Chapter 44 - Dreaming of Wonderland
This birthday was truly magical! It was not a milestone but I ended up having something very special planned to commemorate “Chapter 44”. Art, creativity, and imagination were celebrated this year. It’s what fuels who I am and what shapes my reality.
The origins of what I’m sharing today began over one year ago. The story begins with a key character, Adrien Broom, a Brooklyn-based photographer specializing in surreal portraiture. She draws her inspiration from fine art, childhood stories, and imagination. Her unique imagery is a result of imaginative designs that are hand fabricated and then photographed with her subjects immersed in a real world of fantasy. No AI or computer generated images or effects are used resulting in timeless images evoking wonder and beauty.
For the past few years, Adrien has been designing unique installations and hosting private photo sessions in the Martine Chaisson Gallery every October in New Orleans. She was so fond of her 2022 Enchanted Garden installation that she continued the narrative of the garden and reimagined the space for a brief pop-up during Mardi Gras 2023. I came across Adrien’s work a few weeks before my 43rd birthday and was completely captivated by the idea of being photographed amidst her otherworldly scenes. I jumped at the opportunity and set out to New Orleans about a week after my birthday.
I felt connected to Adrien’s work because of my love of daydreaming, electronic music, and atmospheres woven with color, texture, and light. Her images seemed like a manifestation of my daydreams. I also loved how she captures her subjects with confidence, power, and assurance, in a curious way.
The resulting images were absolutely stunning! It has been a year since I’ve had these images and I struggled with how to share them because they deserved to be shared in a fashion to match their grandeur. Life got busy and the time slipped away. As we neared the end of 2023, I knew the perfect opportunity to finally share these images was quickly approaching…my birthday!
This past weekend, I hosted a magical birthday exhibition for my immediate family and a few close friends. Guests were invited to explore a mini-exhibition with five of the images on display along with a nature-themed tablescape. Small lanterns were handed out to explore all of the interesting details and shadows of the pieces. In addition to the prints, I personally designed an heirloom photo album with all of the beautiful images which was used as the centerpiece of the tablescape. It was designed to mimic an elegant storybook.
Prior to the unveiling of the images, I gave a few remarks and had prepared the following special video as a prelude.
This entire experience really allowed my imagination to run wild and celebrate the joy of creativity. If you would like to see all of the images, let's get together for a coffee or a meal. I would love to share the photo album (that appears in the video) with you over a visit.
