Always Designing

             I was talking to a woman the other day about my work. She asked about my past jobs and why I became a photographer. Afterwards she said, " Well, it all makes sense. You were a designer for Lord and Taylor's. You dressed mannequins and set up little scenes in windows. You  are doing the same thing now but with you photographs."

          This statement has stayed with me for quite a while. I thought that my various jobs all has start and end dates. Now I realize that one job does flows into another. I now create similar work with my photographs and cards. I love to set up scenes. Such as with my Holiday cards from 2009. I took my in-laws Adirondack chairs, my champagne glass and several props from my home and created what a perfect Christmas would be for me.



" Holiday Toast"



          In 2007 I need a generator. I wanted to show what it would look like if Santa Claus took some time off and was skinny dipping. Kevin and I had a lot of fun making this card. We borrowed the Santa costume from his job, got Christmas lights and rented a generator. We lugged all of our gear down to the beach one evening in September until we found the perfect lifeguard chair.

          We set up the scene and just starting laughing, because of all the people that were watching us. The residences, in the apartment building behind us, were on their balconies and pointing and tyring to figure out what was going on. I am sure they thought we were a little crazy, but I did not mind. I was having a create time creating this card.



" Lifeguard Chair"



          Even when I creating photographs or cards that do not have an elaborate set up. I am always thinking about the final product. What it will it look like? What text can I use for the card I am about to create? Or how will it look all blown up, without any text, and framed in someones home. All this things I am visually designing. Not on mannequins this time, but on film.



"Birthday Party"




"Throw Me Something"




" Sunset Strip"



"Wagging Tail"



"Wedding Toast"





"Tulips"



"Sand Castle"


www.ArdenDesigns.com





The Great Art Crash

"Off Duty"

           On June 26th, I was doing an Arts in the Plaza show in Long Beach, NY. It was a great beach day and we did not have a lot of traffic. I was at another artist's booth joking around and then heard a terrible noise. It was like the sound of a car crash---however it was not a car accident---it was the sound of two of my grid walls hitting the ground. ( The grid wall display my framed and canvas work.)

         All the artists ran over immediately  and helping me pick up the pieces. I was in total shock, but need we needed to pick up the glass, frames, etc. off the ground as quickly as possible. Then, the second set of walls crashed to the ground. It was like having a tsunami and then an after-shock wave.

         Now all my work was shatter and in tiny pieces on the ground.

       

        I was so pleasantly surprised how many artists helped me: someone got a broom from Starbucks, another got me a trash can, and the rest started picking up the frames, and photos from the ground. Everyone was so helpful and offered wonderful words of advice and encouragement They  packed me up and helped me get all my stuff home. I am so grateful to everyone of my friends. Friends that I now consider family---a family that meets every Sunday for a few laughs and to support one another.

       When I arrived home, Kevin and I set up a trauma center. We review that damaged and then I mourned a few pieces. The following week we repaired the frames, replaced and glasses and printed new work. I was still very upset but new the work had to be done.

        The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -----Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Dancing Plovers"   (birds that are always working)

         I really pushed myself to get the repairs completed by the following week.
The "Great Art Crash" made me even more determined to make this photography career a success.

"Phoenix Rising"

Hello World




"Anchor"

 

So it goes world. The first day of my blog. My web master, a.k.a. hubby, has been telling me that this is a great way to get my work out there. So after several polite suggestions form him. I am ready to give it s try.

So let me start by saying, this is really what I WANT to do at this point of my life. I was an artist is school and worked as a visual designer for a retail store. I LOVED that job. But the job was very physical so after numerous physical injuries I left and took a desk job. While I was working as a receptionists I taught myself photo shop. I now take pictures when life and the light is good and edit when the skies are dark.

A perfect balance.

So I am photographer that loves great lighting and the beach. The beach is were my  spirit is the happiest.

I love walking the beach with my camera and sometime with my sheepdog, Marley.

So now, you know a little about me and how I got to this place in my life. I am sure you will join the calming feeling of my work and hope it makes you feel like you have the sun on your face and sand in between your toes.



"Sea Grass at Sunset"



"September Path" (horizontal)



"Rainbow Rock"

 http://www.ardendesigns.com/