Those days. Or sometimes weeks! You know the ones, where you look at your camera (or pencil, or paintbrush, or keyboard) gathering dust and can’t be bothered to pick it up or get out the door. Where inspiration seems to fade away and you question whether you can even call yourself a photographer, or artist, or whatever most closely describes your creative identity.

Sometimes I need a push.  A kick out the door.  And sometimes a gathering.  I recently spent a weekend in Santa Cruz with a group of like-minded women (photographers , artists, mothers) and it was the reboot I needed right when I needed it. I am sometimes reluctantly pulled away from my cozy, secure home and family, but I bundled up my SX-70 with its expired pack of Impossible Project film, my iPhone and my dslr. I ended up barely using the dslr because I wanted to travel light and I’m having a renewed love affair with my iPhone at the moment.

Just walking somewhere fresh, chatting and sharing with the amazing tribe of women I was with, opened my eyes to new colors and shapes.

And movement! (seriously? the slow-mo feature in the iPhone6 camera? I can’t stop.)

In the weeks since then, I’ve been inspired to finally complete my website re-design and I’ve joined a local community studio where I am co-working once a week.  It’s sometimes like pulling teeth with me but because I put on my shoes and stepped out of my comfort zone, I’m energized and eager to see what’s next.  I hope you too are listening to your inner voice when it encourages you to lift your paintbrush or sling that camera over your shoulder, perhaps grab a friend or two, and see the world with fresh eyes.

cheers,
kim