angela and ate, the movie

Here is the super 8 from my recent Morocco wedding...photos to come soon!

save the date!

on Dr. Seuss and Morocco

Last week I went to Marrakesh, Morocco to shoot a wedding.  I will probably do multiple posts about this trip but while I wait for the film to be developed (yep, film) I thought I would get some thoughts down about my experience there.  I admit now (as I admitted to many friends before) that I was really scared of going.  I have been very lucky to have traveled quite a bit over the years but this was my first time leaving my kids for an entire week and it was my first time setting foot on African soil. Somehow that all felt very overwhelming and scary.  In the couple of days before I left, I ran around borrowing suitcases and outlet transformers from various friends, and it seemed that everyone had a cautionary tale for me.  A few friends in particular who had spent time in Morocco had long and drawn out stories of being manipulated and taken advantage of. So I boarded the plane not with my usual sense of adventure but with a serious amount of dread and foreboding. The flight, however, was smooth and I managed to get to my hotel (after paying way too much to have a teen age boy lead me through what seemed like an endless labyrinth of alleyways to my hotel).  The first thing I did was retrace my steps in and out of my neighborhood (twice), to make sure I could find my hotel by myself.  Then, even though I felt tired and paranoid and sad to be away from my family, I still had to eat so I wandered into a bakery and enjoyed some of the most delicious yogurt I have ever had accompanied by some yummy mint tea.  Arabic was spoken everywhere and the majority of the men and woman dressed in traditional galabiyyas and hijabs.  I felt awkward, but gradually I remembered myself and started making eye contact with the people around me and greeting them in the couple of arabic words I learned on the plane (and, mercifully, in French).  I am not sure why I was so surprised, but I really was, that people responded to me with bright smiles and open hearts.  Thinking about it on the plane home, a line from What was I Scared of? a great Dr. Seuss book came to mind:  "...I began to see that I was just as strange to them as they were strange to me!"  I guess that, even as an adult, I still need to relearn this lesson from time to time and after I did, I discovered all sorts of amazing people and things.  More on that when the film comes back.

Gail Travis, New Form Perspective

Super fun shoot with Gail Travis of NFP Studio.  Gail designs lovely, versatile, imaginative (yet super comfortable) clothing that will take you from the gym to an elegant evening out.  We shot this at Atlas Industries' new building in Newburgh which provided lots of space and incredible light.  Hair (Jamie Cook) and make up (Jenny Smith: Twitter: @NarsJennySmith, Instagram: @JennyAtwoodSmith) were a huge part of making this such a dreamy shoot.  Oh, and model, Taylor Foster, was pretty easy on the eyes.  Thanks to everyone!

re-use this!

We recently went out to California to visit family.  While I am definitely of the reduce, re-use, recycle generation, I am humbled by how far my mother-in-law has taken this challenge as is illustrated here in her deft use of a milk carton.  Eat your heart out at this good thing, Martha Stewart!

ka-ching!

Yesterday was a big day!  I, along with another worthy 30 recipients, received our check for grants awarded by the Dutchess County Arts Council from a New York State Council of the Arts re-grant program.  My grant is helping support the Beacon Portrait Project and the timing is perfect.  I am currently editing and printing for a show of the first 100 portraits that will take place at Fovea Gallery in Beacon, NY this October.  I am thrilled and grateful to be receiving this grant.  My utmost thanks to all those at DCAC, especially Eve Madalengoitia, who was extremely helpful and supportive throughout this process.  The full article (and a short video) in the Poughkeepsie Journal is here.  To see some of the Beacon Portraits, go here.

put a bird on it, part 2

Back in February I made 43 birds for my 43rd birthday.  This week was marked my mom's 70th so I made another 27 and put them all together on this mobile for her.