the perfect fall day.

I'm moving to the desert soon, so I decided to spend one of my last free days in my damp Pacific Northwest back yard in my favorite forest.  I breathed in as much fresh air and verdant green as I could, and said goodbye to the flora and fauna I've come to know and love so well.

I feel utterly clueless when it comes to identifying mushrooms.  I need to begin learning the names of the ones I photograph, but if you have any insight on what these are in the meantime, I'd appreciate it.  Here are a few snapshots from my day.

exciting things this fall!

I haven't posted in a long while.  Here are the exciting things:

It's officially mushroom season. Yay!

I'm moving in a few weeks to the Arizona desert.  I'm excited/scared/happy/sad/stressed/relieved. More to come on that topic soon...

I just participated in a wonderful exhibit at Ghost Gallery with another very talented Seattle artist, Michelle Smith-Lewis, where our black and white botanical works were on show.  Michelle displayed some incredible tintypes and I included some of my floral macros.

I finally have my artwork up in downtown Tacoma!  Spaceworks Tacoma has generously given me two display windows in the old Woolworth's building on 11th and Broadway to feature some of my environmental portraiture within 3-d "artscapes".  I designed around the theme (and accompanying title) of "ghosts/dreams" and my fingers were sore for a very long time from hot glue burns and tying all those little bundles of sticks.  I'm very happy with how it all turned out.  The Tacoma News Tribune wrote a very nice piece on the windows.  They'll be on display until early December, so get down there and check them out.

it's been so long...

Winters in the Northwest are tough for me.  It's soggy and gray and chilly and I spend lots of time indoors, which makes me feel like a trapped animal (in cozy slippers).  When we do get a sun break, I'm out the door as soon as possible.  

I was lucky enough to get out to the forest for an hour or so before it started pouring again last week.  It was quiet and solitary and raindrops adorned plants and trees and spiderwebs everywhere I looked.  The magical thing about the forest is that you don't have to walk more than a few feet, stop, look around, and you'll be transported to a magical world full of tiny wonders.  You can escape from the dreary ordinary world.

This is how I've fallen in love with the magic of macro photography, and why it feels like my therapy, my meditation.  It's what keeps me going through these long winters.

Mushrooming

A vibrant friend with a passion for mushroom hunting offered to let me follow her around as she foraged in a Pacific Northwest forest this past weekend.  I found myself wishing I had a faster camera that was more sensitive in low light - it was very dark!  But I still think these shots are cool

It was exciting to see someone in their element.  We learned a thing or two as she identified deer trails and pointed out fungal treasures with names like Witches Butter and Russula that I might have never noticed otherwise.  My kids who usually groan at the prospect of another boring hike were inspired and filled with purpose.  We climbed in loops and returned to the trail with a basketful.  The adventure was short and sweet and rather dark, but I snapped as many mushrooms as I could.  I can't wait to go again.