“Each of us is responsible for how we see…and how we see determines what we see. Seeing is not merely a physical act: the heart of vision is shaped by the soul. When the soul is alive to beauty then we begin to see life in a fresh and vital way. The old habits of seeing are broken and new possibilities open up to us.” -John O’Donahue
Welcome to the launch of Seeing Creating and Being, my re-imagined website! I’m very excited about how it has evolved….
As a photographer and educator I’ve been preoccupied with the concept of ‘vision’ in one form or another the whole of my adult life. Photography as a practice in and of itself has given me so many gifts and opportunities. It’s given me a career. It’s given me purpose in my wanderings and explorations of the world. It’s given me a completely open ended invitation to create, to find my visual voice. It’s given me a set of eyes that are perpetually fresh. It’s given me the gift of clear seeing. It’s taught me visual discernment. Most importantly it’s given me a connection to beauty everywhere, to the beauty in all things, all the time.
Out in the world with camera in hand, I’ve always felt a certain sense of grace— a heightened sense of beauty, a more attuned eye for the unexpected, a sense of ‘flow’ and present moment awareness, a sense of oneness with all things, a sense of being awake and alive. In this way photography is also a wonderful tool for the practice of mindfulness. It forces us to pay attention in a different way, to actively SEE rather than passively look. It gives us a greater sense of connection to all things, most of all ourselves.
More recently I’ve been pondering how vision and creativity relate to the quality of our existence—our ability to adapt, evolve, and experience life to the fullest. This interest has led me into some really fascinating territory with all kinds of synchronous connections occurring— seemingly disparate interests are converging magically—photography, seeing, creative process, beauty, mindfulness and personal evolution. The seed for this venture was planted many years ago when my daughter, then 7 or 8, asked me the seemingly simple question: “How do you see?”. Never satisfied with my answers; I’ve been responding to the question ever since.
This new platform is a way for me to process the world, hoping to share some beauty, some great content, and somehow illuminate the journey we are all on. My workshops, The Good Eye and The Zen of Seeing are a reflection not just of my years as a professional photographer, but also my years of research into the psychology of creativity, change, and the nature of vision. Subscribe below for workshop news and to learn more, or simply to receive weekly insights.
