mohawk maker quarterly/issue 1

While I was working on the Modern Originals,  Mohawk Paper Company asked me some questions about my work for their first issue of Mohawk Maker Quarterly. It is funny, I was a bit cuckoo with deadlines at that point so the second I answered their questions and sent them a few photos, I completely forgot about it. And then about a month ago I received this beautiful color newspaper. Wow!! I am in the comapny of some wonderful people whom I admire - Massimo Vignelli, Stephen Shore, etc - and I am in the section called "Champions of Craft" which I am completely humbled and honored by. Thank you so much for the acknowledgement Mohawk!  You can read about it here

modern originals/progress report

Hi everyone! Life has been rather busy this summer working on my new book, Modern Originals, and the blog has been rather neglected as a result. I honestly forgot how intense and time consuming making a book can be. But I am happy to say that after an intense past month (or 2?) of working on the images and making match prints, I sent out the lot of it to Rizzoli last week. This first image was my kitchen table when I was going through every single print (231 of them!) and making one last check. There are still a few things to do and then comes the waiting game for proofs from the printers, but my hard part is pretty much complete. YAY!!!!!
I hope all of you enjoy this last gasp of summer this Labor Day.  I know I am. xx

daily life/morning walk

One of the perks of my morning walks (which have been rather early lately) is that all the sprinklers are running. It sounds like summer.

handcrafted modern/outtakes/blunk

I guess it makes sense that all this work on my new book has led to reviewing my first one, Handcrafted Modern. There are so many images that have never been seen, including this one at JB Blunk's home. I have been posting some outtakes on Instagram as well so you can follow me there if you'd like. I'd love to have you. I'm lesliewilliamson on IG.

notes from the writing cabin/habits

I am a creature of habit. I know it sounds so very boring, but I have learned from traveling so much and just my general temperment that one way to get acclimated quickly into any foreign place is to get the routine down quick. For me that means 1) where can I take my AM walk and 2) where has the best coffee and opens early enough for me. Returning to Mendocino to the same writing cabin I used in January ended up being a great thing because the habits were in place and so "settling in" took no time at all. And yesterday I was reminded of another perk of my habitual tendencies - feeling known. At this point the coffee guy sees me and just makes me an Americano (bless him) and that gave me comfort. I am remembered. When I thanked him for remembering my order he said that not many women drank Americanos. So apparently that is my identity to him - "the Americano drinking woman". It kinda makes me laugh, but it feels nice...
Just an image from my other habit - my morning walk. Not bad, eh?

daily life/I don't make u-turns for photos...

...but I just did for this one.
I was driving home from getting a coffee and glanced over at my favorite house in our neighborhood (the original farmhouse for our hill in Diamond Heights) and saw this hawk just perched there. I said out loud (in the car by myself) "are you kidding?!?" and I flipped a U-y. I was sure I would have scared him away by coming close but he was watching something in the grass and just looked at me. We stared at each other for awhile, actually. As we did, his chest feathers were blowing in the breeze and I could see how soft and downy they were. Wow...I really needed that!!
The Kickstarter is rolling along with a lot of tending and emails (pledge here, there is still aways to go!) and I am doing a bunch of slideshow talks and I am continuing to work on writing and perfecting the chapters of my book. It is a lot to handle for me alone. I know these are all wonderful opportunities to share my work that I love with people, so I focus on that, but still, I admit I am scattered. So my moments with this hawk just helped put me back in place - with the cycles of life and the simple things that are important...and I really needed that.
The hawks have actually been riding the air currents above our house a lot lately and I watch them then too...but that is another story.
Have a lovely day my friends. Take a moment to stop and be still. It really helps sometimes.

daily life/back in SF

As many of you know I have been up in Mendocino (see the pics today from my morning walk there) working on writing the essays for my new book for the past few weeks. Well, yesterday I finally drove back over the Golden Gate Bridge and am back home in San Francisco. Frankly, it feels rather strange to be back. Life in Mendocino was basic but focused to one thing...writing my book. And there is a beauty in that simplicity. The second I walked in my door everyday life hit. My ignored overflowing email inbox could no longer be ignored for one thing...
Alas, there is still much to do, most importantly is my Kickstarter campaign to finish the book. I also have a few lectures coming up in early march where I will be sharing a sneak preview of my new book live and in person. (One on march 1 in Nor cal and the other on march 9 in so cal). But for now please check out the Kickstarter and if you loved Handcrafted Modern, I need you to pre buy your copy of Handcrafted Modern Europe. It is going to be a beautiful book.

daily life/mendocino writing cabin

I think I have got my routine down here at the writing cabin in Mendocino. I wake up, head down to the cliff for a walk, get a cup of coffee in Mendocino and then head back to the cabin to write for the rest of the day. I'll break for lunch in the mid afternoon and a light dinner and if I am on schedule, let myself watch one hour of some type of downloaded mindless entertainment. Something light. It is a simple, intense routine, but it is working.
The other day as I got back to the cabin after my walk, I started laughing at myself because I realized that my routine when I get to the cabin is exactly what Mr. Rogers did at the beginning of every single one of his shows. (For those of you not familiar with Mr. Rogers, go here.) I put down my things, take off my shoes and change them to my "cabin moccasins". Then I take off my outdoor coat and change into my comfy sweater that my Mom hand knitted for my Dad in the 1970's. It has a zipper instead of buttons and for some reason, I always noticed that Mr. Rogers always had zippered sweaters. Maybe that is why this all came to mind. It is fascinating where your mind goes when you are alone in your thoughts all the time. I find myself remembering things I didn't realize were in this brain of mine. Sometimes these memories are discoveries unto themselves. I love it!
OK. Enough with the rambling. Back to work.
PS - this is another of my favorite images from my morning walks. There are lots more on Instagram. @lesliewilliamson

daily life/morning walk in Mendocino

So I have been holed up in a cabin in Mendocino for the past couple of days writing these essays for my new book. Quite honestly, I am feeling the pressure now and it has been a bumpy ride. But yesterday, I finally hit a groove and completed what feels like the first solid chapter. I went to bed feeling good for the first time in awhile.
So this morning I wake up and just throw on clothes to go out for a walk. It was sublimely beautiful in Mendocino this morning, no other way to put it. I headed off down the cliff trail and literally within the first minute of my walk this is what I see. You can see it, right? You can call it a heart puddle if you want. Or a puddle of love. All I can see is a sign telling me I am on the right path (with everything - writing, photography, life, love) and to keep going! What an amazing way to start the day. I absolutely had to share this right away.  ; )
Hope your weekend is full of beautiful signs like this. xx

PS - you can see a few more images from my morning walk if you follow me on Instagram @lesliewilliamson

the bird/Mendocino

First of all, let me share with you all, there are some big crows here in Mendocino. On my walk yesterday I walked by a disturbing amount of them and all I could think was...yikes...those things are massive (think fat cat). I shot this on my walk. The crow was perched rather perfectly right at the top of the roofline but I missed it. This shot is better, though. I only got one shot off and then he was gone...perfect. Sometimes I love photography for the very fleetingness of it. It is constantly reminding you that you only have a bit of control...but never absolute control. Just like life. : )

daily life/morning walk in Mendocino

Just a couple of shots from my rainy morning walk in Mendocino today. I am sequestered in a cabin writing the chapters for my new book. Apparently this is the only way I can effectively concentrate. So morning walks and then intensive writing for the rest of the day.

angler's club pt. 2/golden gate park

Before the weekend I thought I would share the rest of my images from the San Francisco Angler's Club in Golden Gate Park. It is a peaceful place to just go and sit. Fly casting seems like an incredibly meditative activity, and watching from the sidelines is equally so.
Wish I had more to write today, but I am writing up my Kickstarter project summary and I have to keep to it. My Kickstarter will be launching soon (next week I hope?) and for all of you that have been wanting a sneak peek into the new book, this will be it. I'll keep you posted.
Have a lovely weekend beautiful people.

daily life/morning walk at ocean beach

Some days I just need to be by water. Actually most days this is what I need, but yesterday it was doubly true. Water is grounding for me and with so many different things pulling at my time and attention, just hearing the ocean's constant, low roar anchors me and slows everything down. The birds were having a pretty good time yesterday as well...

daily life/inheritance

Last night I slept in this bed. It was my Grandmothers and before that my Grandfathers. I found my eyes opening this morning and not knowing where I was, but when my hand brushed against the headboard, all these thoughts flooded into my head and I thought I was in my Grandmother's old bedroom. It was comforting and disconcerting all at once. I really wish it was possible to be in that room one more time. But alas, the house was demolished long ago. Interesting way to start the day...

stockholm/randoms

A few random favorite images I shot while in Stockholm. This first one is my absolute favorite. There is something so good about the colors in this one. I think there is a little theme within these three, however accidental.
Heading to Brno, Czech Republic today! Going to see some mid century architects...

daily life/

I had an early morning scout yesterday and I circled around to shoot this on an alley in the Mission. So amazing, right? I especially appreciate the two perfect "x marks the spots" on the doors!

daily life/first thing I see

Yesterday, this is the first thing I saw in the morning. I am not one to grab my camera when things like this occur. I usually lie there and watch the light move, but for some reason I did shoot it yesterday. Add to this the sound of howling wind in the trees around my house.  It was a lovely way to wake up.

daily life/location scouting

A little more location scouting in the Marin Headlands on Friday yielded a bunch of images but this is my absolute favorite. I was giggling when I shot it...to me it looks like a big fluffy white toupee that has finally found a place to land! ha!

The clouds were so great on Friday. They all had personalities...

daily life/location scouting

I love location scouting. Yesterday it was the Headlands Center for the Arts. Just my cup of decaying tea...

daily life/location scouting

This gives you a taste of my day yesterday. A little location scouting and a little admiration of old signage that I ran across. Yes, it was quite a random, all over the place day, but pretty fun and fascinating. Have a great weekend friends!