For those of you that don't know, I was on a week-long artist residency last week. Many distractions and an uncooperative director of the arts council made the experience not so great but this did. I was determined to photograph myself on a white horse and I finally had the opportunity to do so. I have never been on a horse in my life, so it took some getting used to. After I calmed down, Simon did as well. Thanks to Tara - the media director of the arts council, who has a horse of her own and made this shoot possible. She was also gracious enough to handle the actual picture taking.

About the snowstorm we just had. NY encountered about a foot, at least here in South Ozone Park Queens it did. I had 2 days off - pros - I got to really organize myself and my studio and figure out what I need to do and buy in the upcoming weeks. Cons - I lost over $300 in work because of the school shut-downs and I was really counting on that money to help me with these upcoming purchases.

I am going to try to remain positive and hope that I am expecting some checks in the mail soon.

In the meantime, to add to my already full plate, I have been begged by a zany curator of the Chase Edwards Gallery - a gallery that just opened on Long Island but has a history - to be part of this 8-woman photo show that opens on April 3. She (the curator) loves my work and tells me that my work will stand out above everyone else's. That is nice to hear but then she sends out the information....she has a list of 6 themes/locations in which the 2 photos of each must be of.

Here is her crazy list:

1) something in Oyster Bay

2) The planting fields

3) a black and white photo

4) something red

5) a street sign

6) the miracle mile shopping center Manhasset

I called her and told her that I wasn't about to do an assignment for an exhibition and she told me to just go through my work and choose pieces that fit into the categories. I was successful with most of them. I have to go out and shoot 2 locations though - Oyster Bay and the miracle mile shopping center. I plan to get decked out in my white flowy gown (with long pants under!) and go to these places on Monday. Why am I doing this? Most importantly, this curator brings in 500+ people at her openings and hell, it's actually fun to be able to have someone tell me where to shoot and me be able to shoot it in my own style. Yesterday, I spent time working on the 2 images of "something red" and this is one of the ones I came up with. (The other one is my blog photo gallery)

The image was a "left-over" from my Rabbitholes shoot, though looking at "Poppy", I am wondering why I never used it. I plan to post it on my website regardless. I think the red works rather well in them - red is such a symbolic color - usually meaning the end of innocence and boy does that fit into my work. Latest version of Blurb book should arrive any day now. I won't be able to purchase lots of them right now but plan to do so for my England trip. Right now, I just need to figure out how to come up with the time and money to frame 18 photos within the next several weeks :)

Some great things are going on for the coming year and I am very excited. The Ides of March bring lots at once. From March 8-15, I will be doing an artist residency in a town on Long Island, New York called Riverhead. A week of uninterrupted art-making. I have a brand new darkroom and painting studio to use as well! At the end of that week, I will be teaching an acrylic image transfer workshop, have a small exhibition opening (6 pieces) and giving an artist talk. At the end of March, I am off to Virginia to do another artist talk at a local community college.

This summer, I will be in Birmingham, England for the Rhubarb, Rhubarb Photo Festival. There is an international portfolio review, which is why I am going and I hope to get to some ruins to photograph myself. I did so in Southampton in 2004 but I didn't have enough time to really explore. I hope to meet up with some of you while I am there.

I hope some of you went to Blurb.com to check out my Rabbitholes and Revelations book. I don't make much of a profit but exposure is more important.

Blessed be to all!

-AnnMarie

I think the faeries are really trying hard to inspire me. I resist sometimes, can't make time other times but I do hear them telling me what I need to do artistically. I've added a couple of new images here that I know did not come from me without my winged friends there to guide me...

Looking forward to see what's next for me!

Though Christmas Day has come and gone, I want to wish everyone the most joyous of holidays, including Solstice, Kwanzaa and Festivus ;)

May this coming year be filled with love, joy and faerie magic!

xoxox

AnnMarie