Since moving to Washington I have described my arrival as feeling like a stranger in a strange land.   Many factors contribute to that.  Living with a someone i have never met, in an apartment verses a home. sharing everything space and vibe. Coming to a city that was a fond memory verses an actual destination. Granted I made it my destination by choice, but how I did so was partly from a memory.  Being surrounded by the unfamiliar, not only in the demographic way - but also in nature. I have never lived near mountains, the ocean, or been around these types of trees or vegetation. It's not that I don't love all of it. It's more like the "it is not what i am used to" of it all, is WAY larger than I expected.  Pretty sure I didn't speculate about that too much in my deciding to come west. I remembered that it was gorgeous.  Just give me some of that.

When my first marriage ended and I began renting apartments I am reminded that I always chose places to live that had a lot of light.  I was very lucky when I think about it because my living spaces almost always gave me all four exposures window wise. When I bought my home I was blessed with 27 large windows and a single space to work from home that gifted me light from the east, south and west. A delicious work space!! The few months I lived in the cave I endured a small south and west window experience. It really was cave like. I was like a hound for light during that time, it was so momentary. Have to say I love how it showed up in my photography. 

Here, in the west I am not sure how the light works yet.  I have east exposure in my bedroom but it just gets lighter vs an experience of the sun in my window. In the west is my studio space. Perhaps because it is winter, I feel like the light is different, lower in the sky perhaps. I don't seem to experience it as a basking. Add more trees than I am used to - the light is seemingly diffused, and it's gray a lot. that pacific northwest thing.  In 2015 I began to give myself a day a week to BE a creative, on that day I don't allow myself to be distracted by problems, work, or anything gotta gotta other than what i am or who i want to be as a creative. It is my favorite day of the week. It is a gracious reminder that this is what a full time artists day could look like. I treasure that reminder.

In the title of this post I use the word acclimating. Since I am having to move YET again, I have settled in this space in a very detached way. the feelings surrounding the search, hassle, and cost of moving are more than unsettling, they are very very frustrating.  

in the same space - there is a respect, and a care that comes from two people agreeing to share a common place. I am grateful. I am warm, well fed, and my roommate leaves me notes with smiley faces - what could be better than that? 

In my photographs there is pause and an affection, as well as a search somehow, as a creative, for the aesthetic here that pleases me, and the love i have for whatever light i can find.

lets not forget there is also a cat named uffie. 

my studio: