i traded in my flip flops for fuzzy slippers, my sun dress for a messy apron. my sun kissed face for sticky fingers. i went from staring out at a turquoise sea to staring at piles of pretty patterned paper. the funny thing is.... i am not sure which is better. as much as i love vacation, i really love working in my crazy art room. working is the wrong word because making art can never be work to me. pulling weeds is work. washing dishes is work. color correcting hundreds of photos of yarn and candles, work. teaching 33 students a lesson on depth of field, work! but picking a favorite photo and turning in it into something new by adding paper, flowers, paint, beeswax and jewels. this is so far from work.
this weekend was the seattle wedding show and i was fortunate enough to be asked to display my mixed media work as we patiently wait on the 7 year waiting list for photographers. am not going to lie, i was so nervous to display this work. i just wasn't sure how people would respond. these are still new to me and i am slowly building confidence with a medium outside of photography. luckily this weekend was really wonderful! everyone who stopped by the booth was so kind, so excited and so extremely encouraging. all my fears and insecurities quickly released their hold on me.
i must thank my husband jon for all of his help. he gives me pep talks when i need them most. he is always there to help me. he loads the car and is a speed demon during the booth set-up. he tears it all down and unloads it all when we get home. he always gives me an honest straight forward opinion on colors, photos, paper, and jewels. must give credit where credit is due. the beautiful mannequin collage on display is all jon. i gave my input on a few things but he ran with it the minute i asked for help. a man who can collage like that has my heart forever.
to learn more on our mixed media work go here!
Seeing the blog should leave some comments, I think that is a polite to blog host, and thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Cheap Jordans | April 22, 2010 at 02:19 AM
Congratulations Heather! When I read that your mixed media work will be featured in EIGHTEEN wedding magazines in 2009 (including the big Chicago & New York mags!), I jumped up & did a happy dance! We love love love the collage you did for us - it's a beautiful piece of art. I feel incredibly blessed to have one of your fantastic-beyond-words photos of our wedding as a mixed media piece. It's as if the photo becomes so much more...alive. I don't quite have the words to describe how it feels to have this piece on our wall. The photo alone would have been lovely to frame, but would always be a wedding photo hung on our wall. But the photo as a mixed media piece...it's no longer just a wedding photo.
To everyone else reading this, you can see mine here! http://onelovephoto.smugmug.com/gallery/2953375_NuvzM/1/262330818_NkJbx/Large
Posted by: Shawn | January 30, 2009 at 08:37 PM
Heather, you were THE BEST booth at the entire Seattle Wedding show. You are a talented artist, thank you for sharing your work with all of us.
Posted by: Monica | January 22, 2009 at 09:40 AM
Grandma gave us money for Christmas and I was considering ordering canvas prints with it. Now I know what I want to do. I hope you don't mind me asking you to use another photographers work. I learned that weddings aren't just about what the bride wants, and I listened when he expressed an opinion about photography, wanting to go with something more traditional.
But now I can have a little piece of One Love in my home after all. I'll be in touch.
Posted by: Jenna | January 20, 2009 at 10:41 PM
Super cool, heather! I want to see them in person. :)
Posted by: Airika Pope | January 08, 2009 at 01:57 PM
Heather, you are so unique and your work is such a breath of fresh air in the digital whip lash era...it's like you are taking in the world and turning around with something so beautiful and artful. I love how you take things in and truly create something beautiful--i adore the mannequin!
Posted by: Jenny | January 08, 2009 at 12:34 PM
must "ditto" all the above comments!!! i can't believe you were nervous--- your mixed media is beyond words. i think it was what caught anthony's eye too.... from that we've gained amazing wedding pictures, beautiful friendships, great indian food, and a mixed medium art work of ourselves- love it all!!! wish we were there to see! can't wait to get together!
Posted by: amanda | January 07, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I love your mixed media pieces. When I saw them for the first time, it definitely left an impact and set you apart from other wedding photographers. I look forward to seeing more art from you!
Posted by: Mo | January 07, 2009 at 04:42 PM
never be afraid to showcase your work, Heather! You are extremely talented and your work is one of a kind. That is what drew Josh and I to your booth at a wedding show a little over a year ago and we couldn't be happier that you photographed our wedding! :)
Posted by: Jen Holmes | January 07, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Beautiful! If I had wandered upon your book when I was at the Seattle Wedding show I would have been so thrilled and signed on with you immediately! That was back on '05.
Your photos are beautiful by themselves, but your mixed media art takes them to another level.
Hope you are recovered from the wedding show. That thing is overwhelming, to say the least. :)
Posted by: bridgette | January 07, 2009 at 06:14 AM
these are so unique and beautiful! love, love, love them!!
Posted by: kim hayes | January 06, 2009 at 05:32 PM
Your booth was beautiful this weekend - so amazing! Sorry I did not say hello - I did not want to interrupt. Hopefully you are recovered and relaxing now. Happy New Year!
Posted by: Holly-Kate Foss | January 06, 2009 at 01:28 PM
Beautiful work, Heather! Bummed I missed you in Seattle. Coming back to all that snow must have been a rude awakening from your lovely tropical holiday. Looking forward to seeing you this summer. xoxo, a.
Posted by: april | January 06, 2009 at 11:32 AM
wow! gorgeous work!!
Posted by: ohana photographers - david :& kimi | January 06, 2009 at 10:13 AM
We met you and Jon for the first time at the Wedding Show and I have to say your stall was the one which sticks in my mind the most clearly and beautifully of any we visited, and we visited most of them. I LOVE what you're doing with your collages and it was a real breath of fresh air to visit with some truly creative, original artists in amongst all the craziness of the show. We definitely plan to have you do a collage for us and you are now a strong contender for doing our photos too. Great to meet you!
(We were the couple with the Etsy pendants)
Posted by: Jo | January 06, 2009 at 09:19 AM
Wow! amazing work,it look very unique, I would like to order for my brother's wedding which is on Feb,do you take orders?
Posted by: Rathna | January 06, 2009 at 06:22 AM
These pieces are amazing! Do you take orders? :)
Posted by: Kristin {bridal buzz} | January 06, 2009 at 05:23 AM