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All responses Most smiled responses
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AH yes, the big question! Holga vs. Diana - who wins? Among photographers, this does seem to be a heated debate as to which is the "better" camera, but personally I think it's a silly thing to argue because the idea behind shooting with a toy camera is the lack of precise consistent results. With either one you will get carefree, experimental, abstract photos and trust me, you would find something to love about both of them. It really is down to personal choice and what you plan to do with the camera - what is your artistic vision?
I think it is really important to know the personalities of your cameras, because even in the mass produced remakes of the original 60s cameras, there can be preferences that would work for only you that I would never think of for myself, you will just have all the fun in discovering that out! I either lucked out with a really good model of the Diana+ and Holga 120N or there have been a lot of happy accidents in my favor because I really ADORE both of these two from my camera collection. I do find myself taking a lot of notes when I first familiarize myself with a new (old or not) camera to my collection, because I have so many I don't want to forget any details when it next comes out to play. Every knob and button and quirk counts, and it will be different for your camera than what you might read in a manual or online. While packing for my last trip I was musing, "and bring some color film for Diana... because Diana LOVES color..." things like that. You might even name your camera. They really do have personalities.
Maybe you can choose by your choice of limits: Holga gives you less choice with only one aperture, which can be less overwhelming to the beginner, whereas Diana+ will give you 4 which can be exciting too - you can go pinhole in the same role with the flick of a tab or shoot multiple exposures by shooting once (or two!) more times before moving your film forward.
Or you can choose by budget: the Holga is a lot cheaper, and there are a lot of mods available. You can build your own too, my favorite is stuffing the inside with foam and quarters to make a roll of 35mm film fit inside, which makes for cheap developing fun! But then, Diana has all those extra features that you are getting... You could pick by which camera is cuter... Honestly, you can't go wrong. So really, if you can afford it, go for both!
I shoot with a camera depending on my mood: the right film, understanding of lighting, exposure and composition will give you control in any situation to some degree - but there is always some measure of magic involved with any version of these plastic wonders, original or remakes. Good luck! -
Eaten: blood sausage at my friend Ile's house in Uruguay for the sake of being a good guest and friend and traveler. It was just a crumb and yes, it was totally disgusting. :)
Drank: no comment.
Worn: Probably just all of my halloween and party costumes. I love parties! -
I love being a vegetarian but I wouldn't necessarily say that I "recommend" it to others like I would a book because it's such a personal choice and it's not for everyone - but it's worth a try and since you're asking... I'd love to offer some quick advice.
I would suggest flirting with meals without being too hard on yourself and just make it fun! Start with your favorite dishes and find replacements for the ingredients that require meat. It's easier than you think! Start small. Choose veggies for snacks, the less your foods are processed, the better. If you love burgers, pick out some gorgeous portobello mushrooms caps and fry those babies up with your favorite spices and flavors - they have a meaty texture to them and you won't believe how delicious they are! Or tacos: there are a lot of pre-made "meat" mixes that aren't highly processed (once you read your labels, you can easily stick to those brands and your grocery shopping will be quick and healthy) and it's fooled the best of the meat eaters who have visited my house at dinnertime. I really feel that nothing beats gorgeous fruits/whole grain and vegetables dishes though - explore exotic restaurants in your own city - Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern and Thai restaurants all have amazing fare for the veg lover, it can be a fun new foodie hobby! And each time you go grocery shopping, through something new in your cart and see where it takes you. Better yet, try out new grocery stores and health food stores.
Have I mentioned that I love reading about food? Reserve a bunch of cookbooks at the library and see what holds your interest - have you read anything by Michael Pollan? He's great.
Be gentle and patient and try things more than once: different brands, different recipes, different places. Also, give others a chance to catch up with you. Family and friends might not understand your sudden dislike of a hamburger, especially when you aren't sure of yourself yet, but just don't feel like you have to quit cold turkey either. Go slow at first, maybe taking one day to eat how you are used to a week, or whatever pace feels right, until you see where you land in the food spectrum. The idea is that you are trying something new and healthier and that is a positive change, good for you!!
**note: I'm not very strict on the whole classification of vegetarianism like some are, but if you were to look at my diet, you would see it's a mix of vegan/pescetarian/vegetarian food choices. During all my pregnancies, I ate a little meat, but when I did I made sure that it was kosher, ranch/farm raised, organic, hormone free. Now if I even think about eating the same thing I did when I was expecting I just feel ill! - but I think pregnancies hormones and cravings are different for everyone and that's how it was for me! :) I do eat eggs (from veg-fed, free range chickens) and some seafood, and dairy sparingly. I haven't had a glass of (cow's) milk since I was a little girl, I just never cared for it. But I love ice cream! And I'm a true coastal girl - I can't imagine a better day than going to the market and picking out fresh caught salmon straight from the fisherman themselves. Sweetness in Seattle. -
Creatively speaking, if I am pleasing everyone and everyone loves me, then I don't think I have pushed myself enough.
Creativity taps into insecurities - the fear of being a fraud, being exposed, being inadequate, looking like a failure, finding undeserved good things, fear of responsility, fear of hard work. But it also pulls out of us the divine within us. The more we begin to create, the more we learn to trust that spark that is given to everyone - yes, EVERYONE, non-artists alike possess these godlike qualities. So many times people come to me and say they are not creative, but I disagree: creativity is simply who you really are!
How can we not want to move past those surface fears and boundaries to get to what really matters? I think we all want to. It's that courage you talk about that we should use our energy to help each other instead of judging each other. Good artists work hard to carefully build communities full of people who will push their boundaries or egg their work on. I use my instincts in choosing who to associate with and I'm always looking for more people to learn from. I really believe that what other people think of me is none of my business :) and I try not to sacrifice the chance of living out a sublime destiny by catering to unsupportive people, critics and naysayers.
Writing about "true nature" has encouraged me to live up to my potential. This means having to ignore the advice of people who have uphold one certain way to live as THE only way. These are the people who often fear change or feel threatened by the creativity of others. There are just too many people who care too much about how they will be judged at the expense of sharing their talents that only they possess.
To escape criticism: do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. Then you will not be judged. -
No, none of the questions you see now or in the future are from me.
I recently asked my blog readers if they had any questions about me that might help me build a FAQ section for my site and then I found formspring so I transferred a few of them here.
You can see their questions here:
http://www.jennyvorwaller.com/blog/2010/01/fire-away/#comments
& here:
http://www.jennyvorwaller.com/blog/2010/02/fondly-asked-questions/#comments
I can see how the self-directed interview style would be interesting, sort of like a microblog, but I don't plan on using formspring that way since I already have a forum to write about whatever I want to on my own blog. I do plan on publishing a lot of these on the FAQ page. It's really insightful to see what people will ask me, especially when they can do so in an anonymous nature. -
At first I chose it out of necessity - our family was living in South America at the time and after my son completed an amazing year at a private school there, we were unsure of our plans - if we moved to the northern hemisphere again, I didn't want him to fall behind since the seasons are in reverse. So we started doing our own thing and just fell into it. The more I researched all our options with education, the more I felt that it was a great fit for our nomadic lifestyle and the more exciting it became. Our son learned fluent spanish, we went on adventures together, explored cities and countries and cultures that I knew no classroom could rival - we were lucky! When we got home it was just a matter of fitting that same learning from life here, but I feel that it is more challenging at home. I try to keep it that adventure that will organically flow with our lives. I am not so much my son's teacher as I am his facilitator in learning: I throw at him opportunities and choices for growth, (whether it be a new instrument or an acting class) and he chooses what he's passionate about and we learn together.
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What a compliment, thank you so much! The things that you mention are actually aspects of my life that release my stress. My family is my greatest source of support and joy, and my art is just a part of who I am - to be able to practice it is essential to my sanity and state of being. When I'm bogged down with the weight of my worries, I organize and clean... it always makes me feel better, especially if I'm feeling mentally cluttered, I can turn to my surroundings to create calm. My home is the only environment where I have 100% control over, so I strive to make it a haven for us. It's usually pretty orderly, so I wonder what that says about how often I need to clear my thoughts... :) Eating healthy and exercise are a tremendous priority to combat the pure physical tension that being a Mom can bring on me - it's exhausting! With homeschooling, I just take it one day at a time because if I were to think too ar in advance (like, next week?) then I would get completely overwhelmed! And if you knew my amazing husband like I did, you would see that it's really my privilege to be his wife, :).
Even though I've learned (with much practice) how to multitask, that only happens with things that aren't incredibly important. When there's something that I want to do well, I give it all my time and focus and concentrate on it because if I'm always doing everything all at once, I quickly feel frustrated that I'm not doing anything at all.
I'm also really big on lists and find that I sleep better at night if I pour out everything that is on my mind onto paper and determine if there are only two or three major things that I need to accomplish the next day, then I try to do those as soon as I possibly can and then let the day flow from there. My lists is usually huge, but I find that there are usually just a couple items that *have to be done* and the rest can carry into the next day.
Prayer.
I have this motto I've lived by since I was a teenager and I still cling to it if I'm feeling overwhelmed. I ask myself: What really matters 100 years from now? 1,000? 10,000? That will put things into perspective really quickly.
Did I mention I have an incredible husband? I honestly wouldn't be half the woman I am without him in my life... -
I'm constantly on the lookout for inspiring literature, but I do have some favorites...
I love Ralph Waldo Emerson's writings on self-reliance and nature, and C.S. Lewis and Ekhart Tolle have great spiritual insight. Wassily Kandinsky, Georgia O'Keefe, Julia Cameron and Robert Henri's writings are like my artistic compass. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke and Dear Theo (letters to Vincent Van Gogh's brother) deeply impress me. And if I had to choose one children's author to bring with me on a desert island it would be Roald Dahl - no contest!
I do keep a journal - it's something that was instilled in all the kids in our family when we were little and I've kept it up since then! It really puts things into perspective for me and I learn a lot from myself reading my archives and of course, I can get really personal there - stuff that you would never read on my blog. -
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I'm very, very lucky to have a husband who supports our family and allows me to be at home with our children while they are young. That transition happened the first day we brought home our oldest son, I feel so blessed to be able to be a full time mother! We live within our means, we have no debt, we save, we just try as best as we can.
Before I became a Mom I did have various jobs - I worked at a craft store, a bagel shop, as an office manager, a receptionist, shelving books at a library, child care, even sterilizing medical tools at my Dad's office (he's an Oral Surgeon).
I had a brief stint at modeling, but I was too insecure at the time and decided that it wasn't for me, maybe too prematurely, I don't know. I think looking back on that decision I realize that I would have loved the commercial jobs that were more lighthearted and didn't have as much pressure on the model to be XYZ, but my agent was pressing for catwalk/european gigs and that intimidated me so much. I just had this gut feeling that my self esteem couldn't take the constant criticism that is just a part of the industry and I'm glad I trusted my intuition at the time... but I still wonder if I would have given it some more time...I don't know. :)
Of course, my favorite jobs are art related. I've done murals in nurseries, offices and homes and I love that whole process of talking with a client, seeing what they imagine the picture to be and then making that vision come to life. -
That's hard to determine. I guess it's because of two things: I never really stop working on it and the actual physical production of it happens in between being a Mom to a homeschooling seven year old and a seven month old. Everyday is really different for me. I've embraced the reality that I'm in a sweet but short season in my life where a lot of my time is spent caring for and playing with my children, and I do it gladly because it enriches what I have to say as an artist. (And obviously because I absolutely love them!)
I am a very good multitasker - I have to be! I usually have several different projects going on at the same time, and some days I might not get in more than developing a few rolls of film, playing music and researching some prospective art shows, but I go to bed happy knowing that I keep the ball rolling.
I also think that it's a misconception that artists are constantly making things. We all go through cycles, whether it's taking care of other responsibilities (successful artists are responsible!) or working through a creative block. Just observing things around you and choosing how to respond does a lot for my creative momentum. And never letting ideas sit - that's how they die. When you are dedicated to your art, it lives and breathes inside of you, regardless of a day job, busy kids or time constraints. You make it work. When my first son was little and it was just us two, it was a lot easier to gauge how much time I spent on my art during the week because I made it a point to wake up a few hours earlier than him and go into my studio. Now I just adapt with even more flexibility and fit it in however I can, and that fluctuates depending on the opportunities I get. -
I never really had a strategy to get traffic to my blog, and for better or worse, I still don't. I just write from the heart, I post on things that are relevant to my life and that I think are beautiful and I hope that it inspires readers out there. I'm not comment driven, but it does make my day when someone takes a few minutes to write me an email or say they appreciate something I've shared.
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I love this question, and it's one that I never stop asking myself. Like you suggest, adventure is something that can be infused into our routine, but oddly enough, it seems more challenging than picking up and moving to another country. When you move to a foreign place, all the adventure is laid out before you like a feast - one where you didn't have to do any of the cooking! You arrive and everything around you - the smells, the food, the architecture, the language, the people - it's exciting with little effort on your part.
But at home, you can so easily become accustomed to everything and everything (and everyone) seems used to you. You have to make a decision to be the actor in the play of your own life and not be passive about routine becoming a killer to your adventures. Routine demands that we stay inside of certain paths, boxes, appearances and roles. If you are already feeling excitement brew inside of you when you think of how to break out of these limitations, then you know where to begin.
I believe that once you begin one small thing, that act begets another change, and another... it's a domino effect! Start small and do something "risky" everyday. If it doesn't harm you or your family, if it isn't breaking any moral or (big) civil codes/laws and it feels a little bit scary... then try it! What is adventurous to one person is routine to another, so explore yourself and find what will work for you.
One way to brainstorm possible adventures: go back to childhood to poke around the mentality you had then. What memories do you have of things you wanted to do when you grew up? If you're like me, there are usually unfulfilled dreams just waiting for you there. These are things that you couldn't do when you were little, but that little version of you was sure that if you COULD do/be/have those adventures, you would without question. You laid in bed at night dreaming of the day that would come when amazing you would fulfill your destiny as a _________. (Right? What was it? :) You just have to go back and regain some of that invincible and free feeling because now that you have the knowledge and abilities (to at least begin) you have no excuse! Forget the critics. Forget the limits. Forget what other people expect of you. Use that super mix of childhood imagination and grown-up know-how and please email me when you have your first adventure! -
They have given me so much, it's really hard to think of them as anything but a gift! Of course there are sacrifices involved: I've learned from experience that some of us put our life on the line just so they can be born. That physical hardship seems like a scary offering, but in reality, it is also a gain. You never understand the strength that your body and spirit has, you never find the pure bravery you have within yourself until you go through that. I wouldn't trade that for anything. It's taught me the precious nature of life.
I see it this way: If I can help bring these beautiful, perfect creature into the world, if I can do THAT, then I can do anything! My children have given me a confidence on a higher level than I could never find for myself. I've never listened to my intuition more than when I became a mother. You learn to really depend on your sixth sense and do what is best for yourself, because you want your best self taking care of these amazing little beings. I began trusting myself in this way when I was pregnant with my first son in my early twenties and I felt the change come over me almost immediately. All my instincts came alive. It took me until then to realize that when I was tired I could slow down and take a nap and feel absolutely allowed to doing so. Or if I felt like I needed to eat a certain thing, that's what was priority, that even had more purpose. Such a simple thing really, but it reflected a greater change in the pace of my life that used to be this rush to get somewhere. There was always this underlying pressure to be someone, do something... that stopped because I realized I was already there. I was enough.
I know there is a huge sacrifice of time in my day to day, but again, I'm not giving up what I want. I love to with them, nurture them, and laugh with them too. I want it all: the spit up, the late nights, the days spent in my car taking them places, the doctor visits. Those are the times when you don't even notice why you are doing things, you just do them because they are a part of you! When you feel that kind of love for someone, you DO sacrifice for them, but you don't feel the loss of yourself, you feel the infinite gain.
The ultimate gift of seeing my children walk in this world is knowing that they are the product of the love my husband and I have between us. I thought I knew what love was when I met him! But then we had a baby together and that expanded our love to such a greater degree - it's truly indescribable! I feel so lucky, :). -
asked by moniqueduke
It was sudden for us too. I've always had the dream to travel outside of a vacation experience and I'm lucky that my husband shares that same desire. I thought I would do a lot of travelling before I met the person I was going to "settle down with" but instead it happened in the reverse and I think sharing all our memories together is infinitely better!
The only thing that determined the move was our realization that we were being passive about something that we could take into our own hands. So we sold our house, a few of the things we didn't love, stored the rest and packed our bags to explore. We made work adapt to our lives instead of our lives adapting to work. If I'm being totally honest, I'm still a little shocked (and completely pleased) that everything worked out so smoothly and the experience has given us confidence to keep it a part of our lives.
So yes, we are planning to do it again, but the arrival of our newest baby has us enjoying the moments here at home in Seattle a little longer. Seattle will always be homebase, no matter where we decide to go or when, we love it here and can't imagine calling anywhere else home. But home is sweeter when you return to it after having been places, :).
Hope that answers your question(s)? -
Oh dear, I fee like you're asking me to pick a favorite child! I honestly don't think I can name one particular dish or specific food - but I love fresh, in season, locally grown vegetarian stuff. Slow food. I also love baking. I LOVE Mexican food, with Indian/Italian a close second. I can read stacks of cookbooks like novels and I love to plan the weekly menu based on my mood. I get ridiculously giddy about farmer's markets and we're lucky that in Seattle we have a great pick of them. And I really am a mood eater. I love sharing food with friends, especially if they come over to my home and I get to cook for them. I think I could really go on with this subject...
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My love for photography comes from how it can create nostalgia. Polaroid just takes that feeling and turns up the volume on it!
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Don't worry that you won't be able to get started or that it is something that you will have to put off until your children are grown. Just make your art a priority. If you were to list all the things that we as parents are busy doing, we'd see that there are probably some things that could be left undone or ignored completely and no one would suffer.
If it makes you come alive, then don't try and avoid it! Everyone will benefit from you making time for your art because it makes you happy and that happiness radiates into family life. The artist wants to be loved and acknowledged and that has to start with you before anyone else can see it. A fulfilled parent has more of themselves to give and is more enthusiastic about encouraging their children to go after their potential too.
Stop watching television.
Make it easy on yourself. Just as you would never leave the house without a sippy cup or some toys for your baby, you can also say the same for your toys! Try to pick one or two things that you can do while your children are around. Bring a camera with you. Photography is an easy medium to practice when you are busy parent and you can even include them in your subjects. Or if you are a writer, have your pen and notebook ready and write a sentence or two as they come to you. Throw your sketchbook in the diaper bag and use it in between shuttling children to and from their various activities, begin drawing while you are waiting in line at the post office or just waiting in the car. Make it a part of your day, just like meals and exercise and sleep. Think of it as your spiritual survival.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when balancing your art and family is how your children can be a great source of inspiration for your work. They too love to paint, draw, take pictures. You can set up an easel for them right alongside yours and paint together. Children create naturally. Every waking hour they have they use their imagination and play. I learn a lot from my boys and we make a good creative team together, and I try to remember that compartmentalizing myself into different modes doesn't work. If you are an artist, you will be one regardless of what "role" you are in at any given time. Ideally, you can lose all the roles society teaches us to have and just be entirely yourself! That is something that I am always working on, :). -
The (art-related) advice that comes to mind RIGHT away has sort of been stuck in my head for the past ten years...
"make a whole series out of that." -
Thank you! Wonderful question.
As for formal education: I went to school at Southern Virginia University with a major in Fine Art but only completed my first year and a half there - with no regrets! While I was there I was deeply impressed with Professor Barbara Crawford, who was like a mentor to me in painting and in my life. The highlight of my college experience (besides meeting my husband) was taking her art history course and then later that following summer joining her in her summer study abroad program, "The Art of the Italian Renaissance" in Italy.
That being said, I am mostly self-taught. I was blessed to know from a very young age that I wanted to be an artist, and so I began practicing when I was young. I jumped on any offered electives, classes or projects that might include using my art, but I never felt like I had a school experience that "made" me an artist. And looking back, I'm honestly relieved that I didn't go to an art school that could have potentially formed my style. I can say that I have a voice that is it uniquely my own and with that, an intuitive approach towards creating.
My philosophy on education is that experience is the best way to learn (in or out of a school environment.) The best example I can use to illustrate this is the difference between taking a language course at home versus living in a country where they (and then you) speak it. The world is the best classroom!
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