Creative Corner: Jaicee Almond Photography

I am a sucker for photography. I am. No joke. I just love it. I love taking pictures. I love looking at others pictures. I just love pictures. They capture life in any given moment. An image is an individualistic perception of time, captured in a single second.

I was browsing around Facebook one night and I came across JKA Photography and immediately became drawn to this person’s ability. I looked in this page more and found that the photographer behind these amazing images was a senior in high school! NO WAY! WAY!

I was taken back by this girl’s professionalism, creativity and talent. In awe, actually. When I contacted the young woman behind JKA Photography, Jaicee Almond, I was not sure what to expect. You know how high school kids can be. I was pleasantly surprised again with her response, she is smart and respectful. I was really excited to feature her on my website under the Creative Corner section but I had a serious problem; I could not pick just one image of Jaicee’s to feature. The chick is talented! 

Since then, Jaicee has begun college and her journey as a photographer. Her images have remained as amazing as ever and you can see her grow through them. I like that and that is why I have chosen her again to be featured under the Creative Corner section on my site. I hope that you enjoy her images as much as I do. Jaicee, may you never get bored of your talent and may you always bless this world with your images. 

http://jaiceealmondphotography.tumblr.com/

Something to think about...

When I am 50, it will be my generation who will be running the government. When I am 70 it will be my daughter’s generation who will be making the decisions. Does that scare me? No, and for only one reason; the kids that I have come into contact with who are aged 1-25 are passionate, loving and smart individuals. They possess a certain quality that I think we have not seen until recently. It is a quality that is derived from an unseen knowledge that combined with passion will change the world. Mix technology in there and what we have, ladies and gentlemen, is a power that will take the relationship between individualism and community to a whole new level.

What I am seeing from this age group is the overwhelming sense that it is OK to be yourself and it is OK to pursue your passions even if they are risky. We are living is a world where success is driven by passion and these kids are rolling with it! Children these days have to deal with a lot. Higher school standards, bullying, home issues, health issues…you name it, our young ones are dealing with it. Aren’t they dealing with it well?

Jonah Mowry, is a good example of this. When I saw his video I was saddened at the bullying this child had endured and the pain that he had inflicted on himself; but I was absolutely inspired by his ability to take the situation and use it to heal himself and to heal others. He was passionate about the issue of bullying, he used an unseen knowledge paired with technology, took the risk and he played a part in changing this world. Now just imagine what he will be doing when we are 70? I can’t wait to find out!

For those of you who have not seen Jonah Mowry’s video, here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdkNn3Ei-Lg&feature=youtu.be

Business Worth the Buzz: Nevada County Makes--What is it that attracts so many creative people to the Sierra Nevada?

There is a book titled, Sierra Songs and Descants, Poetry and Pose of the Sierra, which was edited by Gail Rudd Entrekin and Kathryn Napier Stull. It is a collection of poetry and short stories that were inspired by the Sierra Mountains. When I read the Foreward by Sands Hall, it hit me; I live in one of the most creative, abundant and exceptional places in the world. Sands Hall shares a tea time story which was experienced with a new friend she had acquired upon moving to Nevada County. Her company asked if she knew why so many artists and healers were “attracted to this area”. It was explained to her (and did not take her much time to see) that, “Gold attracts those searching for wealth. It’s an element with magical properties. It’s monetary pull is merely one aspect of its mystical qualities.” It does make sense. Gold is known to also be associated with perfection and balance. Doesn’t every creative person seek both of those things to some extent? 

Those of us who reside in the Sierra Nevada Foothills are quiet an imaginative bunch. Some of us pursue our talent as a career and some of us leave it as a hobby. Either way, the spectrum of talent is broad and ranges from music to art to dance to theatre to design to healing to all the above and more. Generally, people in this area are passionate and are not afraid to express self. We are all different in our own little way and that is how we prefer it. You can see the imagination of which our community radiates at any of our local street fairs.  There is no shortage of performers or vendors distributing their handmade bags, soaps, clothes, accessories, jewelry, spoons, walking sticks, yard art, home décor, fine arts, foods, wines and other creative expressions. You can see it hung and taste it in each winery tasting room, coffee house and most restaurants throughout Nevada County. You can hear it pouring out of local bars and restaurants any given Friday or Saturday night. It is everywhere and at times overwhelming. 

That is what inspires me to share my local finds with you. This Business Worth the Buzz is  Nevada County Makes (NCM). NCM is an online store that has embraced our creative community and provided us with a platform to sell our goods. Jerri Glover, founder of NCM states that, “We are surrounded by creativity in Nevada County. It is one of many things we love about living here. We wanted to provide people access to these amazingly talented people 24/7, year-round. That is why Bill and I created Nevada County Makes.” Thank goodness they did because now we have one place to find hundreds of local handmade goods; clothes, lamps, walking sticks, jewelry, metalwork, pottery, woodwork, paper craft, bags, toys, wellness items, etc. If you are looking for it, you are probably going to find it here. If it is handmade and you need to sell it, you can probably sell it here. Did anyone see their booth at Cornish Christmas this year? I think we are going to start seeing a lot more of Nevada County Makes around, let’s hope anyway! For more information on NCM, please visit www.nevadacountymakes.com.

Resources:

Rudd Entrekin, Gail and Napier Stull, Kathryn. Sierra Songs and Descants, Poetry and Prose of the Sierra. Nevada City: Hip Pocket Press, 2002.

For more information on this book please visit http://hippocketpress.com/sierrasongs.php.