Many don't know this, but even before Jewelry was my love for... Photography.

It was my very first creative outlet as a child and I can vividly remember the "click" of the shutter, the feel of the film, and especially the winding sound announcing the last shot had been taken. A bittersweet moment only made better knowing that I would get to see what would be unveiled.

The anticipation of opening the paper packet to reveal which images (hopefully!) turned out sans any orange over-exposure lines or dust dots would eventually give way to the exhilaration of learning my way around a Darkroom. The opportunity to creatively manipulate the film made Photography even more exciting to me and the mystery of watching the film take shape was all too satisfying.

 

But suddenly, just as quickly as it was learned... the Digital era arrived, erasing the need for the Darkrooms and pushing me into other avenues like Jewelry Making that could satisfy my cravings  for a more tactile experience. This would go on for years until I started to notice things again in nature that I felt I just had to capture. My eyes would fixate on certain branches of trees, the way a winding road was canopied just so that it created a feeling of mystery and I wanted to somehow document that moment. My surroundings were telling me a story that I wanted to remember if not pass along to someone else... and I began to photograph these moments once again. 

 

Embracing the "Digital Darkroom" as I call it of today has been a journey that I put off until I could no longer ignore. So disheartened by the idea of not being in the Darkroom  I had simply shelved a pastime that I had enjoyed so much. But, I finally came around! I am excited to say that I have found there is a way to do both. The Digital platform actually offers many creative avenues, in fact too many at times( !) for me to delve into, but I am certainly enjoying this process and embracing it. It's worth it to me to give Photography, something that was always waiting in the wings for me, the time it deserves.