Just wanted to thank those who have just joined our project. Rodney had a great time meeting and photographing you. I think we are now at 85 images officially.
Just a note, the gallery shows February 26 to March 9th. We are having some difficulties changing our website. Sorry about the confusion in dates.
We are extremely busy, working on the book portion of this project.
This week, though, we have also enjoyed taking time for good food, fun with our kids, singing Christmas carols, and baking cookies. I've been thinking about how God could give up so much to come down to earth...starting out as a naked baby crying for his mama, just like every one of us did. Heard a great talk on this at church, actually. Some time soon it should be ready in podcast form here.
Anyways, we hope each one of you has a wonder-filled Christmas this year. I wish for me and for you: the time to enjoy good food surrounded with love, the time to be alone and reflect on your life and your dreams, and the time to think more deeply about the Divine Gift given so long ago.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Last Call for Participants
We have made time available in the next week for shooting. We still have room left on Saturday, December 12th between 11 and 2. And we have one more day after that: Thursday, December 17th between 2 and 7. (Sorry our website is not up-to-date).
We would welcome anyone who wants to come and be a part of our project, helping us to show there is incredible beauty in the wide variety of colours, shapes, and sizes that our bodies come in. Even more than that, there is a body of wisdom we have collected from participants through the stories that are emerging.
It involves ten minutes of time in the studio (you'll be amazed at how quickly it happens!) as well as a bit of time before and after. Please remember to bring a short description to be included with your portrait.
We really would like this project to involve the widest diversity of people that make up Winnipeg. We want to celebrate the beauty from all the nations of the world that we have in our city. We want to celebrate the beauty from all walks of life. All ages. Thank you to each one of you who has come out to be part of our project. We have enjoyed getting to know you. Thanks for your help in spreading the news of our project as well.
Looking forward to what the new year will bring!
We would welcome anyone who wants to come and be a part of our project, helping us to show there is incredible beauty in the wide variety of colours, shapes, and sizes that our bodies come in. Even more than that, there is a body of wisdom we have collected from participants through the stories that are emerging.
It involves ten minutes of time in the studio (you'll be amazed at how quickly it happens!) as well as a bit of time before and after. Please remember to bring a short description to be included with your portrait.
We really would like this project to involve the widest diversity of people that make up Winnipeg. We want to celebrate the beauty from all the nations of the world that we have in our city. We want to celebrate the beauty from all walks of life. All ages. Thank you to each one of you who has come out to be part of our project. We have enjoyed getting to know you. Thanks for your help in spreading the news of our project as well.
Looking forward to what the new year will bring!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Her Life Now
Thanks for the chance to share my experience since baring it all with your "Just As I Am" project. It has been a very profound experience for me, as I knew it would be. As soon as I heard about your project, I knew instantly, that I would be participating. It was that kind of knowing that comes from somewhere very mystical and magical. That part of me, that always knows what's best for me. And then, like usual, when my ego doesn't approve of my higher self's actions, a little debate started, that went kinda like this... "What are you thinking?" ..."I'm thinking that I'm gonna do this.".... "Are you nuts?" ..."Maybe..maybe not."... "You mean to say, you're gonna let someone take your naked picture, and post it on a website, and put it in an art show, and totally let go of the rights?" ..."Yup, that's what I'm gonna do."... "You can't do that..for one, it's crazy, and for another, you are too fat and too ugly..don't you know, only pretty, thin people are allowed to do that...nobody wants to see you." ..."Maybe...maybe not...but I need to see me, and so I'm gonna do it."
And there it was. I needed to see ME. I didn't totally understand that, at the time. And I didn't know how it would play out. I just knew, with absolute certainty, that this was gonna be a very profound experience.
I still remember the drive to the studio that day, and thinking to myself, "Why don't you just do a private photo shoot? Why do something so public?" But, I knew why. I knew that this was my opportunity to stop living in shame, and it needed to be big. It needed to be bigger than my shame. Bigger than this self-loathing, that I've carried around forever. And I needed to have no way to turn back. Because I always turn back. I always return to that shame. But, not this time. This time, I was gonna make sure that the only direction to go, was forward.
What a surprise the first time I saw my picture. It's not like I hadn't seen myself naked. I'm pretty much a nudist at home, so I often see myself naked. I knew what I looked like. But, something totally different happens, when you see yourself in a photo...naked, vulnerable...captured in a moment in time. You get to really see what others see. (or at least, what you think they see.) At first, all I could see was my big belly, and my fat legs, and I felt embarassed and angry at myself. How could I let myself get so big? I could have asked why, as well, but I knew why. I've always known why. Food has been my comfort...my protection...my way to keep all the bad memories stuffed neatly down. The memories that were too painful to acknowledge. The memories that have been screaming at me for a long, long time. On that day, I knew that I was finally ready to listen. Really listen...with my heart. I was finally strong enough, courageous enough, to hear the truth, that I had always known, deep inside me.
And so, that has been my experience, my work, since being in the project. Coming to terms with what happened to me, long ago, and letting it go...finally. I used to think that remembering would kill me, but the opposite is actaully true. Remembering has set me free. Holding on was killing me. It's really such a relief to have those memories out of me...to let them have air...to let them float out, into the universe, and fly away. And it's an on-going process. Some days are really rough. And some days are blissful, beyond belief. The best part is that I'm starting to feel more whole, more alive, more authentic, and more worthy of love and goodness...and I hold on to that, on the hard days. And the anger is slowly fading. The anger that has been my steady companion, for a long time. In it's place, I'm starting to feel a sense of peace and calm, and sometimes, even forgiveness and gratitude. Gratitude for all the circumstances of my life, that have helped to shape me into the person, that I am today. I would not be this person, had it not all happened...and I'm starting to really like and appreciate ME.
I still see the big belly and the fat legs, when I look at my picture...but, today, I have compassion for this body...this beautiful body that has carried me through so much, with grace and dignity. And I see other things. I see courage, and kindness...trust, and faith. I see the innocence of a little girl, and the determination of a strong woman. And I see the willingness to share myself, with the world....Just As I Am.
And there it was. I needed to see ME. I didn't totally understand that, at the time. And I didn't know how it would play out. I just knew, with absolute certainty, that this was gonna be a very profound experience.
I still remember the drive to the studio that day, and thinking to myself, "Why don't you just do a private photo shoot? Why do something so public?" But, I knew why. I knew that this was my opportunity to stop living in shame, and it needed to be big. It needed to be bigger than my shame. Bigger than this self-loathing, that I've carried around forever. And I needed to have no way to turn back. Because I always turn back. I always return to that shame. But, not this time. This time, I was gonna make sure that the only direction to go, was forward.
What a surprise the first time I saw my picture. It's not like I hadn't seen myself naked. I'm pretty much a nudist at home, so I often see myself naked. I knew what I looked like. But, something totally different happens, when you see yourself in a photo...naked, vulnerable...captured in a moment in time. You get to really see what others see. (or at least, what you think they see.) At first, all I could see was my big belly, and my fat legs, and I felt embarassed and angry at myself. How could I let myself get so big? I could have asked why, as well, but I knew why. I've always known why. Food has been my comfort...my protection...my way to keep all the bad memories stuffed neatly down. The memories that were too painful to acknowledge. The memories that have been screaming at me for a long, long time. On that day, I knew that I was finally ready to listen. Really listen...with my heart. I was finally strong enough, courageous enough, to hear the truth, that I had always known, deep inside me.
And so, that has been my experience, my work, since being in the project. Coming to terms with what happened to me, long ago, and letting it go...finally. I used to think that remembering would kill me, but the opposite is actaully true. Remembering has set me free. Holding on was killing me. It's really such a relief to have those memories out of me...to let them have air...to let them float out, into the universe, and fly away. And it's an on-going process. Some days are really rough. And some days are blissful, beyond belief. The best part is that I'm starting to feel more whole, more alive, more authentic, and more worthy of love and goodness...and I hold on to that, on the hard days. And the anger is slowly fading. The anger that has been my steady companion, for a long time. In it's place, I'm starting to feel a sense of peace and calm, and sometimes, even forgiveness and gratitude. Gratitude for all the circumstances of my life, that have helped to shape me into the person, that I am today. I would not be this person, had it not all happened...and I'm starting to really like and appreciate ME.
I still see the big belly and the fat legs, when I look at my picture...but, today, I have compassion for this body...this beautiful body that has carried me through so much, with grace and dignity. And I see other things. I see courage, and kindness...trust, and faith. I see the innocence of a little girl, and the determination of a strong woman. And I see the willingness to share myself, with the world....Just As I Am.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Petrified
Well I just finished a meeting that I never would have thought I would have, I just finished a meeting with a guy from Friesens Printing regarding having a book made for the Just As I Am project. I really can’t figure out if I should be excited or petrified or both; I’m excited to have this as a possibility, at the same time terrified about the 10 thousand or so dollars that will be required to make it happen.
At this point I have a few options, I could rob a small bank or even a Credit Union, or I can pray for wisdom; since I don’t have a gun I guess I’ll stick with praying for wisdom as I think through whether we can sell in excess of 250 or so books.
As I’m praying if you happen to have a small bank or Credit Union and feel like making me a huge loan to help make the book project happen feel free to give me a call. If you don’t have a bank but have a personal relationship with Oprah or someone like her, again I would love to hear from you.
Speaking of a book, if you would like to write a bit about your experience we would like to have some of your stories as an option to publish or else there will just be a bunch of my ramblings in there.
Anyways, as always these are just a few things going through my head, have a great week.
Rodney
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