new bulletin design.

I redesigned Victory's bulletin for the fall. I think it turned out well.

It's the end of July...

Where does time go? I've been incredibly busy these past few weeks and time has flown by. I don't know if you all are aware but for us graphic design and photography nerds, adobe has free e-seminars a few times a month. I have only done one so far but I've already learned some new tricks! There's another one this Thursday and two more in August. Plus, you don't have to leave your office for it so there's no commute. What a resource! Here's where you go to sign up: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/event/index.cfm?event=list&type=eseminar&loc=en_us

On Friday and Monday I took most of the day to visit preschools in Lakeland and Winter Haven to promote my preschool photography. Some of the preschools I visited where very nice and others well... let's just say it's sad where some parents have to leave their children for 8 hours a day. Driving around in all these areas that I don't visit on a daily basis also got me thinking how so many of us live. How segregated we all are. Even though there isn't a legal segregation, it still lives on in so many streets and neighborhoods. There's where the poor whites live, the rich, the mexicans, the poor blacks, etc. It got me thinking, I wonder how we would all live if we were all forced to live in one big mush-pot... with no boundaries, no fences, no rich/poor dividing lot. I wonder if our mindsets would change. I wonder if those that had more would see how grateful they should be and be more apt to give back. I wonder if things would really change.

So I will leave you on a light-hearted note. I took pictures of 'Senior Chapel' at a local church recently and was left with so many smiles. When I walked in, they were in the middle of worship which looked like the music team was anyone that played an instrument. In the band was an electric guitar, clarinet, keyboard, piano, organ, two accordions and three singers. I do not lie. It was a pretty amazing combination. I just smiled as the congregation bobbed their heads and closed their eyes to the music.

Emerge! Art Party

So I found out that two of my pieces were accepted into the Emerge! Art Party opening on Friday, August 7th from 7-10PM at the Tampa Artist Emporium. They will be in the gallery for the month of August. Yippee!!! I'm very excited to have them in a nice gallery in a swanky part of Tampa. I'm 99% sure that admission is free.

In case you were wondering, the Tampa Artist Emporium is located at 3415 Bay to Bay Boulevard • Tampa, FL 33629. Chhhheck it out! You can also find them on facebook.

The O'Briens at Lake Morton...

This was a special shoot. I just love this family and think they are so cute. As I was taking their pictures, I remembered that my mom took me and my brother to Lake Morton when we were little to take pictures of us. I still remember one of the shots. I hope they remember some too...

This one the boys were 'showing their muscles'. heehee...

July

So it's the beginning of July. I feel like a total loser because I forgot about the artgroup meeting that I planned tonight. Well, I technically didn't forget, I thought it was tomorrow night but for some reason (my tired feeble mind) I scheduled it for tonight, a Tuesday, and didn't realize. I'm fired. I think my brain has just been on overload lately because I'm starting to forget a lot of things. You know you have too much on your plate when you're as scattered as I am these days.

A few things that I'm working on are:

A logo design for ChaeMae, LLC. She wanted curly writing and daisies. Personally I think the one in the middle is the strongest, but we'll see which direction it goes. This is just the first comp.

I've been doing other logos and web design for Victory. I've also been making a lot of jewelry and hair flower pins which are SO much fun! Here are a few samples:

You can find lots more at www.branchart.etsy.com.

I'm also trying to get all my stuff together to contact preschools about doing their portraits this year. I'm getting some posters made but I can't decide what is the best way to market myself... letter size flyers? postcard size flyers? Just go say hi and give them a business card? What are your thoughts?

My Niece, Danielle

Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing my niece, Danielle for her 'graduating from middle school' photo shoot. Even though we had to dodge the rain, we still got some good shots. Here are some of my favorites...

And my absolute favorite...

My first day.

It's my first day of freedom. I'm officially an artist. Well... in truth I've always been an artist, this is just my first day of that being my official career title. I have to say, so far so good. I do feel a little like I'm just playing hooky from work and that I'll have to go in tomorrow. I wonder when I will no longer feel this need to go into an office. I feel a mixture of so many things. At times I feel FREE. Free from set schedules, free from a boss, free from working for other people, free to do whatever the heck I want to do. Free to have an open schedule, to do whatever I am called and discover to do. These freeing moments are interrupted by fleeting thoughts of stress related to staying busy and finances. But I believe that this is what I'm supposed to do. I believe that I'm right where God wants me to be, and how can that be a bad place to be?

I can't wait to look back and say, "Wow, look at all God has done. Look at where I was and where I am now. What an amazing ride."

Right now I can't help but feel gratitude. I'm grateful for my art progressing and having the confidence to take this step. I'm grateful for my husband in supporting us and being willing to take the financial burden on himself... and for being ok with not knowing about our future (because who really knows anyway?). I'm grateful for family and friends encouraging me. I'm grateful to be right where I am. It's such a beautiful place. 

www.jordanweiland.com