the beginning of the beginning

And here we are, my first week of my senior year of college is done. My heart is so full. I know I say all the time I'm excited about this or that, but honestly I have a feeling that this will be an incredibly fulfilling year and it's already brimming with so many possibilities I can't even imagine what's around the corner.

Things I'm excited about:

• Living with my two beautiful and amazing friends for the fourth year in a row!
• Being close to Matt (we spent the summer about an hour away from each other).
• My Agrarian Philosophy class. Once I found out that there was actually a field of study around humanity's relationship with nature, I jumped on the opportunity to learn more about it.
• My Writing Poetry class. Already I'm learning how to better my own writing, and being challenged to create through the written word every day.
• Having my own studio space. As a senior art major, I get a little corner of the senior art house, which I've already started filling with too many branches. I'm beside myself with happiness to finally have my own studio space. Along with that, I'm excited to continue with the close community of artists that we have.
• Being in Oregon again. This place has a pretty big piece of my heart.
• Learning from professional art practicioners.
• Exploring new art forms further.
• Combining all my passions together.
• Being surrounded by beautiful people and a beautiful land.

Senior year, here we go.

daughter of the fields

I've felt incredibly inspired recently after realizing that I hadn't created any personal pieces this summer. I'm finishing up my last summer wedding in about a week and then I have two more until 2016 (for now!), and I feel really blessed to have worked with some great, great clients! It's been a relaxing summer, with me doing a lot of reading and yoga mostly, just focusing on my physical-internal self and bettering it. But I got really nostalgic for those "old days" when I just picked up the camera and photographed myself for no other reason than because I had to. And I just came to the realization (like two days ago) that during my "personal style blogging" phase, it was just an extension of the creative self portrait photographs. So these photos are kind of a mesh of the two. Another documentation of my change, and my need to be constantly creating for myself. This was just like my first 365 days way back in 2010 (before this blog was in existence), when I didn't even have any ideas for a photo but I had to create something for that day, so I let my imagination run wild.

Click here to view more photos!

this summer

Feeling incredibly inspired at the moment, and suddenly found myself at this old space again. So much has happened since March and I once more feel like a different person from who I was then. This is my last "real" summer before I potentially never have school again, and I'm taking every moment one at a time. Since spending the month of May on the craziest adventure at the other side of the world, I have deepened my outlook on life that everything is intrinsically beautiful and I need to see it all. I'm already planning the next adventure to Oklahoma and Georgia and Alaska and it's exciting to be able to visit my childhood spaces.

I've been super into tea recently and have been trying out a bunch of different blends. I got some from New Zealand and Matt got me some from England and I've been drinking them out of wine glasses while I work. I'm sitting at a desk like a real adult and writing a lot and doing yoga and it's raining a beautiful summer Oregon rain right now. New music is playing and I'm saying yes to all the spontaneous trips I can.

At the beginning of the year, I labeled 2015 the Year of Adventure. I don't label every year, but this one called to me strongly. Now I know why and it makes me very content. There's an aching for me to travel, physically, mentally, creatively, and now upon entering the halfway point in the year, I see every way it has stretched me and I am so thankful for every experience and person I've been blessed to meet and know.

Life is so weird and I'm reminded of that every day. But it's so so beautiful and every person I see on the street is so beautiful. I wish everyone could know how beautiful they are.

march update

Just thought I'd give a little update since it's been about two months since I've last posted. My boyfriend Matt and I recently stumbled back upon lookbook.nu, then consequently creeped on all of my old outfit photos. Yikes. And it just got me thinking about my own evolution as a person and how I was completely different back then, and how happy I am to be the person that I am today.

These photos are from a recent assignment for my photo iii class, which you can read about on my photo website here. The pink hair will probably stay for a while. I am really enjoying it a lot and I feel it really suits me for this time in my life.

In about five weeks, I'll be done with my junior year of college. I'm signed up for all of my senior classes (except for printmaking, which I'm trying to fit into my schedule), to include my Senior Thesis for both my Art degree and my Writing degree (which will culminate with a writing portfolio + an art exhibition!). I'm also really excited for two philosophy classes that I get to take (one about Agrarian philosophy and another about Religion and Reason). I also get to take a Shakespeare class and a poetry writing class. It's all really exciting and at the same time a little sad because it will be my last year and then, 1. I have to become a real adult, and 2. I don't get to learn anything new (I mean, formally. And at this point in my life I don't think graduate school will be feasible). But, life goes on and I finally feel ready to handle it.

In about five weeks, I will also be flying outside of the country to spend a month in New Zealand/Fiji. It has been a dream of mine for the past eight years to go to New Zealand, and I can hardly believe that I'm going to get to go in a mere forty three days. It's going to take a lot of effort to not fill my suitcase with only long, fancy dresses for photo shoots, haha.

I've also been really pushing shooting weddings this summer, if you haven't already noticed by my facebook page. So if you need a wedding photographer, I'm here! And I'm willing to travel! My calender is already filling up with weddings and I am very grateful for all of my wonderful clients.

My roommates and I are also purchasing an off-campus home together and living here in Oregon over the summer. When I was little, I was always scared to death of being the oldest child because I would have to experience all these big milestones first and wouldn't have anyone to look up to, but now that I'm here, it's not bad at all. And when I was little, I was afraid that I wouldn't remember the things I thought of as a kid when I "grew up". Lemonade Lauren would be very pleased with who she became, and I feel so much more connected to her now, than to older Lauren when I was younger (funny how time works that way).

So there's a little haphazard update for you written at two am (don't worry, I'm on spring break so I'm getting lots of sleep!). Life is just really wonderful, and I am trying not to take any breath for granted. I feel incredibly blessed with this quiet life I have, and I am learning to be more comfortable with who I am and at the same time push myself just a little bit beyond that which I think I'm capable. I am content and ever pushing forward.