Core Beliefs

On this snowy day, the first of the season, I rest peacefully in my belief in human goodness and redemption—in virtue and hard work and effort,

however tattered by the hardships of life.

Observing—for longer than you think

  • Start in the same place: by naming what you see. Observe and describe.

  • Add context with additional information. Maybe the title of the picture, the location or date, the photographer’s name, or other context like the weather or the genre of the work. Whatever the new information you’ve added, go back and look at the photograph again.

  • Do not begin to assign meaning to the art, until you have observed the photograph for at least 10 minutes. That’s a long time in the world of Instagram scrolling. But this is how we begin to see our photographs tell stories.

  • Practice slow engagement with the work. Here we begin to interpret the art. I used to worry that my photographs were superficial, that they lacked some secret element that made for pictures that were truly moving. But now I see that there is no secret. Any photograph can be meaningful if we let go of the stories we hold onto, the ones we tell ourselves over and over again, and begin to write new stories based on our observations in the here and now.

“Slowing down our sensory input is essential to processing our experiences into stories. Because when we rush to decide what something means, we’re often not only missing details, but also the opportunity to connect in an authentic way.” —Stephanie Fallon, What Stories Are You Telling Yourself? (And Are They Harming Or Helping You?)

Why It Matters

I am trying to live from my personal foundation up, rooted and solid. Caring for the earth in the ways that I can. This often means celebrating the things that come easily for me, like buying clothes and household items second-hand and donating from the abundance in my life. This looks like holiday wrapping paper and decorations from the thrift shop. Those adorable tiny glass snowmen at the bottom of a bin. The carefully crocheted stocking, starched stiff and ready to hang on the tree. Floral supplies (picks and foam and tape) for flower arranging from stores long since out of business.

But it also means learning as I go. I recently learned about the problems with floral foam (how it is harmful to the environment), and I’ve been investigating sustainable alternatives like flower frogs and hairpin flower holders. I was delighted to learn that the only US manufacturer of flower frogs is right here in Virginia, Floral Genius. I’ve ordered the Kenzan Variety Sampler as a Christmas gift to myself.

The Floral Genius Story

“Floral Genius is the only US manufacturer of pin and cup-style flower holders and is the only maker in the world of Blue Ribbon Hairpin Holders. Also known as flower frogs or kenzan, pin holders are a timeless floral design mechanic that was the precursor to floral foam. Today, flower frogs are sought after by floral designers, at-home arrangers, and vintage enthusiasts across the globe, largely due to a shift towards sustainable floristry.”