During my recent visit to Southern California I was lucky enough to visit Joshua Tree.  I had been wanting to visit this area for many years.  The stars finally aligned (and my friend Paul was able to take me and also be my personal tour guide.) and I made it.  

I also got to meet and hang out with a totally rocking photographer on the trip as well.  Chris is a very talented Photographer as well as a cool cat. You can check him out here. 

Joshua Tree was everything I was hoping for and much much more.  I hope to get back there in the near future and take a few days to camp and explore this part of the desert even more.

Paul, Chris and myself

“Untitled with rope”

This image, I believe, wraps up my long journey of sadness,
fear, uncertainty and aimlessness from the past 18-24 months.

I was asked by a friend why I used a woman in these images
and not a man as these three or four photo series of images are about my
personal struggles with self and relationships. 

The answer is simple and two fold. 

First, art is subjective. 
We take away from a piece of art what we want.  Sometimes it strikes a cord with the viewer in a positive or negative way. Other
times it moves someone in a totally different direction. 

It is up to our past experiences and where we allow our minds to travel as to what we see in a particular piece. 

Secondly, this image, and the number of past images, are not necessarily all about me or my own feelings.  These are more about how I see myself and how others see themselves. 

A few months back I went to watch a few friends compete in a Mudderella held a few miles from my home.  (Cooper’s Lake near Slippery Rock, PA) What a great event! It was even better knowing some of the contestants and their friends/family.  These women rocked the event! 

They were downright rough actually. I have been around their kids for a few years now and I always thought the kids got their determination from the dads……I have changed my thoughts on that.

If you ever get a chance to compete or watch one of these please go.  It is not only a blast but it is all for a great cause.  “Mudderella is a proud supporter of Futures Without Violence, a national non-profit dedicated to preventing domestic violence and supporting those affected.”