Today we’d like to introduce you to Penelope James.
Hi Penelope, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
At a tower-collapsing moment of life, a dear friend suggested I buy a camera. This camera quickly became a lifeline and a means of making sense of the world around me during a very difficult time. Using my camera, a sweet little Nikon D3300 at the time, I was able to pour my emotions and mood into tangible form. A sort of visual diary if you will, a release valve for my inner voice, which had laid dormant for so long.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While I have had some successes with my photography, I cannot lie and say I always feel confident and sure. I question all of it at times. Wondering to what end am I even creating. Especially if/when I receive rejections or things are not aligning as I perhaps thought they might. This appears to be a very common thought process for many artists and creatives. We begin to focus on approval and acceptance and can start to lose sight of the ultimate reason we create. At this moment, I am trying to shift from validation to cultivation. I want to honor the process because the process is ultimately where joy, wonder, and magic are found. Recently, I have been feeling a bit stagnant and uninspired, due to a setback this summer. But, in the back of my mind, an image was taking shape, built off a landscape shot I had taken. The creative muse was slowly approaching, though I was slow to pick up on it. It’s funny how the one thing that will clear that stagnant energy is the one thing that can be hardest to put into motion. Once I finally acquiesced to the gnawing need to create, I began putting this image from my mind together and almost immediately found myself in the zone. My determination and creativity instantly returned as I spent the next several hours creating my latest self-portrait, “Daliesque Dreams”. I was reminded how precious the moments of creation are and how soothing to the soul. It’s as if the mind gets washed clean from negative energy and the body can breathe clear once again. And that, right now, is of so much more value to me than outward validation. I do believe that when you are creating from these genuine spaces, this is where true connection to others can happen and how we learn to operate in the world as exactly who and what we are. This has far-reaching effects beyond just creating art. For becoming who and what we are in a very authentic sense, gives us the ability to see others in the same light, which builds acceptance and understanding of differences, knowing that we are all bringing something unique and valuable to the table.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
This is a tough question. Since I use photography as a means of processing my innermost thoughts and feelings, my work can be just as eclectic as the wide range of human emotions we can experience throughout our lives, making it hard to choose just one. But, perhaps the most meaningful to me have been my self portraits. As one who has always struggled with allowing myself to take up space, placing myself front and center without apology felt invigorating and healing. I was not only giving myself permission to be, but also to be in a very bold manner. It took a bit of bravery to share these portraits, but I knew it was necessary for the growth to occur.
I am also quite proud of the essays and poems I have been writing lately to accompany my photography. Once again, these are tiny acts of bravery, and very similar to the self-portraits in that I am allowing my voice to be heard and giving myself permission to take up space in this world. This tiny act of sharing can have a monumental impact on the value you see in yourself. Which, in the end, turns out to be the most important validation you will receive.
As a woman, I am shocked that worldwide we are still fighting for our right to bodily autonomy and a joyful life. Be it reproductive rights, or even the simple act of feeling the sun and wind on our face and hair. Allowing ourselves to take up space in this moment whenever possible (or in some instances, for some brave women, even when impossible) feels so vital and so important.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned is that life is constantly changing. I do not want to live on past successes, nor do I want to constantly claw for future accolades, therefore the best solution is to live in the moment and cultivate the process. Be happy in the exact place you find yourself in because that place is necessary and beautiful. Allow your life to flow with ease. And breathe.
Perhaps to end, I can share two poems/essays I have written that sum up my current thoughts and feelings on art and the definition I am holding for success:
The creative muse does the work of dreams;
forcing us into our subconscious mind.
Demanding we discover
our deeper selves.
She cares not how others
perceive your work
or if you will find success.
She only cares that you fine-tune your soul
and learn to trust her process.
Lose yourself
in the projects she presents
and find who you were meant to be.
(This piece was written after spending a good half hour or more in one place obsessively shooting reflection silhouettes on the floor of the Las Vegas airport)
And lastly:
Art is manifestation of the spirit
and there are no regulations
on how the soul should present itself.
Mine is currently presenting
as delicately woven intricacies
of imperfection.
(This piece accompanies the long exposure street scene photo, that at first I wrote off for being so imperfect, but ultimately trusted my judgment that the imperfections were what made it so wonderful.)
Contact Info:
- Website: Penelopeace.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/Penelopeace
