I’ve been in New York for the past couple weeks. I’m just cozy-ing back into my LA Studio Corner and playing a bit of catch up this weekend.  While I was on the east coast I tried to stay conscious of all the things around me and to let myself be completely INSPIRED by the sights, sounds and smells of the City. Inspiration. It’s something we’re always searching for as artists. But it can be found in the simplest things.  A coffee cup that sits on a weathered wooden table. Or the way wet leaves stain the sidewalk in Fall. Being from Arizona, Rain is something that inspires me a great deal – because I saw so little of it growing up. If you’ve ever experienced a desert rain in the middle of summer, then you’ll know that is is nothing short of Pure Magic. On the opposite side of the coin, something as simple as a bit of direct sunshine on the skin is truly one of my favorite treasures. Pair that with a body of water to jump in – and then I’m in heaven! New York gave me a little bit of each season while I was there. It felt lucky. And luckily I packed something from each season to wear…well, I borrowed a few things too. While I was inspired by a LOT of things on my visit … it’s been 3 weeks since I saw this image at the Whitney Museum, and it’s still on my mind! I just thought I’d share it. Maybe somebody else will be inspired by it too.

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Thinking of You), 1999–2000. Photographic screenprint on vinyl: 123 × 101 in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

It’s always fun when you meet someone who lives in your same neighborhood. But after talking with Natasha a bit on the phone, we discovered we actually lived in the same building!!! How convenient is that? Sometimes we’ll see these two first thing in the morning… they get up and walk their dogs together. Sometimes I think we must be the only people in the building who don’t own a dog. Still, both Tony and I are huge dog lovers. We’re just not around enough to look after one full time. This is me rambling… I’d love to have a dog one day (:

Anyway, John wanted to do their engagement photos in a building downtown with an Art Deco feel. Union Station was the obvious choice in my mind. Sure wish we could have brought their dogs!