German engineering attracted me to Leica and convinced me to buy a Leica M6. My Leica M6 never disappoints. This 35mm rangefinder film camera helps me get back to the basics of why I fell in love with photography in the first place. My goal as an artist is to teach you how to see.…
Read MoreThree years ago I wrote about my dreaded life question. What do I want to be when I grow up? I realized the importance of that original blog post while attempting to edit it. That post is part of my story and I can’t change it, so why try. After reflecting on how far I’ve…
Read MorePhotographing Adventures on the Farm at Cristo Rey Ranch is rewarding work. I attend this event with my children each year. When I was asked to document Adventures on the Farm through my lens, I happily obliged. As a freelance photographer, it’s fulfilling to accept jobs that feel right and declining those that don’t. Clearly,…
Read MoreThis is the story of how Ken Voigt of Freedom Ink became a Wisconsin artist. Decades ago, Ken was working with a local printer when he was exposed to a degreasing solvent. This exposure caused damage to his central nervous system resulting in tremors. After rounds of various medications, Ken experienced memory lose resembling amnesia. …
Read MoreI was a wanderer long before there was a hashtag for it. Today, I wander around Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. I’m fascinated with American resort towns gone quiet. There’s more to Elkhart Lake than the hustle and bustle of their busy season. This is what Elkhart Lake looks like when it goes to sleep. The streets…
Read MoreIf a gallery won’t represent me as an artist photographer, I’ll represent myself. This is an ambitious goal, but anything is possible with the right mindset. Nothing can stop a person with a strong faith and belief that all things are possible. Building a successful business as an artist photographer is not only possible, it’s…
Read MoreThe artist residency at the Trout Museum of Art is forcing me into action. Now that I’m halfway through the artist residency, I can see how far I’ve come. Not only in the last six weeks, but in the last two decades of life as an artist. TMA’s artist residency is forcing me out of…
Read MoreAn inspirational coffeehouse conversation made me realize something. I’m not alone on this journey and either are you. Just when I feel alone and think I’m the only one struggling to figure things out, the inspirational coffeehouse conversation helps put things in perspective. For 20 years, I didn’t know what I wanted to be when…
Read MoreI’m supposed to be packing my bags for a solo trip to France. But, life doesn’t always go as planned. In the Spring of 2020, I was accepted into the artist residency at Chateau d’Orquevaux. I’m looking forward to exploring the quaint villages of the French countryside and telling the locals’ stories. The Chateau d’Orquevaux…
Read MoreI’m a small-town Wisconsin artist. Finally, I admit this and it makes me proud to look back and see how far I’ve come. The process of becoming an artist was challenging for me because it lacked encouragement. “You can’t just be an artist,” they stated. I’ve heard this statement all my life and actually believed…
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