Our stories are what heals us and others. Our expression of our stories is our medicine. The process is cathartic. The outcome is freeing.
I had no idea what I was doing the very first time I turned my camera around onto myself. Self-portraiture was a foreign concept, another language. My need for self-expression was so strong that it outweighed my fears of making bad art and using myself as the subject.
It taught me that it’s better to begin rather than spending your time planning and researching. You have to come with an open mind and be willing to mess up....a lot. You’ll find pieces of yourself you didn’t know existed in the mistakes and mishaps. You’ll see glimmers of hope and wonder in yourself.
Self-portraiture is an opportunity to tell your story, rewrite a new one, learn who you are, and are not. The camera is your tool that reveals your soul. This work strips you down to your core. It’s not easy, but the healing and self-discovery that comes out of this medium are profound and life-changing.
I am a better person than when I began this journey of self-expression. This is why I wrote and teach Expressive Self Portraiture. I know what it can do for a person, and I wanted to be able to share this experience with others.
It’s so easy to be critical and judgmental of yourself when you’re the subject. Let’s leave our judgement of ourselves and others at the door. Let’s support each other and hold a light for one another. I will guide you through the process. You just need to take the first step. Registration opens in April!
