Self-Expression / 01

A couple of months ago, I reached out to Christie Jones of Bedsidesign seeing if she would be interested in creating the calligraphy for my tattoos, a birthday gift from Sam. I was totally nervous to put myself out there but thankfully the risk paid off. Christie was excited and eager to get the project rolling which made me breathe a sigh of relief, as I had not shared this idea with anyone—not even Sam. I was way too afraid that the designs I was envisioning would get rejected. Thankfully Christie's energy removed any hesitation and that meant I was going for it! It was that little nudge I needed to move forward. Even though Christie and I are on opposite coasts, she made the creative planning and communication super easy. She completely blew me away with her professionalism and organization. I am completely ecstatic with how they turned out. They're delicate and feminine—the style I exactly wanted.

As for the meaning of these tattoos? Well, they represent pivotal moments in my life that I've experienced during the golden hours of the day. But there's an added bonus to these gifts from Sam. These tattoos tell the story of friendship, love and creativity. Every time I see them I think of Sam's love and Christie's creativity. I can't wait for another chance to collaborate with her again. 

Over the next couple of days, you'll be seeing more of this adventure and today kicks off my new series, self-expression featuring a variety of portraits and creative work I'm doing in the studio. A way to hold myself accountable to my art and explore my fears of being in front of the camera while attempting to master lighting. These images aren't perfect by any means but this is an exercise in art and fun. If you have a chance to entertain yourself, then why not? I hope you enjoy this journey and find ways to battle fear.

 

Photography by Marissa / Thanks to a trusty remote and timer.