Makers Series - Blacksmith

I’ve been working on a personal project lately I call the Makers Series. I refer to Maker in the broadest sense. I am inspired by anyone who creates with their hands, be it forging iron or weaving soft cotton fibers through a loom, rolling empanadas or crafting a hairstyle. I suppose my inspiration is my grandfather who was a handyman by trade, and an artist for the love of it. His medium ranged from needlepoint to watercolor to finely detailed wooden mosaics and he wasn’t really at peace unless he was creating something.

Ashe is the first maker in the series. He’s an up and coming blacksmith who’s helping to revive an ancient art. As he worked we chatted about this and that. I told him about my kids and how my son was interested in mythology (a frequent inspiration for Ashe’s work) and he invited me to bring him back to the forge on a second visit. Of course, I had to photograph that too, so you’ll find those pictures at the end.

skateboards at sunset

A few months back, Speedy wanted to start his own business - an odds and ends chore service for the neighbors on our street. He made his own flyers and business cards and we went up and down the street distributing them. He's spent sunny late-winter afternoons cleaning leaves from garden beds, bagging sticks, sweeping off porches and cleaning garages. The money he earned was added to his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bank along with his allowance until he had enough to buy his own big-kid skateboard. The night it arrived in the mail, he gave his sister the small skateboard he'd received when he was five, and the two of them spent until dusk practicing in the backyard. The Snail was scared at first, but with some encouragement from Speedy, they were both careening down the walkway in no time.

Kari and co.

For the last two years running, my friend Kari who is a wonderful fellow photographer, has exchanged family photo sessions with me in an attempt to get ourselves in front of the camera more. Her family is such a pleasure to work with because, besides the fact that they are all beautiful, they are also really easeful and honest in front of the camera. On a sunny, autumn morning, we met up for a walk in the woods and an apple snack on the front stoop, followed by an impromptu dance party in the back alley.

Harvest At the Farm

It is always wonderful to meet a new client, but better yet is to work with the same client year after year and watch their family grow and change. Sarah may have started as a stranger, but as I've documented her family over time, we've grown to be friends - enjoying playdates with the kids, swapping knowledge on vegetable growing and photo editing, and most recently, bringing my whole family along for a harvest party after my one-on-one family session.

After Dinner Walk

I wanted to take a peaceful family walk tonight after dinner, but for most of the time, I could hardly keep up with the two.

Fairy In Rainboots

As a parent, you find yourself googling all kinds of questions you never even realized you had no inkling of the answer too. Like, “Mama, where does the sky begin?”. As it turns out, the sky begins directly above the ground. Which means that, at any given time, we are standing in the sky. We can just reach out and touch it. How beautiful is that?! And little did I know until she asked.