Imperfectly Me

Most of the things that I have done well I have taught myself. Be it sewing, jewelry making, performing, or taking pictures. I have never been someone to just sit and learn...I have to fiddle around and do it myself in order for the information to stick. Why would taking pictures be any different?

That being said, there is always something a little off with my stuff. Not on purpose (at least I don't think it is on purpose) but it isn't quite perfect. For instance, I made a quilt recently. It is a zig zag quilt. Basically you just feed the fabric through the sewing machine whatever way it goes. Sounds easy right? Wrong. It was super hard and the result was of course not perfect however, it is the most favorite quilt in the house by anyone who has seen it.

I have found that the things that mean the most to me in life are things that were used once before by someone else. Things that were loved, made or worn out by someone. My camera strap is one of my dad's old belts and my camera bag was my Grandfathers; he carried it all around the world with him. My house is decorated with old items from my grand parent's house; old photo processing trays are now the base of my rock gardens. I carry my leftovers in old mason jars. I have a pillow made out of my Dad's old shirt. Things like that. Reusing and reinvigorating things that once were into something new and just as meaningful; always remembering their past and always preserving their character.

This picture represents my work well. It is kind of like a tangible version of me...like you are looking at a version of myself here...crooked and focused on something random...but beautiful and out of the ordinary. This is any work of mine. Slightly imperfect but perfectly me. Imperfectly me.