My other shop Lillian Blanche was just selected to be a member of your group. As I said in my previous shop application, I was a public school teacher. Early on in my career, I thought I’d leave teaching so I enrolled in an Advertising and Print Design certificate program at the Rhode Island School of Design. There I renewed my love for photography. I never did leave teaching until I was 26 years in, but I did return to school for my Masters in Social Work. I am now a psychotherapist.

The reason I love photography is that it is a mindful practice…it slows you down to focus on beauty in all forms: usual and unusual. This is a concept I carry into my psychotherapy practice. I help my clients live simply and be more mindful of the little pleasure of life. Plus having hobbies is so important to our mental health!

Over the past two decades, I have been selling photography on a site called Fine Art America(not really selling much) and more recently I have been adding more work because they have expanded their offerings to include: blankets, yoga mats, ornaments, bags, and shower curtains. I’m super excited about that because not everyone wants to hang photographs on their walls, but might want a bold, unique shower curtain.

We are all trying to be more mindful of where we are spending money these days. While my family may be sick of getting photo related gifts for the holidays, now I can gift them a bag or shower curtain. HAHA! Seriously though, people are looking for ways to support small businesses and I hope this movement takes on more steam over the years. We can take down Tesla, there are more corporations that don’t reflect the values we have so thanks again for the work you are doing.