Beautiful Struggle

On going project-

Beautiful Struggle is a fine art landscape photography project . The literal subject matter is showcasing plants that are growing in difficult conditions. The actual, and more important, subject matter, however, is an allegorical representation of our personal struggles and the struggles of others that may go unnoticed, yet can be beautiful, even inspirational to a viewer on the outside. This project represents my long running devotion to life lessons learned from nature and my impassioned obligation to share those lessons with others. This project is also in the genre of “Transformational Self-Portraiture.” I don’t enjoy standing in front of a camera, but this genre is the idea of an artist creating an image of themselves as they wish to be seen. I use this project as a way to motivate myself to let my feet hit the ground one more day, and to put one foot in front of the other just one more time. If I focus on just the circumstances that cause the struggle for example, there is no hope. I frame the shots in such a way that the beauty if the heart of the image, despite the apparent struggle.  I hope it is likewise inspiring to anyone else who desperately needs motivation and hope. This is also an example of Art Therapy where I am using art as a method of dealing with internal struggles and communicating about them. This comes from my work with wounded veterans and the idea that we lose 22 per day that still have a place and value in this world. If you are a veteran struggling with reasons to stay, or anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide please contact us for a print of your choice if it helps you in your journey at all. If you live near us and would like to participate in our photo classes as art therapy, please contact us as well.

death valley february 2016_19.jpgdeath valley february 2016_4.jpgdeath valley february 2016_156.jpgdeath valley february 2016_43.jpgstruggler feb 14 2016_4.jpgstruggler feb 14 2016_8.jpgstrugglers spanish fork canyon feb 2016_2.jpgMPR_Parsons_1_OnShiftingSands.jpgMPR_Parsons_10_TheHardPlace.JPGMPR_Parsons_11_Forgotten.JPGMPR_Parsons_12_BarelyHangingOn.JPGMPR_Parsons_13_TheView.jpgMPR_Parsons_2_InABedOfSalt.JPGMPR_Parsons_3_Determination.JPGMPR_Parsons_4_BornOfFire.jpgMPR_Parsons_5_ReachingForTheLight.JPGMPR_Parsons_6_Hardened.JPGMPR_Parsons_7_OutOf HardThings.JPGMPR_Parsons_8_ArnicaInTheDunes.JPGMPR_Parsons_9_BrightSpotInADarkPlace.JPGStruggler 8x10.jpgstruggling plants Great Salt Lake_4.JPG

Also some inspiration video I have shot about getting our heads “up out of the fog” as it were, and finding the beauty that is still there. Feel free to share them.