they liked to create. Q-Tip skeletons!! Obviously. Genius. We have made circus caravans out of paper and knights holding bloodied swords, alligators and headless dragons out of cardboard for the enormous castle we build out of blocks. I am constantly reminding myself that it is "the process not the product" that is important as I create alongside the brothers and prepare to transition into the classroom and assume my role as teacher-guide. By letting go of what I think looks best, I am free to observe the brothers create in such a wild and loose way. This very freedom inspires me to get to work on creative projects when I get home and just enjoy the process instead of being hung up on my end result. Simple pleasures.

Now that all of my latest wedding film has been processed and is ready for professional scanning, the latest project on the go is a large stencil for a special client who came to me with a dear photo of her grandparents standing in front of the semi nose-less Great Sphinx of Giza. I came up with an illustration based off the photo a while ago and only now have had the energy to put into the physical projection and stencil. I love this piece and I look forward to creating many more wall hangings inspired by my own great grandparents. I am picking up steam as autumn blows in. Life is wonderful. I am home and Iain is on his way.