* so far this year .....

To quote a great lady, Elinor Roosevelt: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Its been a long road to my future, dreaming of being where I am today.  As a kid I only wanted to have a space of my own, to do with as I pleased.  My colors, my ways.  I have had the pleasure of making that dream a reality each and every day.  As a young adult my dream was to be a photographer.  This led to education and years of practice.  That dream evolved into having my work in a gallery, to sell my work, to be considered a photographer.  Last year that dream was realized when the call came from Karen at Grapevine Graphics Framing and Gallery. Later that year, when I was chosen to be part of a public arts exhibit by the Clackamas County Arts Alliance, the dream added another dimension.

 ~ so far this year ..... my work has been installed at the Clackamas County Services Building on the 4th floor via the Arts Alliance. And even tho they are mine, and so familiar to me, the photo's impress me as I watch the elevator doors open to the hallway they hang in.

This was the view as the elevator doors opened. 

Uncommon Everyday Art. The frames are each around 16 x 20 in size.

Long view of the wall the photos adorn, on the 4th floor.

It was when I was in junior high that I had a fantasy to become a writer.  But the pull that photography had on me was too strong, and that small dream became even smaller.  This past year, typing to you, I have realized that small fantasy and upgraded it to someplace between a wish and a dream.  This blog was supposed to be a means to an end, and has become in some ways the actual end ! It would be great to find a larger audience someday, but for now my energies will have to go towards making the photographer / artists dream a working reality.

~ so far this year ... Having created a New Years; time for Changes ! essay in my journal, I am on my way to keeping some of the promises made to myself.  I would like to blog on those next week for you, having taken them out for a few days and tested them a bit.  Seems like a list I can live with for the remaining 353 days of 2012.  Until then, here is a review of the photos I chose for my exhibit ....  I invite your comments.

Early evening summer sunshine highlights this succulent. 

A prominent landscape plant at the Oregon Coast, taken in Canon Beach.

A sunflower planted by the birds, next to my feeders in the summer.

 Wait Park Gazebo … you can see my red truck in the background if you look hard.

This bike was actually my brothers, taken outside my childhood home. 

This shot was taken as the balloon I was riding in was landing. 

From Victoria B.C, at Butchart Gardens, it was one of my first published images.

Blue Carrot Cafe in Victoria, B.C.  after a summer rain.