“Mother” Added to My Resume

I’ve been a mother to fur babies for 17 years and now I’ve recently added “mother to human baby” to my resume. Koda Joy Levine is brand new to our pack! She is strong, beautiful and full of fire. I loved her the moment I knew she existed and was so happy to meet her when she entered the outside world.

I am one lucky mama.

To say that having a newborn baby has been an adjustment is a huge understatement. I’ve always respected mamas and now that I am experiencing this journey firsthand I have even more admiration for them. I am slowly adjusting to this new “normal” and will continue to do so with each passing day. I am learning and growing almost as much as my little one.

Motherhood is expanding my heart and building up my life’s resume. It will no doubt contribute to my creativity in a positive way (once I get just a littttttllleee more sleep!). I am looking forward to very soon getting back into some creative time with my photography and painting.

I feel it’s important to be honest about both sides of this gig. Motherhood for me is beautiful and incredibly difficult! (Full disclosure: I felt the same way about pregnancy!) There is so much contrast in my life right now. Within 5 minutes- or really even within 5 seconds- I can experience a large handful of very different emotions– tears of exhaustion or stress in one moment can turn to tears of joy in another.

It’s like everything is out on the table, for both this baby and myself.

I am more vulnerable now than I have ever been in my life. The experience is both beautiful and terrifying. Having a newborn has already reminded me of the preciousness of life and how quickly time passes. It has reminded me of how important it is to pay attention to who and what matters and to what fills your heart. This experience has further validated how important my job has been as a photographer. Capturing the love and connection that exists in family (fur or otherwise) has always been an honor for me, but now, I think it will be even more so as I know first hand this level of vulnerability and connection. The time really does go by quickly in many ways… I even get nostalgic over photographs I took yesterday of this little one. I am looking forward to getting back into being there for my clients and their beloved families soon with this new perspective. I do my best to be in the present moment as much as possible. Having said that, I’ve already taken a thousand photographs of this baby girl and I am sure to take a hundred million more.

We had professional portraits created by Pinkle Toes Photography when she was just 12 days old and I am so grateful to have them to cherish. I will continue to have portraits created of us as a family– primarily because I want to be part of them!
We have so many memories to create and capture and I am incredibly honored to have added this new role of mother to my life’s resume.

Thank you to my dear friend Michele at Pinkle Toes Photography for this gorgeous portrait of Koda and me.

IVF as Art

As someone who experienced many challenges with regard to fertility, I was inspired to find a way to honor my experience and journey using my fine art and I’d like to share that with you in this post.

While I realize it’s a unique experience for each person who goes through using medically supported means of conceiving a child, IVF and everything leading up to it was both physically and mentally challenging for our family, required a significant financial investment and took a tremendous amount of time and energy.  

For those of us who are fortunate enough to have success with the process, it is truly awesome to witness the results unfold in front of our eyes.

Creating and displaying this art piece felt like a way to honor our journey and to focus on what was beautiful about it, rather than let the challenges take center stage.  

I created a piece of my own daughter’s beginning stages as mere cells before we transferred her as an embryo. I included colors that I wanted to incorporate into my nursery and symbolism that felt meaningful. I look forward to being able to show my daughter the very beginning stages of her life interpreted in this way.

The piece shown is 30x40 bees wax, resin, pigments, photography on birch panel.

I am extremely passionate about creating this commissioned art for parents who went through IVF to conceive a child. 

The IVF art I am creating for clients is inspired by the journey and the magic of being able to see imagery of your child as just a few cells. This is just incredible to me.

In addition to the reward of a baby, this art piece felt cathartic to make and also to display on my daughter’s nursery wall. 

I’d love to talk to you about creating an IVF art piece for you, so email me or call with questions about the process and investment. 

Warmly, 

Norah

TEN of My Most Favorite Family Portraits

I was asked recently about the family photographs I’ve created over the years and whether I had any favorites… so I wanted to share some of them with you! I’ve created images of families comprised of couples, families with children, pets...all of it!

My family is made up of the people I am related to, friends, and fur babies. They’re all holding a big piece of my heart and help me experience the most out of life.  What stands out to me about family is that it’s a unit of love and connection– no matter whether you’re related by blood or not… or species for that matter!  It’s that love and connection I enjoy capturing with my camera and microphone. 

This family was very focused on a construction project on their house when I created this family portrait for them. Mom wanted to create something special that included their construction filled life at the time and this was a fun solution. We really enjoyed ourselves and the kids had a blast as they were given special "jobs" for the portrait. I highly valued having this creative opportunity that was also personal to the family.

The focus in this image is the dog, no doubt. There is so much love focused right at Moose. This was the family's last photo session with Moose before he passed away from a heart condition. I love this peaceful moment and the sweet look on Moose's face.

In addition to swooning over the aesthetics of this couple's space, I love this moment. For me, it's a joyful slice of their family's dynamic. They obviously have fun together and their pets are their beloved family members. This photo makes me happy.

I love creating images of children with pets. Often with young children these pets are the first they've known– their fur siblings. I love having the ability to capture their relationships so they have the ability to look back on them fondly when the children are grown.

This family wanted to do something special to honor their mother who had been diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. We created this portrait of the family having a dance party of love around her, and it is one of my most favorite family portraits ever. In addition to creating a beautiful image, I wanted to leave the family with the memory of surrounding their mother with love, joy, and smiles.

Besides the beautiful colors and people in this image, all I see is connection, wonder, and love. I can feel the adoration that these parents have for their baby in this image and I can truly get a sense of the baby's wonder as he gazes into his dad's eyes. Definitely one of my favorites.

This was one of those moments where I said "sure let's see what happens!" with regard to photographing cats, dogs, and children together. For me it's just plain fun and I especially enjoyed the little girl's hand pose, chosen by her. Maybe she is wishing for a kind hearted baby brother who will share all of his toys with her?

This photo isn't "perfect" but it feels like the moment is. It's a good representation of what I call "joyful chaos." Young children, especially toddler age, like to do their OWN THING and this little girl was no exception. I love the energy in this image and the sweet smiles on everyone's faces.

Some of us have family members that shed a lot! I love this sweet couple's space and having the chance to capture their environment with their beloved fur babies in it. Photographing in my client's home environment is one of my favorite things to do.

I created this family portrait as part of a project (The Better with You project) for an incredible animal welfare organization called Emancipet. I love the colors in this image and most of all the perfect expression on Carolyn's face. Learn more about Emancipet here: https://emancipet.org/

Which one is your favorite?  Let me know!

Nursery Art

Ideally, you’ll want your baby’s nursery to make you feel good when you enter it. When you look at what you’ve chosen to display on the walls, it should bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart. The items on the walls should be a representation of love, inspiration and in some way, shape, or form, signify all the goodness and love you wish for your new baby. This representation can take place in many forms, but my suggestions in this post involve how to best use photographs and fine art pieces to elevate your nursery’s vibes.

 

Leaving room for growth with Photo Galleries

•Consider using photo ledges or floating shelves to display framed pieces. Lean the pieces against the wall, and thoughtfully mix artwork and photographs together. “Loose” artwork that isn’t nailed to the wall can leave room to add, switch out and move around artwork without having to worry about holes left in walls or taking the time to mount them (just make sure that they are safely away from baby's reach!).

•Use standard frame sizes. Frames that are standard sizes that can be changed out easily through the years, giving you the freedom to update artwork if you are limited with regard to wall real estate.

•Wall galleries are a great option!  Wall galleries are any arrangement of multiple pieces and can be the same size or a variation of sizes. This approach can leave tons of room to add onto later with updated photos of baby when the little nugget makes his or her entrance. I especially love asymmetrical wall galleries. This arrangement of imagery can potentially be moved to a hallway, stairway, or another room if and when you want to update baby’s room.

 

 

 

Keep it personal or meaningful to you when possible

•Art that you purchased while traveling or during a special event

•Special keepsakes

•Photographs from a maternity or couples session

•Fine Art pieces

•Consider Including images of siblings (human and/or fur babies) where possible

Fine art

(30x30 bees wax, resin, pigments, photography on birch panel SOLD)

(8x8 bees wax, resin, pigments, photography on birch panel)

•Nature inspired Art. Art based on nature always stands the test of time! Animal themed art can be truly stunning and will surely add a warm feeling to any nursery I am so excited to now be offering these art pieces that can be customized with colors that will perfectly align with your nursery’s colors.  

•Custom Fine Art for IVF Parents. My husband and I ended up going to the IVF (Invitro Fertilization) route in order to conceive our baby girl. Having gone through this incredibly difficult but amazing process, I was inspired to start creating encaustic artwork for IVF parents based on embryos of their babies. My encaustic work is comprised of beeswax, resin, pigments, photography on panels, and more information can be found here. 

The idea that we got to see imagery of our baby girl when she was literally a few cells is mind blowing. I loved creating this fine art piece for her nursery to honor this journey and I can’t wait to create more custom fine art for IVF parents to honor their journey. This art piece will stand the test of time and serve as a very meaningful heirloom for our daughter. 

The wonderful thing about including fine art in the nursery is that if you want to change the room around at some point, your fine art can be easily displayed in another room in the home!

(30x40 bees wax, resin, pigments, photography on birch panel)

There you go! I hope these tips are valuable to you and that you enjoy the process of creatively preparing for your baby’s arrival.

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Kate's Senior Portraits

I've had some recent loss in my life, and it has really sparked me to think about time. In general, time has been something that I have learned to value in a big way. I know that it is limited, I know it cannot be regained when it is lost, and we only have a limited supply during this lifetime. Time is so precious. 

It is precisely because of this that I love photographing and creating audio portraits so much: they serve as creative representations of a particularly remarkable time in one’s life. This can be a joyful time, an anticipatory time, a reflective time, or even an especially emotional time honoring the loss of a loved one. Having these photographs and audio portraits allows those who participate in them (and loved ones who view them) to later enter a visual and audible “portal” to a different time. Hearing voices in conjunction to viewing still images of ourselves and our loved ones (furry and human) provides a powerful platform for a flood of memories to return –memories, perspectives, and thoughts that may have been otherwise forgotten or lost. 

Pretty powerful.

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I recently created an audio portrait with Kate, a high school senior preparing for her graduation. In her audio portrait, Kate reflects on her time and experience in high school, her family, and shares her anticipation of the experiences coming her way after her high school graduation.

There are a quite a few aspects seen as particularly sweet about Kate doing this audio portrait. For one, it serves as a time capsule for her – it will be a piece she can reflect upon many years later and listen to her younger self after her years of experience in college and beyond. She can compare her path with the one she maybe thought she’d be on. Creating this piece also gave a platform for Kate to reflect upon her experience in high school and the contribution that her family played in her life thus far. Very heartwarming.  

From Kate’s parents' perspective, the audio portrait is a piece they can hold close to them as a memory of their child right before she transitions into a new phase – one that enters into adulthood. High school graduation is such a transitional time, and I felt honored to spend some of my time with Kate as she thoughtfully reflected upon her experiences and transition. 

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So, since time is in such limited supply, I love the idea and practice of wrapping it up in a beautiful box of visuals and voices and honoring, most especially, the transitional times we get to experience. 

Congratulations of all of the high school seniors out there preparing to enter into an exciting new phase of your life!

Warmly,
Norah

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Showcasing My Encaustic Paintings at Convergence Gallery

I’ve been expanding my creative efforts over the last few years and have been so grateful for the opportunities that have come my way as a result of listening and responding to what inspires me.

I am extremely excited to announce that my work is now available at a beautiful Art gallery located on the world-renowned Canyon Road in sunny Santa Fe, New Mexico! Convergence Gallery is a stunning space and I am honored to have some of my artwork adorn its walls. 

You can view the current selection of work on their website or better yet, plan a trip to Santa Fe and stop in and see the work for yourself. I believe that viewing art in person is always the best way to really get a proper sense of how it might resonate with you.

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 Interior images of Convergence Gallery, Santa Fe, NM. Photos courtesy of Convergence Gallery.

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When I started combining my photography with the medium of encaustic I didn’t have any idea as to where it would take me. I knew that I needed to give myself permission to begin and see what developed from there. I am so glad that I did! I’m now experiencing the next stage with showcasing these works of art for others to enjoy and my hope is that they find new homes to be loved and appreciated. 

About Norah’s art:

Norah’s work currently incorporates the medium of encaustic (bee’s wax and resin), oil pigment stick, pigments and embedded photography. Her pieces are comprised of many layers of these materials that are fused together with a torch or heat gun. She thoughtfully and intuitively scrapes, incises, etches and paints the colors and textures and layers to create her final product. Her pieces draw inspiration from her photography, and each original photograph influences the colors, textures and markings that Norah includes in the final piece.  

"Rise and Shine" 24x24 bees wax, resin, pigments, embedded photography on birch panel.

"Potential" 24x24 bees wax, resin, pigments, embedded photography on birch panel.

These pieces are available through Convergence Gallery here. 

Clutch's Audio Portrait Session

I’m a sucker for an underbite. So naturally I fell in love when I met Clutch, a sweet, scruffy little pup. Clutch’s human parents, Nicole and Andrew, didn’t sport an underbite, but were also quite sweet and fun. When they reached out to me for a portrait session I was ecstatic. They live at The Domain, a very cool retail and residential area in Austin, and chose to focus their session on their relationship and their puppy. I had a lot of fun during this session and this young couple and their energetic pup, Clutch were perfect subjects for one of my new Audio Portraits.

This Audio Portrait is a bit different than some of the others I have done for my Petributes package, which is designed specifically for elderly pets or those diagnosed with illnesses. Instead, this Audio Portrait focused on a young dog and his new and budding relationship with his human parents. It is very rewarding to honor the impact these pets have on our lives when things are going great and everyone is happy and healthy. While being able to bring artistry to end of life situations can have a tremendous impact, honoring the beginning stages can be just as meaningful for myself and my clients.

Clutch had a lot of energy but seemed to eat up the camera– really the only challenge we faced that day for the session!

The Process Behind my Encaustic Paintings

For the last few years I have expanded my creative world and started working with encaustic painting, which incorporates my photographic imagery. I started by working on a smaller scale and have begun working on larger pieces. I have shared a little about this journey along the way and I intend to expand as my experiences with this art form continue. Since many people are curious, I want to detail a bit about my process and what inspires me about working in this medium. 

My fine art incorporates the medium of encaustic, pigments, and embedded photographic imagery on birch panels. The encaustic medium is comprised of bees wax and resin and I apply it in many layers along with the other materials. Using a rigid support, each layer is fused together with a heat gun or torch so it combines with the layer before it. One of the many unique qualities of encaustic is the possibility of transparency between the layers, giving the viewer of the artwork a glimpse into the “history” of the artists markings, scrapings, painting, and other creative choices below the surface. You get to see, in effect, the process of the artist, which I love.

Encaustic painting has been around for many years and there are multiple ways to work with it. This is an incredibly versatile medium that is used differently by each artist. Some artists love to work in thick layers with lots of texture and some even use it sculpturally. The wax can be painted, dripped, brushed or poured in hot liquid form onto the piece. As the wax cools, it hardens but doesn’t need to dry. The material can be incised, scraped, melted and remelted, carved and more. I am very much drawn to creating a smooth surface that highlights the beautiful sheen of the wax after it is buffed. I sometimes choose to include texture, but my preference is that this texture is a meaningful compliment to the imagery and piece as a whole. My photographic image is printed and layered into the wax very carefully with a tacking iron and layered with additional medium and sometimes paint. I love giving new life to images that would otherwise stay dormant on my computer. 

I began working with photography many years ago in a darkroom, rolling and developing my own film and enlarging prints. Although technological advances have dramatically shifted the world of photography, I fell in love with the hands-on process of developing my own photographs. While I appreciate and love digital photography and all that can be accomplished on a computer, a few years ago I found myself yearning for an outlet to work with my hands again.  I am continuing my career as a photographer but am expanding to include fine art as well. 

My process is very physical and working with encaustic can be difficult during the hot summer weather in Austin, Texas.  The process can take a lot of patience and requires a proper ventilation system and sometimes a (not so sexy) face mask to protect me from dangerous fumes.  I find it incredibly satisfying using my hands in this way and find myself continuing to be pulled back into my art studio. I am inspired by so many artists, but one artist who has very much impacted my journey is Shawna Moore, a prolific artist based out of Whitefish, Montana. 

I look forward to continuing to create this work and travel along this path. I am currently accepting commissions from both my own photography as well as imagery that is provided by my clients.

To see more of my work, visit my website and follow along on Instagram for current projects. 

Thank you to my dear friend Amy Smith for all photographs in this post.  Amy can be found on Instagram at @amyrsmithphoto.

FIVE INSPIRATIONAL AND EMPOWERING BOOKS FOR WOMEN

We all lead busy lives, and it's easy to get caught up in work, family, and other commitments. We strive to be successful in every facet of our lives, and as women, we are often (unfairly) judged and expected to excel in every one of them.

Every week I try to set aside some time to turn off my phone and relax with a good book.  In 2018, I have resolved to focus more on female works. These books were written by incredible authors  and largely speak to female audiences. Although they use different voices and styles, they all have one common theme: they seek to inspire and empower their readers.  

Whether you need a little pick me up, want to reinvent your life, or just need to be inspired, here is a list of reads that I hope will motivate you.

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

Naomi Wolf details how the social pressures of physical beauty for women have increased as they have broken down other social barriers. The often unrealistic standards women are held to are used to punish them for their failure to achieve them. But as Wolf points out, we need to stop “debating the symptoms more passionately than the disease.” The core issue Wolf discusses is the judgement of women and the lack of choice. Although the book was written almost 30 years ago, its message still hold true today.  She argues that whether or not a woman chooses to adhere to popular beauty standards is not important, but what is important is that all women find a way to feel beautiful regardless of public and media standards.  

Bossypants

The common phrase "never meet your heroes" does not apply to Tina Fey's autobiographical comedy. The book, which reads like a collection of essays, is a reminder of why Fey has been so successful in a male dominated industry. She is insightful, professional, and funnier than everyone else.

Fey tells her story from a nerdy girl who loved theater camp all the way to her SNL and 30 Rock fame.  Bossypants features the same rapid fire pace of jokes featured on 30 Rock, but also details with great honesty her accomplishments and failures. She uses her usual intelligent yet effortless style to deliver a sharp critique of the obstacles she has faced, such as the many sexist and misogynistic views in the entertainment and comedy worlds.

 

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

Written by Elizabeth Gilbert, this memoir chronicles her post divorce travels as she seeks to find herself.  Seemingly having it all, Gilbert was still unhappy and needed more.  She spent the year abroad, traveling to different countries to find finsih

The New York Times described Gilbert's piece as "fueled by a mix of intelligence, wit and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible."  If you’re unhappy with facets of your life, don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and search for true happiness.  

Little Women

Searching for more of a classic? Look no further than this semi-autobiographical novel by Louisa May Alcott. Although it was written almost 150 years ago, it still stands the test of time. The theme of family is woven intricately through the story, and the four sisters lean heavily on each other as they deal with life’s tribulations. While it is common in modern literature to have female centric storylines and strong characters, this wasn’t the case in Alcott’s time.   

Thrive

Ariana Huffington takes a deep look of what success is defined as in modern society in this piece. Huffington (who is the co-founder of The Huffington Post) is seemingly the pinnacle of accomplishment with her many successful endeavors. Her book, however, focuses on the struggles behind the scenes to juggle both her career and her role as a mother.  She makes her readers take a step back and reevaluate their own lifestyles and pushes them to focus not only on money and power.  She argues that to be well rounded and happy, we also need to foster a healthy well being to truly thrive.  

Part of being empowered is knowing when to break the rules! So here’s my sixth recommendation, because you can never surround yourself with too many sources of inspiration.  

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

Feeling a little fiesty? Jen Sincero writes a how-to guide that is anything but common. In her refreshing and inspiring collection of advice, she pushes readers to identify and cease self sabotaging behaviors. Her words challenge you to create a life you love, and to do it starting right now. It’s a motivational read, but Sincero isn't afraid to have some fun along the way. The chapters -- 27 of them total -- are short and sweet. She will have you ready to go out and conquer life by the end with such quotes as “while there are countless ways that we rip ourselves off, there’s one way in particular that is, without a doubt, the most rampant and the most devastating of all: we invest everything we’ve got in believing that we’re not good enough.”

Are any of these books on your list for 2018?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maddie started her career in advertising sales and client management. Now she is using that experience to help small businesses grow through their social media presence and online content. When she isn’t thinking about how to revolutionize each client’s brand strategy, you can find her playing with her two kids, cuddling with her dogs, or taking long walks down the aisles of Target.

Combining Sights and Sounds To Curate Unique Memories

On this recent session I had the opportunity to capture the sights and sounds of life with baby Penley and her loving moms.

Creating an Audio Portrait for this family was a very special experience for them (and for me).

Since I know that life changes so quickly, especially with little ones, I thought it would be valuable to provide Chelsea and Kerry with a final Audio Portrait that represents and reflects their life right now. I wanted them to be able to watch their slideshow years from now and feel exactly how they felt while their little girl was making all of her fun noises, crawling around  house as her dog brothers took advantage of her leftover scraps of food. I knew it would be valuable to Penley to have later in life as well. We can all take snippets of videos, photos, etc., but I wanted this to be a curated piece that represented them in an artful, thoughtful way. I can’t get over Penley’s little growl and I am in love with those big beautiful brown eyes. 

I’m so inspired by creating these audio portraits for my clients. This format really allows me to dive deeper into connection on every level, and honestly that’s a huge part of why I do what I do.

Here’s what Chelsea had to say about her Audio Portrait experience:

"Norah’s creativity shines in the Audio Portrait she did for us, which so beautifully captures our baby girl’s personality and character at 8 months old. It’s amazing how she was able to deliver such a personal and touching piece— from the audio arrangement to the photo arrangement, each second of the video holds the potential for a smile or shed a tear of joy. Photographs are wonderful but having a piece like this, with a story and voices built into it, and that is so shareable and is just the right length to watch over and over again, is truly special. Norah crafted something that we intend to play at every one of our daughter’s birthday celebrations, every graduation, when she gets engaged, and married, and has babies herself!"