a play of light

Food for Thought

2011-03-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

On the New York Times' facebook feed, there has been a lot of discussion about this article:
Philadelphia School Battles Students’ Bad Eating Habits, on Campus and Off . So many people contended that good nutrition starts at home and it should be the parent's job to make sure that their children are eating healthier foods. I have no problem with educating kids and parents on healthier foods. I get fliers home all of the time about what my child has learned in school about healthy eating and exercise. Our doctor, also, gives us lots of information about healthy eating and asks what my child has been eating and how much he exercises. The Times' article talked about groups of parents going to neighborhood bodegas and asking that they not sell chips and sodas to kids for breakfast. Can you imagine teaching a group of children who had Doritos and Pepsi for breakfast? What if you got them the next period, after they had come down from their sugar high?

The schools, however, can also help a great deal. Let's not forget that many children receive school lunches and breakfasts. That's 2 out of 3 meals not eaten in the home. Sometimes what is served in schools is there because of corporate lobbying by particular manufacturers of food, or by what is convenient for staff to make. With a few simple changes, children could be getting meals in school that could help their brains grow and learn. Jamie Oliver has helped to reform the British school system's school lunch program, and partners with parents to help them feed their kids healthy foods.

I know I've been out of touch on this blog for quite a while. I'm trying to improve it and add to it. If you have some ideas about schools and healthy eating, please let me know!

Entrenched

2011-03-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Lands' End, now $79.99

Norma Kamali Trench and boots Walmart.com $47

Gap trench coat $88.98-$98, petite and tall avail.

Boden Rainyday Duffle, $148

Trench coats really are everywhere right now. From Burberry to Walmart, there is a wide range of this classic style. I have a London Fog, but have decided that it's too dated and dowdy to wear another season (I get a sinking feeling when I put it on). The Boden coat shown is a duffle, so not actually a trench, but I love it's classic style anyway and it's wallpaperish pattern. I'm not a big celebrity watcher, but Kate Middleton looked great in a trench coat when I saw her on tv when I was at the Y in the gym. So, trench or duffel? Most trench coats come in classic colors: black, khaki, maybe olive drab. A few places, like Lands' End and Walmart, have branched out to making fuchsia, bright green, and red. Lined coats offer more warmth for cooler days. Which one is your favorite?

Pancakes

2011-02-02T06:32:00.000-08:00

This is not a brag. I don't mean it to be, anyway.

My kids got up today and it's a snow day. I offered to make muffins for them, to make the day more special. They said they wanted pancakes. I was reading to my son, so I asked my daughter to pull the Joy of Cooking off the shelf and look up the recipe in the index. They got the idea of making the pancakes themselves. My daughter got out the flour: whole wheat and white. "Where is the baking powder?" I heard from the kitchen. Now, they are both out there. "Careful cracking the eggs!"

I put the butter in the pan and got the temperature up to medium-high. Batter in, we watch for bubbles. Flip. A little too light, didn't flip quite right. Wait. Flip again. Ready!

They eat, knowing that they made them themselves. They taste better that way.

2011-01-15T06:27:00.000-08:00

Currently in my vintage shop and all over my house: mid-century era swim locker baskets. I have them on the back porch (which is cold) holding onions and clementines, in the bathroom closet holding cold remedies and vitamins, in my daughter's room holding shoes and next to my bed, holding books and magazines.

I bought 3 large racks with 43 baskets each. The racks are so heavy and have some rust on them, that I may end up giving them away on craigslist. But everyone who has bought the baskets seems to like them and I have found them to be a great looking way to contain some of my clutter.

Happy New Year!

Summer ends too soon

2010-09-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

8:45 am

2010-08-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

Pears

2010-08-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

earlier and later in the day.

How can I NOT paint?

2010-07-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

I asked myself recently: if I had one month to live, what would I regret not doing? Well, I might regret not traveling more. Certainly, there are many places that I would love to see and many places that I haven't been. But travel is limited by funds and I know that funds are not endless. I'm lucky to have been to as many places as I have been.
Would I regret things that I've said or haven't said? Not really. I've worked hard on my relationships, made amends and realize that some of them may improve, some of them may never get any better and will never live up to my ideals.
The thing that I would regret the most is not painting more. I majored in painting in college (SUNY Binghamton, BFA, 1993) and have never again had such a way to explore, think and intuitively understand things about the world that I could not get to in any other way. Different from prayer, meditation, reading, discussion, thinking, exercise and work. I have become very practical: I have 2 Etsy shops and am working to pay off my library school student loans with them. I'm also a mom, with lots of responsibilities that I take seriously. I'm a deacon at our church and have coffee to prepare and picnics to plan. But, how can I neglect painting? I think it's time to begin again...

Where there's smoke...

2010-07-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

I began my new Etsy shop in January. It is vintage and I've been having so much fun running it and finding great things to stock it with, that I haven't really been writing here very much. I've also learned a thing or two about what to buy and what seems to sell as what never sells (for me, anyway). I want to share a tip with you when buying at any kind of sale or auction.

Where there's smoke, there's fire. I walked into a sale once and a man said "all of these papers, fabrics, etc. smell like smoke." I hadn't noticed that the owners of the house were smokers, but he was right! I found an amazing pair of red pumps and bought them anyway, thinking that they didn't smell like smoke. Lo and behold, I got them out of the house and in my car and I regretted that decision: they were SMOKEY!! There was nothing I could do to get the smell out, so eventually I just gave them away. This has also happened with a couple of dresses. Even in a house of non-smokers, formal dresses may have been in a smokey bar or party and I have not been able to get the smell out through dry cleaning or anything. So, my best vintage tip, is don't be ashamed, pick it up and smell it! You'll be happy that you did.

Happy Campers

2010-03-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

Every year, we plan to go camping, for better and for worse. We fit in a lot of hikes. Hiking involves a lot less planning (at least the way we do it). We throw a camera, water bottles, bug repellent, and a snack in a backpack and we're good to go. The dog is thrilled, the kids are thrilled, everyone is happy. Camping involves food for several days, carried in, a small stove, dry weather, and not too many swarms of bugs to ruin it. My husband is a serious camper who went to "wilderness school" where they drop you off in the middle of nowhere and you have to survive on your own for a few days. He's eaten raw fish and grass shoots. Luckily, he's not that serious about our camping trips, but we can't just do car camping. So, this year, we'll pick a date, bring lots of gorp, oatmeal and hot dogs and look forward to some great memories. If you have a great memory of camping, please share it!

(c)2010 photos and writing, Jennifer Dennis Potter
Bag, 1970s Wilderness Experience, made in CA

New Work

2010-03-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

Spring "camping"

2010-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

The kids and their friends next door had been busily working to complete this "tent" for their spring backyard camping experience. Hand crafted from: old sheets and towels, duct tape and plastic chairs! We did end up actually putting up a real tent (thanks to my husband), cooking hot dogs and s'mores on the grill and having the neighbors over for a few hours on Saturday night. Lots of laughing, dancing in the tent and ghost stories for all! Happy first day of spring!

Out of Hibernation

2010-03-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

(c)2010 Jennifer Dennis Potter

Instead of suiting up and showing up at the gym for my spinning class this morning, I decided to get my dog and myself out of doors! Cooper was so excited that he was whimpering and crying on our drive to the park. He's in the big landscape and is the dog walking on a thin layer of ice and snow on the beach.

The other is a new photo for my Etsy shop. It felt so good to get out and get some vitamin D the old-fashioned way. Is it Spring where you are? Time to get out of hibernation and wake up?

Giver of gifts

2010-02-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

My little boy is almost always giving me gifts. I may be typing away on the computer or busy with laundry or cooking and there his is, with a little homemade card and possibly a toy. He surprises me with these things. I know that it's a way to get attention, but what a loving way it is. "It's for YOU!" he announces.

I think I'm supposed to take a break from my work at these times, to give the guy a hug and a kiss and a thank you. To display the work prominently. To notice. Yes, that's it, to notice, to take notice to pay attention. Zen and the art of little tiny construction paper hearts with my name on them. Because we are loved.

Being of Service

2010-02-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

(c)2009 Jennifer Dennis Potter, all rights reserved.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
-Philippians 2:13

I've been asked to be a deacon at our church. We've only been at this church for 6 months, so I was surprised to be asked. Maybe they're desperate! Just kidding, I think that God is giving me the opportunity to be of service. I will be part of a group of people who will visit the elderly in our church, send cards to people who are not well, stock the food pantry, make coffee for coffee hour, etc. It's hand-on work which I enjoy. I went to my first meeting the other night and it was fun. I get a little isolated being at home doing my work, as much as I love the flexibility and the ability to be home for my kids. There was a lot of laughter at this meeting and everyone was organized, too. It was a potluck dinner and there was some great food.

What good works are you being asked to do? What is pulling you forward? Maybe it's shoveling your neighbors walk after you are done shoveling yours. Maybe it's reading your daughter an extra story. Maybe it's donating those extra books to the library that you don't read anymore. Make no mistake, it is something. Just listen for what little or big thing it is.

A moment of gratitude

2010-01-29T18:05:00.000-08:00

(c)2009,jennifer dennis potter

I am snuggled next to him, a stuffed monkey and a satin-bellied dragon with wings. His hug around my shoulders loosens and I can tell that he is drifting off to sleep. I get up, pull the covers up to his neck and slip out of his room. Yesterday, I got a call from the school nurse that my young son was throwing up. I was able to get over to the school quickly and get him home. I had a wave of gratitude that I was able to get there quickly (I used to work in the next county), didn't have to ask for time off or beg my mother-in-law to watch him that day or the next. He relaxed, drank some gatorade and we watched Three Caballeros. I made some bread in the bread machine and some homemade soup for the rest of the family.

I guess I hope that in doing these things, I'm providing our children with a sense of calm. The sense that someone bigger is taking care of you and you don't have to worry at all that someone might take a long time to pick you up, or that mom's job might be at stake if you are sick too many days. I guess it's a kind of freedom and security that I am trying to allow them by being home. That there is someone bigger than you and you can rely on them.

At-home mom, a calling

2010-01-26T19:12:00.000-08:00

I just want to write a word of encouragement to my fellow at-home moms. There are many reasons for what we do: we want to be our child's first educators, we don't want to fit seeing our kids and housework and shopping into the two days of the weekend and a few hours in the evenings, we want to take time to make a meal and not have to rush to throw something together after dealing with a demanding work schedule all day.
But I will speak for myself and say that if I can help it, I just don't want my kids to fall through the cracks: emotionally, spiritually and even physically. I keep reading news reports of kids who are struggling with obesity, kids who commit suicide (as young as 9 or 10), the rise of juvinile diabetes and other troublesome things. I was telling a friend about how I wanted to be with my kids when they were younger, and she said I think the middle and high school years are even more important. That was a couple of years ago and it made me think. Why should I stop being around just because my kids are school-aged? Who will get them off the bus, be there when they're sick, have half-days, help with homework, etc.? I don't want my kids to reach a point where they think that I chose work over them. Ever. I'm building my at-home businesses, living without a lot of luxuries, because it's always been about this calling, this pull. They need us and there is no replacement. Noone who is paid to watch them will love them as much as we do. So, I hope that you are encouraged about your value. What you are worth in your family is more precious than you are able to imagine.

My new vintage shop!

2010-01-19T10:53:00.001-08:00

I've been busy as a bee lately putting together this new vintage shop on Etsy called Hold The Wire. I found a great faux bois set this weekend, which I've added to the shop along with clothing, patterns and a few other things. I'm trying to continue to work from home since I love being able to get my kids off the bus every afternoon and help them with homework as well as be there for sick days and every other kind of days without having to ask a boss for the time off (guiltily!). I adore vintage and thought it would be a perfect match for me. So, I now have 2 Etsy shops, jenniferdennispotter, which is my photography, and HoldTheWire, my vintage shop. Thanks for any comments or for checking out the shops. I really do appreciate your support.

New Work

2010-01-12T16:12:00.000-08:00

I've been making a number of personalized photo blocks for people over the holidays and into January as well as creating some new things for Mother's Day. Shown are just a few examples of what I've been working on.

All photos (c)2010 Jennifer Dennis Potter

2010-01-07T10:47:00.001-08:00

2010-01-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

Our dog, Cooper, waiting for the kids to get home. I think he hears the brakes from some of the other busses that run in the neighborhood. He sits next to the window, watching carefully and is always so happy to see them come home. Such a loyal guy! Cooper also loves to go on hikes with us and runs like a deer through the woods but never gets lost or wanders away.

Etsy feature & new work

2009-10-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Etsy featured my name block photos on their Facebook page a few days ago. Soon after, I had two new sales, which I wanted to share with you (above).

Collaboration

2009-09-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

When my five-year-old son found out that I wanted to do a "Tortoise and the Hare" photo, he wanted to be involved. He decided that he would help by making a backdrop. This image is the result of our collaboration! I think it adds a nice energetic quality. The actual painting is much bigger than I could fit in the picture.

Starting school

2009-09-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

So, my kids have started school and I have a full seven hours to devote to my own work! Of course, I need to walk/run with the dog, do laundry, etc. The rest of the time can be devoted to creating and seeing what I can do with some uninterrupted time to take pictures and add them to my Etsy and 1000 Markets shops.

When I see my son's crayons and paper out on the kitchen table, I do have a pang of missing him, but I know that we still have our evenings and weekends. What I am grateful about is that I have devoted the better part of the last 10 years to caring for my kids, teaching them, taking them to the zoo, the science museum, the library and the park. I am left with no regrets that I didn't spend enough time with them. So, even though I feel a little lonely without my sweethearts here, I am going to make the most of the time that I have and create. I've posted two new photos that I made this week with many more to come.

Paste Magazine @ Etsy

2009-09-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

A guest editor from Paste Magazine recently did some guest editing at Etsy and chose some animal-themed items for an event as well as this gift guide. My photograph, Steadfast is in that gift guide! What an honor!

Studio re-do part 3

2009-07-31T10:39:00.001-07:00

My lights have arrived! I'm now the proud owner of a set of three small tabletop lights which I will be using today on a custom order. We have hung the roll of paper on a dowel and then from chains on the ceiling. The photo shows what it looks like with two of the lights on. I now have a place to work on a consistent basis. Hooray!

Studio Re-do, Part Two

2009-07-30T06:51:00.001-07:00

All of the painting things, buckets and boxes have been moved to the side, the floor has been mopped and I am ready to put up the table. I tend to be a perfectionist, so I'm fighting that by not getting every single thing into the perfect place before I can work here. If I can just start with a workable space, I will later move out more things that I'm not using and get it more organized. I did get my roll of seamless white background paper in the mail and bought a dowel to hang it on. My new lights were shipped five days ago and I breathlessly watch every UPS truck go by my house. Oh, yes, wait a minute Mr. Postman! Is there a package for me? I'm hoping that with new lights, I will be able to reduce my dependence on Photoshop to correct lighting issues. Can't wait!

studio makeover phase 1

2009-07-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

These are my "before" pictures (thank goodness, right?!). I am remodeling my "studio" space to be a mini-studio for taking photos. I have bought a new set of lights (they are en route), a fresh, new roll of seamless white paper and am gearing up to recreate the space. As you can see, the walls are black. We painted them black a few years back because this was my darkroom where I used to hand-print black-and-white wedding and portrait photos. A few years later, I decided to get back into painting with oils and made a few landscapes in this space. I haven't made a new painting in a year and have some unfinished ones here. Now, because of the work that I've been getting through Etsy, my real need for the space is to create a mini-studio. I've been using part of my daughter's room and a roll of big, white paper on her floor to make my photos. What I would like is a more permanent space, where I can leave the paper set up and continue work easily from one day to the next. I also would like for my work hours not to be limited by her bedtimes! So, this is phase 1. More to come !

family party

2009-07-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

summer berries

2009-07-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

A summer morning and some of the berries are ripe and some are not quite yet. Every day we get a new little batch picked by small hands.

Later, we made it into sorbet (in the $20 ice cream maker from Aldi). My son helped. It was only: raspberries, plain yogurt and some powdered sugar. So simple!

For the baby docs

2009-06-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

I have had such a positive response to my children's name block photos that I decided to do a new line of photos that would be right for decorating a pediatrician's office. I thought of it last night, came up with some sample images today, listed it on Etsy and have had two inquiries about it today. I have all sorts of animals but thought some might not be right because no one wants to be a pig or a lion might be too predatory (and have the opposite of the desired effect on the children). So, the sample images are of gentle animals who children might feel calmed by seeing in the waiting room. I am always happy to answer any questions, just send me an Etsy conversation.

Etsy's Yart Sale

2009-06-10T06:26:00.001-07:00

Just to let you know, I'm participating in an Etsy-wide sale, the Yart Sale. The word is a combination of "yard" and "art". I'm offering free international shipping today until Sunday.

Father's Day

2009-06-10T06:13:00.001-07:00

This photo was featured today in The Storque: Etsy Finds!

I'm never quite sure what to get my Dad or my husband for father's day. This year, I will be taking our family to a German restaurant so that my husband can get all of the traditional sauerkraut and sausages that he can eat. That is his wish, and that's what were gonna do! My tradition with my Dad is that I send him a card, but always write in it something that I am grateful that he taught me or a good memory that I have of him. One year, I wrote to him about playing "horse", a basketball game. Long after my brother had lost patience with his little sister trying to make a basket, my Dad stayed with me and let me shoot and shoot until I got the hang of it. Most of my (underhand) shots slammed against the barn door and went flying back at me, but eventually, I got the physics of it right and made a decent shot. My Dad is a natural teacher. He was a professor of engineering when I was growing up and just always had the heart to stick with his students until they "got it". Thanks, Dad!

Tips for photographing children - part 1

2009-04-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

(c)2009 Jennifer Dennis Potter

The most important thing to watch for when photographing children is the light. It is also the trickiest thing to learn to see. I want to offer some simple ideas to keep in mind about light.

-Time of day is important: children have delicate features, so you want to keep light soft. Photograph in the morning, before the light is bright, or in the evening. This also reduces the "raccoon effect" of dark shadows in the eyes.

-Reflect the light: photograph your child on a white blanket, either inside or outside and turn off the flash. You can also buy a piece of white foam core or poster board (or a professional reflector) and have someone else reflect the light into the child's face. This gives a soft light.

-Turn off the flash: most bad photos of kids involve flash. Use it for events, when you want to capture a moment when your child is moving (like a soccer game or dance), but turn it off for a portrait. If you have a professional flash, you can diffuse it with a small soft box designed for flashes.

My next post will be about photographing children: location.

What Nourishes You?

2009-04-16T15:24:00.001-07:00

I ask you this because I love to hear responses to things I post. I'm so interested in what truly works for you in your life.

I've been thinking about this question a lot lately. I used to be able to get away with offering myself junk food, little sleep, no prayer, no time walking in the woods. In short, I have sometimes lived a spiritually and even physically impoverished life. I can only get away with that for so long before I find that my need manifests itself in other ways.

I just left a very part-time job that I had a lot invested in emotionally. I wanted so much for it to be something that it wasn't and wasn't going to be. It was a job of deprivation. I would walk in and feel a wave of fatigue wash over me. I would try to ignore that this job was never going to be what I wanted it to be and even what it needed to be, but that was always there. So, I left.

So, what nourishes you? Because you have to answer the question sooner or later. You can pretend to be cool, pretend to not desire something deeper, better, more, but the need will be there. I will answer for myself. What nourishes me: time with my family, time in the woods, on a beach, with a paintbrush or a camera exploring, time to pray, meditate, read, time to explore a library, dig in the dirt, to knead dough.

It is not so hard to be fed, but to let go of things that don't feed you can sometimes be hard. I've let go and will see what's next.

photo/text: (c)Jennifer Dennis Potter

bunnies!

2009-04-02T17:07:00.001-07:00

This is my latest custom "child's name" block photo. It's for a baby-to-be by the cute name of "Brooklyn". The mom didn't think I had any rabbits available for the photo since there are none currently in my shop, but I'm glad she asked because I have three! My son recently got a little Schleich rabbit hutch and two extra bunnies for his birthday. I thought that using all three of them in the photo gave the sense of a new family, with a mom, dad and a baby.

Bunnies are also so "Spring-y"! Welcome, Spring and welcome to the world, Brooklyn!

The Paper Route

2009-03-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

I started a little 1 day/week paper route with my daughter so that she could begin to earn some spending money. When I was her age, I did chores around the house to earn an allowance. I felt motivated to do them and wanted to earn the money. My daughter is a different creature than I was, however. She needs a lot of down time at home after doing homework (and has more homework than I ever had)and doesn't do a lot of chores during the school year. But, she IS motivated to do the paper route. We work together to fill the plastic bags with papers and store ads and the next day, we each take one side of the street and cover our route. It gives us a sense of shared mission, we get a good deal of exercise and it gives her a sense of responsibility beyond homework. What was the first work that you or your kids did?

2009-03-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying a wonderful book called The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland. It's about a Canadian woman in the early 20th c. who is a painter. She has Native Canadian friends and paints Native Canadian themes, which alienates her from her Victorian sisters and most of the people who show up to and critique her art shows. She isn't rewarded for her work until fairly late in life and by that time she has almost given up hope that anyone will respond to her work.
I respond to this book in a very personal way. I love painting, drawing and photography. I also share the protagonist's deep love of the forest and being in the woods (but don't envy her the mosquito bites that she gets in the far north). It's reminding me that no matter how practical I try to be, the deep desire to create will still be there and will keep asking me to answer that call.

tightening our belts without feeling the pinch

2009-03-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

When I decided last summer to try to reduce our grocery budget, I wasn't sure how to do it without turning the whole family against me. They were used to a having foods around that they liked, but didn't need to have "name brand" items. Since July, our food budget per week is about 1/2 of what it used to be. So, let me share with you what worked:
1. Shopping at Aldi. When I compare Aldi's regular prices, they are about what a really good sale price is at any of our other supermarkets. I buy almost all of our groceries at Aldi and the quality is as good or better than other stores. Most dinners that I make cost around $5.
2. I bought a bread machine from Craig's list. Bread costs about 80 cents/loaf from the machine and it fills the house with a wonderful aroma that everyone loves.
3. Cooking more from scratch.
4. Buy more basic cereals. Things like raisin bran and corn flakes are cheaper than Honey Bunches of Oats and other things that I used to buy.
5. Baking cookies. My five-year-old loves to help to bake these and we really are creating some nice memories together as well as saving money and cutting back on preservatives and other ingredients that we don't want from packaged cookies.
6. Freezing yogurt pops. We blend strawberries, powdered sugar and plain yogurt and freeze with a popsicle mold and stick.
7. Planning meals. I used to wonder every night what was for dinner and who was going to cook it. While I have a fairly limited repertoire (which the kids basically like), I plan carefully, buy carefully and know what we're going to have. I don't plan night by night, but have a set of dishes I can choose from that day.
8. Using the produce I buy. Because I'm planning more meals, I actually use the produce I buy because it has more to do with a particular meal. Not perfectly so, some things still don't get used, but I'm much more conscious of what I am using.
9. Use leftovers. Either for lunch or I will have leftover night on Sunday, which I like to take as a day of rest, anyway.
10. Garden more. We have raspberries, apples, herbs and plant various things each year. This year, I would like to make a greater effort to garden more and maybe even learn how to can (I freeze raspberries and applesauce for the winter).

I hope these ideas are useful to you. Feel free to leave other ideas in your comments.

2009-03-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

My friend, Courtney recently had a baby and I made this personalized block photo for her. Her mom hosted an "afternoon tea" for her this past weekend and it was so much fun. Kind of like a baby shower, but with lots of different teas and antique teacups to choose from, cakes, scones, little sandwiches. I found an 11 x 14 frame at Target that had a white wood border and a white 5 x 7 matte opening which was just perfect for this image. She was really touched when she opened the gift and almost cried. I absolutely love giving personal gifts was so delighted to meet Elle.

Even on the bitterest days

2009-01-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

I walk with my dog even on the bitterest days. He needs it and I need it. We get to the trail and he is like a young puppy again, sprinting around, off leash. We are sometimes the only ones there. At times, I need to leash him, which he will submit to, but he would so much rather run free.

At home, he lies by the heater or hovers around the kitchen, hoping for things to be dropped, but on the trail, he is free. He puts the need for heat and the need for food on hold and just runs.

Join in, help out

2009-01-24T11:23:00.001-08:00

This is my "sticker" for the pledge that I'll be doing today at Starbucks. I'm pledging to put in 5 volunteer hours in my community. What do I do already? I volunteer to do videotaping for a group called The Black Pioneers of Niagara Falls. They are a group of African American citizens of the Niagara Falls area who have incredible stories to tell of their migration North in the early 20th century. I've done some editing of the dvds and a presentation with some of the co-founders of the group. I also bring food to our church food pantry and my kids love to get involved in this. It really has brought about some discussions about having and not having "enough". My kids now realize that some people in our city don't have enough to eat.

I need to do more, though. Of course, I should put in more volunteer hours, but this will get the ball rolling. You have until the 26th if you would like to get involved, too.

2009-01-17T18:50:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, before my son goes to sleep (he is 4), he talks about God. Tonight he was talking about how, after we die, we live with God. He said "I know it will be good, but I can't imagine any place nicer than here."

Out of hibernation

2008-12-29T17:24:00.000-08:00

Cold, short winter days always make me long for reading by the fire, piling on the sweaters and early bedtimes for everyone. Sometimes I forget what a joy it is to get out! We went for a hike today, late in the day, after errands were run, photos were posted (I am starting a 2nd shop on a site called 1000 Markets) and rooms were vacuumed. My temptation was to cancel it, as by the time we were ready to go, the sun was getting lower in the sky. What a mistake that would have been. The cool, watery orange light was beginning to wane, but we were at the park (Beaver Island) for sunset, a walk in the woods, discovering an abandoned lean-to, and running up and down the sledding hill. The dog went for an icy swim and everyone got good and muddy. I do cherish even these simple days with my family.

Don't touch! Don't worry.

2008-12-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

I think that combining my roles of mom and photographer are going to be impossible sometimes. Today I needed to bring a framed photo to the shop where I am now selling work, Williamsville Artisans. But I needed to do so with my four-year-old in tow. The shop is filled with stained glass, hand painted wine glasses and other very fragile items. So, I decided that I would offer McDonald's after the errand if we made it through without touching anything. However, as soon as we got there, Debbie, the store owner, made my son feel right at home and gave him a toy castle to play with while we discussed business. He did not even seem slightly tempted by all of the lovely glass objects when there were battles to be fought and horses to be ridden. I felt such a wave of gratitude toward her. My only difficulty was then, getting my son out of the store and to McDonald's. Toy knights vs. happy meal toy that didn't work? No contest.

Custom blocks

2008-12-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

I decided to offer custom blocks in my Etsy shop. I wanted to offer grandparents, parents and others who wanted to offer a special gift for a child's room a customizable photo featuring the child's name on vintage blocks. In each of the photos that I've done, little toy animals have also been added. I've been busy with making a number of these for the holidays and have put two examples in the shop that I am now showing work in: Williamsville Artisans.

The at-home science museum

2008-11-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

My kids really wanted to go to the Museum of Science one day, but it was closed. How to make the best of it? "We could make our own science museum, at home," my son suggested. I hesitated. This was coming just after the suggestion about creating an indoor playground complete with see-saws. I decided to pass the buck. "Well, yeah, if you guys want to, you can make one. I've got some work I need to get done." I thought this would sort of cancel out the idea and they would go for a simpler plan, which turned out to be untrue. They decided on several exhibitions: Ancient Egyptians (see "mummy cat" photo), New York Fossils, animals and The Future.

Can we do crafts?

2008-11-18T17:30:00.001-08:00

My preschool son asks me this question as we drive home from his school. Every day, after lunch, we figure out what to do with the rest of our day. Of course, there are many things I need to do: dishes, laundry, take pictures for Etsy, and on and on. But I've chosen to be with my kids for a reason and part of that is getting the chance to do arts and crafts together in the afternoon. One of his favorite things to do is to decorate for the holidays. Since it's Thanksgiving, he has chosen to make a turkey to hang in the window. He cut out pieces for the body, head, neck, legs and arms (I told him, they have wings). He added hands and feet. He wanted to add the red thing under the neck (I told him it's called a "wattle") and a beak. At school, they do a lot of crafts, but this matters so much to me because it is self-motivated. He loves having a part of decorating the house and loves learning about holidays. He wants to learn to sew and I've asked his grandmother (my mom) if she could show him a thing or two. He told me yesterday as we were driving, that when he was a grown-up, he would sew a Christmas stocking for me.
Can we do crafts? Absolutely.

The Happy Accident

2008-10-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

"The Happy Accident" used to be a much more frequent occurrence in photography. There were so many steps where a photographer could ruin a shot, or end up with a wonderful mistake. Film development, darkroom work, getting the film into and out of the camera, you name it, you could screw something up. Now that we have gone digital, so many images are clear, crisp and precise. Moving cleanly from shutter release to Photoshop and beyond. What I have noticed is that people are creating the happy accident again. TTV, Polaroids, Holgas, Dianas, Photoshopping in dirt and scratches, all to make it look like you messed up your film or that you have a cheap lens, or terrible light leaks. With the mistakes comes a human vulnerability as well as a nostalgia that we have for images that remind of us of old family pictures. The photo at the top of the page is a Polaroid that I took recently, that has either a chemical stain or a light leak down the top. I thought it kind of looked like a shaft of light and added to the mood that I was trying to create for the photo.

(c)2008 Jennifer Dennis Potter, all rights reserved for all photos.

The Mysteries of the Museum

2008-10-24T17:19:00.001-07:00

My children love the Buffalo Museum of Science. We have explored the great marble halls since my daughter was 3 and became obsessed with dinosaurs. She learned all of the names of dinosaurs and so we would go faithfully, every week, packing our lunch in a backpack, to check out the tracks and the bones of dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts. We learned about space, about plants, about trilobites and eurypterids. I took my two children yesterday. My son loves the Ancient Egyptian exhibit. What fascinates me about the place is the volume and mystery of all of the collections. There is a Victorian spirit to all of it, finding, cataloging, protecting and preserving. We benefit, explore and learn about things we may never have seen or learned about in any other way.

Brenton Hamilton

2008-10-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

My last post was about my painting professor and adviser, Angelo Ippolito. Another teacher who I benefited a great deal from working with was Brenton Hamilton . Brenton (or BH, as we called him) is in charge of the Residency Program at the Maine Photographic Workshops (Now Maine Media Workshops). He devoted incredible amounts of time to "eat, sleep and breathe" photography with us. The Residency Program is an intensive six month photography program that I completed about ten years ago, and at the time, had us taking photos, developing film or in the darkroom most hours of the day unless we were eating or sleeping. Our group of residency students developed a strong sense of camaraderie, due partially to some turnover of the teaching staff during our short time there.

One of the things that Brenton helped me to understand was Ansel Adams' Zone System. I remember sitting outside the darkroom one day, for the life of me, not understanding or remembering all of it and he explained it by pointing to the rocks, shadows and grass at our feet letting me know which zone each thing fell into. I finally began to "speak" the peculiar new language and was able to apply it to the world around me and the photographs that I was making in the darkroom.

BH was also instrumental in teaching me that photography could be a language of visual storytelling. Especially in groups, one photograph could lead to another and say something that could not easily be put into words.

For these reasons and more, thanks BH.

Angelo Ippolito

2008-10-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

I found a Facebook group today called "In memory of Angelo Ippolito" and I had to join. Angelo Ippolito was my adviser at Binghamton University in the early 90's when I was an art student. He was an abstract expressionist, made wonderful assemblage sculptures which he called "jaw-jooz" that were fun and witty. He helped me to laugh about art and to take it seriously. He was an elegant gentleman who was always impeccably dressed.

The most important thing that Angelo taught me was to always play. That art making was about play. The way a jazz musician needs to keep improvising and finding the next note, the way a child needs to make up a game as she goes along. If you stopped playing, you would just steal the life from the art work and just end up with a dull piece. That can't happen without taking risks. He told me that if you had a painting that came easily, that is because the 20 before it were difficult. You payed for it, you had already paved the way. Angelo was one of the first people who ever took me or what I had to offer the world seriously, and I loved him dearly for it.

The Great Apple Discovery

2008-10-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

We hike on a trail near our house. Once it was part of the orchards that used to surround this area, and after that, it was railroad land. It still is technically owned by the railroad company, but hasn't been used for many years and has been used by people as a dog-walking or mountain biking area. Well, our family discovered a wonderful apple tree. Most of the apples on the lower branches had fallen to the ground and had bites in them from squirrels and birds, but the upper branches were just chock-full of great apples. So, having an apple tree ourselves (that has been picked by our neighbors, by us, by our squirrels), we happen to have an apple picking pole and we brought it along to pick apples. We got a bag and a bucket-full and are checking out pie recipes. It's so much fun to get free fruit and I feel like we are making good use of something that no one would have used.

Fairy Houses

2008-10-04T13:41:00.001-07:00

One day recently, everyone in our family put everything aside to go for a hike. We walked, ran, explored and played. Some of the leaves were beginning to turn yellow and red. It seems to do us all a great deal of good to leave the tasks that being in the house present to us. The picture is of a fairy house that my daughter made, putting her imagination to work. I'm grateful to have the time that I do with my young kids. Their imaginations spark my own and their enthusiasm about life is energizing.

Fairy Tales

2008-10-01T18:20:00.001-07:00

I've been working through some ideas about fairy tales lately in my photography beginning with Little Red Riding Hood. I started with this image of Red and the shot of the wolf alone. Now I am planning to get more elaborate with designing the image. One of my great dreams is to create a children's book. I've decided to work out some book ideas and give myself a challenge by creating a sequence of shots, kind of "storyboarding" my way through the story. Some of the photos would be a shot of Red Riding Hood and her mother, one with the wolf, with her "grandmother" and so on. This is another fun project that both of my children have had good ideas for. Trees are tough because either they are very large, or they look pretty fake, like model railroad trees, so I'm not sure what to do for them (make your own?). Well, one of the things I've realized is that projects change as you work them out and often art can be a series of creative problems that you work out as you go along.
(c)2008, all images copyrighted by Jennifer Dennis Potter

my young photo assistant

2008-09-30T17:25:00.001-07:00

I started my shop on Etsy, jenniferdennispotter in March and since then, my kids, especially my son (pictured) have wanted to get in on the fun. Etsy has given me a way to be with my kids, create my work, and have it seen. My latest body of work has been my toy series. I've been using small toy animals in studio or realistic settings to create little scenes. A typical afternoon for us may be: taking the dog and the little toy animals to the park for a hike and to take photos. My son will clear away little sticks, brush and other things that impede the look of the photo at my request, feels like a big helper and learns some things about photography as we work. We look for just the right moss, just the right light, just the right pose of the deer. After he is asleep at night, I edit the image in Photoshop and post it to Etsy, if it's worthy. If not, we've still had a great hike and the chance to work together.