Feed the Soul Heidi arrived for her portrait experience for Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution with a beautiful hyacinth bouquet as a gift. The hyacinths smelled divine, and they reminded me of a Chinese proverb: “If you have but two coins left, buy a half loaf of bread with one and a hyacinth with the
Nearly everyone has a bit of apprehension about being in front of the camera – even beforehand! They think, “Will I know what to bring? What will I do with my hands? What if my face does something weird?” No worries! You can’t do anything wrong here. I’ve got you. You can finally have headshots
Headshots for Riyah Patel Riyah Patel is a teenage trailblazer. She’s a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy. When she was a freshman, she became frustrated by the experience of remote learning. Conversations about it with her mother led Riyah to understand that her mother had experienced similar feelings of isolation when she tried to navigate
When asked why she participated in Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution, Susan said it was because she knows several other women who participated last year, and was so drawn to the authenticity of their photographs and how the portraits revealed their true personalities and spirits. “I wanted that for myself–regardless of my disappointment in how
A tintype (also known as a ferrotype) is a handmade portrait on a metal plate using the wet-plate collodion method. This method was invented in the 1850s. Aside from the studio lights and darkroom safety measures, I create these portraits the same way today. I enjoy sharing the process and its history with all my
Amanda said she decided to participate in Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution because, like many people, she had not had professional portraits in twenty years. She said, “I feel I have grown and changed as a person since then and what would be captured on camera now would be very different from almost twenty years
Recently, I had the pleasure of making new photos for a quilter. Susan Hofstetter creates the most beautiful quilts in her New Hampshire home studio. She brought some of them to my studio for updated headshots and portraits for her website and social media. “I never dreamed of having my portrait done until I saw
Photo Class in May If you want to take photos that consistently meet your expectations, you need to get your camera out of auto mode. Learn how to get out of auto mode and take great photos in my spring photo class. You have a great eye, and you love taking photos, but you haven’t
Homage to Titian & Manet Knitted Together is a personal project that I began this year. This is Part III: Kieran I strive for my work to celebrate the human experience. Empathy is always a key component, which is sometimes achieved by including the viewer as a part of the installation. Knitted Together is a collection of
Kathy wanted to participate in Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution because she wanted to join all the other women who have participated, and she said, “I felt it would revive my spirit.” She said, “Women over 50 have fought, struggled, or possibly stressed over making right and wrong decisions about life issues. Our roles have
Why did you want to participate in the Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution? “When I was in my 30’s, I struggled with how I saw myself, and how I thought others saw me. I didn’t believe they were the same, and I worried I would lose myself and my goals in the business of life
Paul Mock is a portrait painter from the Boston area. When he commissioned me to create portraits for him, we started a mood board on Pinterest. He loves to analyze light and color. Many of the images he added were from art books. He is particularly drawn to the work of the German painter Hans
Why did you want to participate in the Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution? “I follow Maundy Mitchell on Facebook and saw the most amazing photos of the most beautiful women! I thought instantly I must be a part of this Revolution to show the world that women are amazing at any age. To quote Betty White,
“My first photo shoot ever. Maundy made me feel comfortable and relaxed. She’s extremely knowledgeable and proficient. I love my new headshots!” – Deb Debra Claffey is an award-winning visual artist who uses encaustic, oil, and mixed media in her work. Her paintings invite the viewer to take a closer look as they often involve
Knitted Together is a personal project that I began this year. This is Part II: Shirley. I was recently in a conversation with an artist friend. She asked herself the question, “Can art DO something?” She meant something besides just existing as a passive form of entertainment. She and I both know that it can.
I’m pleased to make two exhibition announcements. My work “Winter’s Mistress,” will be included in upcoming juried exhibitions, one online and one in person. The Chateau Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, will host an online exhibit called “In Dreams,” which opens on February 1, online. They received 750 submissions from artists in 22 countries. The juror for