“Once a day, after you’ve done your day’s work, go back to your documentation and find one little piece of your process that you can share.” Austin Kleon
I currently have three displays of my photography up between New York, Connecticut and Miami. The path to get here has been life-changing and frankly, if I can do it, so can you.
I have enjoyed Austin Kleon: his books, newsletters and now I’m listening to podcasts that feature him. He is an author and speaker who focuses on creativity; or, as he puts it, a writer who draws. His main point to all people is to show your work and stay the course.
To be perfectly honest, I have worked hard on my photography projects, and it’s all be pleasurable. I’ve gone to many photography shows, met photographers and authors, attended events like AIPAD, taken workshops with those I admire like Maggie Steber. I have studied, watched others work, had recent portfolio reviews with masters like Lauren Welles and Barbara Peacock, traveled to photo retreats in Greece and soon Burgundy with The Flo Show and done my own work each day. Finally, with Austin Kleon’s message in my head as well as Kim Klassen’s writing class (below), I decided to get in the game myself a bit. I wanted to show my work in places besides my blog and instagram.
My favorite Austin book? Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered. Yesterday I listened to Austin on The Chase Jarvis Live Show. You might know Chase from his Creative Live Days. Check his selection of books out, and his US tour coming to a city near you.
Magic Maker Kim Klassen
The real fire starter for me was Kim Klassen, an impressive photographer, my creative coach, Lightroom genius and podcaster (sign up for all kinds of brilliance) and all around magic maker. I participated in her writing classes last Fall, journaled each day (yes!) and I know for sure that big things happened in my life because of her. One of my class posts said, “Finally, this will be my year to show my work — in a show” and the very next day I received notice about the juried Miami Street Photographers Festival Museum exhibition during Art Basel. I thought, “wow this timing is perfect, let’s do this,” and I entered.
I didn’t tell a soul.
I focused and journaled with Kim’s coaching and class structure and also referenced Austin’s book “Show Your Work” and immersed myself in their positive tutoring.
One month later I was notified that I was one of the three finalists in the Miami series. In a nutshell, my seven life-sized photographs would be on display on the History Museum of Miami courtyard in downtown Miami during busy Art Basel. This would absolutely not have happened if I hadn’t put myself in Kim’s classes. I had to pinch myself. The show is still on display.
My First Juried Show
I was so very flattered to have my work selected for this museum international installation which is still being shown outside at the HistoryMuseum Miami (five months and counting)! I wrote about this wonderful show when I was honored, in this post: Miami: When the Sun Goes Down and the Moon Comes Out. The Miami Street Photography Festival was surely a game-changer for me. Make sure you watch the video in my instagram post below.
Video Credit: Stef Gordon
My Second Juried Show
The story doesn’t end there. Around the same time, I entered some photos from a series of ballerinas in Havana, Cuba into another show at the Fairfield Museum and History Center in Connecticut. Six-hundred photographers from five states entered. I was selected with 45 others to share my photograph in the large “Images” exhibit, which is still up until end of April, 2019.
My Third Juried Show
Around the same time two photographs were selected for a juried show in New York City at the prestigious Salmagundi Club. Check out the Professional Women Photographers (PWP) to learn about juried and non-juried shows, it’s a wonderful group.
And Last But Not Least, I’m In This Show, Too
The work is shown inside at Matted LIC and also shown on a digital screen. The exhibit was originally created in 2018, so it’s quite nice Professional Women Photographers decided to use the art again in 2019.
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Thank you to those who took photos of me and my work: Steve Gordon, Stef Gordon, Jose Flores, Elisa Smith, Jarret Liotta with Fairfield Citizen, PWP, Fredda Gordon. The photo associated with the work of Kim Klassen is her own photography from her website.
