Le Chocolat Chaud - An Equestrian Picnic avec Ma Mere

Is there anything more magical than a beautiful fall day in the Pacific Northwest? The crunch of golden and amber leaves, the scent of damp earth beneath your feet, the crisp chill in the air, an apple picked straight from the tree and the rich glow of autumn light. I have to pinch myself on days such as these. How fortunate am I to have grown up surrounded by such bountiful beauty, to be able to return to my childhood home and spend days surrounded by inspiration and to bring to life, the tableaus that come together in my dreams.

An equestrian inspired hot chocolate picnic

This place, my childhood home, has always been a great source of creativity for me. I took my first decent 35mm photograph on an old SLR amidst the trees on this property. A portrait of the family dog, Greta, that earned me a blue ribbon at my elementary school’s arts fair. Though I believe that everyone might have gotten a blue ribbon for simply entering an elementary school’s arts fair. But no matter the validity of my blue ribbon, the origin tale of my artistry is so deeply rooted in the little world that exists within the five acres of my girlhood. With every visit ‘home’ I strive to do something creative and thoughtful. To build something beautiful to store safely in my heart and to take back with me to Los Angeles. These days of creating have been such a solace and have come to involve quite a bit of mucking about and truthfully, a bit of madness. And while running about, chasing the light and arranging and rearranging everything to look just as I envisioned, I have a constant companion and supporter. Ma mere. I feel so honored to have a mother who will indulge me in my wildest creative endeavors. Who will report back to me on the way the light hits a certain area at a particular time of day so I can properly plan. Who will brave the cold and trudge around with tripods and baskets of food and lug props around and help me with the dishes. Who has tended to the gardens and the fields and the mini orchard that bring me an overwhelming sense of tranquility and wonder. It is in her gardens, surrounded by her flowers that I grew up. And it is in the same gardens that I have been able to blossom and grow as an artist. Sharing these moments, these tableaus with her is something that I truly cherish.

This hot chocolate picnic, this equestrian inspired tableau, is more than just a handful of photographs to share with you and hopefully inspire you. It is more than just a visual story that I dreamed up once upon a restless night. It is a memory capsule. A slice in time that I never want to forget. A way to honor my creativity, my childhood, my love for the outdoors and my wonderfully chic mother. Xx