Hello friends,

Spring has arrived here in Georgia and I am not the least bit sad. I know many of you are still stuck in the cold and contending with snow, unholy amounts even for a few of you. But it was in the 70s again here today and let me tell you that this girl needed it bad. February just about broke me.

I said once of motherhood that sometimes, occasionally, there are moments of joy that feel ridiculously beautiful, while others just feel so chaotic, and hard. I’ve come to realize that this is true of life too, and if I’m honest this past month mine has felt entirely overwhelmed by the latter.

But a few warm days and a little sunshine have got me feeling optimistic again. Getting back into the darkroom hasn’t hurt either; I’ve lots of new images to share, as you’ll see below. And I’ve been on quite a poetry kick too, mostly reading but also a little writing. It’s been cathartic, and I’ve enjoyed exploring new ways of expression.

Speaking of enjoyment, it occurred to me that while I know I’ve mentioned it in conversation with one or two of you, I don't think I have ever explicitly said here just how much I love making this newsletter. Truly it is one of my favorite things that I do. And while I put a lot into it - choosing and arranging images, fretting over wording, curating things to share that I believe are worthy of your time - it never, ever, feels like work. It feels like making something special for the people who mean most to me, and that brings me an inordinate amount of bliss. So, thank you to each of you for being here and allowing me a little of your time each month.

I hope you all are doing well, enjoying whatever season you find yourself in. And you know how much I love to hear from you, so write me back!

kg

DOUBLE TAKE

“In your prayer, you pray, ‘Please don’t let me screw it up, but just screw it up a little bit, just enough to make it interesting.’” - Sally Mann

I spent a good portion of the last month feeling like an exposed roll of film was missing. I would check and recheck all of the usual spots - various bags, my desk, the kitchen counter (because where else would you keep film?) But I could never find it. It turned up though, when only a few days ago I developed several rolls and discovered that it was the roll I had just taken out of the camera, apparently for a second time. Turns out there is a downside to not fully rewinding a roll when you’re done with it; you can mistake it for a brand new roll. (I leave the leader out to make it easier to retrieve the film when it’s time to develop.)

The funny thing is, when I discovered what had happened I wasn’t even upset. I actually found myself quite excited by the possibility of finding a few unexpected and perhaps rather cool images when I scanned the film. As luck would have it though I found more than a few that I loved, each somehow made even better by my happy accident.

FRESH FILM

If you haven’t stopped by my recent film page in a while go check it out. I gave it an overhaul with a handful of black and white images I developed earlier this month, mostly on some oh-so-dreamy Delta 3200, mixed with a few images from late last year.

RECENT BLOG POSTS

OPENING TOMORROW NIGHT!

AT THE MOMENT

LISTENING TO

There’s a little place on the south side of Athens I love to go for brunch. It isn’t anything fancy; a little quirky inside (read: pink EVERYwhere), but the food is good and they play the best brunch soundtrack. It inspired me to create my own sunday morning playlist, perfect for those times I’d rather be sipping lattes while someone else makes me breakfast.

READING IN

Two of my favorite finds from my aforementioned poetry kick are actually not (entirely) poetry books at all. This month I fell in love with Dorothy Parker, and found The Portable Dorothy Parker to be a fabulous foray into her work, containing just about everything she ever wrote. And though I’ve always been infatuated with e e cummings’ poetry, I had no idea how much other writing he had done until I picked up A Miscellany. Like Parker he has a wit and a cleverness that is just so delicious. Fun fact, both writers were contributors to Vanity Fair.

THINKING ABOUT

Back in December I read a fantastic article in the Times, Yo-Yo Ma is Finding His Way Back to Nature Through Music, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. I can’t help but draw parallels between his project and the work of Andy Goldsworthy. Both embody the beautiful idea that the making of art - in any form - could be more about the experience of the creation and the connection it brings than about the finished product.

CRUSHING ON

Lately I’ve been low key obsessed with, and drawing all sorts of inspiration from, the Nitch instagram and website. I think sharing their posts may actually be my love language. I won’t even try to explain it here, just know that you should go check them both out.