Bucolic Maine. My favorite beach in the world is in Maine. Smooth rocks of every shape, color and size. The sound of the surf rolling them over each other. Simple. Sensual. Hypnotic. Bucolic.

The Brooklyn Museum. A hidden treasure to be sure. Home of the Holy Grail of Feminist Art: The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago. Who should see it? EVERYBODY.

Madison in the bath. I could completely stop shooting now and still have more images than I could ever process-- unless I quit my job. I vacillate between thinking I am simply amusing myself, and believing I have something important to contribute to the world of images. I think it is unfair that women (some/many/me) feel that photos of our children are any less engaging or important than the other subjects that "important" artists make images of. Sally Mann's images were important to her. How did she know they would be important (and controversial) to others?

So I received a link to this project on fB. The photos are lovely--if it is possible to think that watching the demise of a young woman  is beautiful; perhaps poignant is a better choice. This work, in combination with the work of Willie Osterman, makes me sorry that I did not have the courage to document the final years of my Mother's life. I think about it often. The space she occupied in my heart does not grow smaller. It seems morbid to some to imagine why one would document such a momentous and difficult time in a person's life. Nevertheless, even if I didn't share the photos with anyone, I wish I had them. Thank you Willie and Angelo for having the courage to do what I could not. The images are beautiful to me because I can see the fragility we all share but seldom think about. They make me appreciate that I am here and that every moment is is precious.

This quote by ee cummings sums up the lengthy post about making choices for the future. It isn't easy. It takes guts.

This was taken in NYC in 2011. I was there with a group of students with whom I was showing the coolest places I know in NY.

The Path of the Creative

Several of my students have been struggling with the decisions they face about their future. They receive an abundance of advice from a variety of sources. To complicate matters, they are asked repeatedly "what are your plans next year?" Many of them begin to panic. They often look to me for answers. Perhaps I should be comfortable about this, having been a teacher now for 17 years. The truth is, I have a great deal of difficulty offering advice about this subject because there are no easy answers.

Embarking on a creative career has been a blessing and a curse in many ways. I love what I do, and I am passionate about art, design, and photography. I spent quite a bit of money pursuing my passion and I am still paying for it in the form of student loans for graduate school and teacher certification.
Not fun.  But, I would not be doing what I love right now were it not for incurring that debt. So it was a trade off. For me, it was worth it.

Making a choice about your future when you are 17 or 18 is scary stuff, no doubt about it. Here's the secret: there are no guarantees. You could pursue your passion and work multiple jobs until you find a niche, or you could take a safe career route that you know will pay off and be miserable after a few years because you don't like what you do. All I know for sure is that you work for a huge amount of time during your life and you have to feel proud of your work. Even if you choose something that is not your "calling" or passion; you must feel that you are contributing somehow to the greater good. Building things, helping people, ensuring safety, or creating products that help people live better. If you choose a route that is easy money, or goes against your beliefs, or makes you feel unimportant it will eventually impact your quality of life.

A career in art, design, photography and similar fields is not an easy one. You must have skill, talent, passion, and a willingness to work hard and take some risks to find your niche. If you want a clear step-by-step map to get there-- it doesn't exist. You have to look for opportunities to test out different jobs such as job shadows or internships. You have to be willing to listen to feedback and criticism about your work. You have to accept that it is an investment in yourself.

College is expensive. You should look at the salary ranges for the jobs you are interested in and consider that when you choose a college. Apply for as many scholarships as you can. Talk to artists you respect (either in-person or online.) They will be honest. Some will tell you not to pursue it, because they know what it takes and that it's really hard. If uncertainty is not your thing, and you don't have the luxury of backpacking across Europe while you figure it out-- make a list of pros and cons. If you are looking for a simple solution to this dilemma, it does not exist.