Do Something Useful

I’ve spent a lot of time with my Grandfather throughout my life. He passed away last week at the age of 92, although he was as healthy and independent as a 60-year-old still driving cross-country by himself. After my Grandmother passed he would spend his summers living with my mom. A few summers ago I also moved back home with my mom to refigure out my life.

We were roommates. I would spend my time in the room next to him making and creating whatever oddities excited me while he would watch baseball on the “Boob Tube,” which were the best seats to watch the game. After the game he would shuffle his way to bed, but always stop to see what I was making. One night I was making a bunch of hand knit cupcake toys. He picked it up and was completely perplexed as to what it did. I believe he said something like, “What do you do with it? What is the point? It can’t keep you warm? Why don’t you make something useful?” He threw his hands up in the air and went to bed.

I go through fits of creative mania where I have to make something large, be it a quilt in a week or a hundred multiples of little things. It serves as therapy in way, to take that energy, put it to use and have something to show for it. The day he died, I decided I had to make 100 paper hearts with wild flower seeds embedded inside to keep his memory alive. Somehow it blended the worlds of a quirky oddity and something useful.

The Four Legged Adventure Bot!

This living, breathing, heart pumping, wide eyed, little lady can save you from the mistake of locking yourself indoors with all your fancy gadgets waiting the winter winds away. It’s the way she plops down on the floor and doesn’t hide that stagnate bored expression you may feel inside your own head.  When the walls that keep the icy winds away from your skin begin to make you claustrophobic, bundle up in your artificial winter fur and see what you and your Four Legged Adventure Bot can discover!

That crisp contrast between the pure bright white snow and the deep blue ski that gradients down into a light birds egg blue with a hint of green as it reaches the horizon on a cloudless sunny day after a big snow storm is one of the honest joys that the winter season brings. The quietness that surrounds the landscape makes every bird chirp sing out as that perfect solo note. So much life still exists as a blanket of icy jewels dazzle the tips of tree branches and the land is protected by a layer of glassy ice. The air is crisp, clean and refreshing.

At times my glasses would fog up from breathing in my scarf and the world looked as a dreamscape sequence out of a movie.  Sophie, my furry tour guide, blended into the dream with her curly off-white coat and sparkly nose from sniffing out adventure in this snow-covered world. In the minds eye, wandering through landscapes can turn into something as magical, if not more, as the motion pictures.  

Frozen Cheeks

Seasonal depression always seems to sneak up on me the week of Thanksgiving. It is the start of the cold days and dark nights. The initial hit of what the next four to five months will be like always seems unbearable until a proactive system is developed to avoid the depression.

Silly as it may be, this year I plan on investing my energies into knitting the most beautiful afghan to use as a picnic and beach blanket for next summer. Most women my age would never dare let something like a hand knit blanket touch the dirt or sand. It is the act of creating it for the sole purpose of soaking in the sunshine and getting stained with grass that will save me from the sad, lonely winter months.

As I knit my mind will wander to all the places this blanket will travel when the world outside defrosts. Carefully chosen shades of greens and blues will counteract the overcasts skies and gray ice covered lake.

I went on a walk with my male companion in the cold sunshine today. The park trail was strangely quiet compared to when we would walk the path in the warmer months. The muffled silence was broken by large crackling noises. We looked down the hill towards the river to discover that the water changing to ice created the disruption of our quiet walk.

His personality seemed to be freezing over much like the river over the past couple weeks.  Seasonal depression affects a lot of people and it’s no wonder why there is a bar on every corner and one in the middle of the block here in Milwaukee. With frozen cheeks and a hint sadness he would look and me and smile. My heart was warmed because a smile like his can’t be forced under these icy conditions and I noticed he didn’t have a scarf as I watched a chill take over his body and shake out through his face.   

Rock Collecting

[I spend so much time in front of the computer working on things that I need to take breaks outside, going for walks, breathing fresh air, clearing my head. Usually on my walks my mind is working through problems, trying to develop solutions, and planning the best use of my time. I am learning/trying to take days off and finding time to relax. Today I went for a walk for the Sunday Joy of going for a walk.]

It was cloudy, foggy and overcast with winter on it's way, but I didn't care. I wanted to walk down by the lake. The temperature was pleasantly warm despite the deceptive view from my inside my home. I like this time of year, that in between time, when the weather keeps the crowds locked away inside bars or at home watching football, but a handful of people still find the time to enjoy the last bit of tolerable weather. The smiles of passerby's seem much more sincere this time of year.


I started noticing the landscape more and began making pictures inside my head. Regretfully, I don't go on photo walks like I did in my youth, but my mind still frames and makes pictures. I never noticed these reed-like plants. They were still so green and full of life and everywhere. I wonder what kind of properties they have when they dry and what purpose they could have after the winter winds bring them to their seasonal death.


A path in between the reeds leads me down to the water. Walking along the shore staring at the ground, I spot the most perfect rock. It is the smoothest rock I have ever picked up and completely flat. An overwhelming sense of calm surrounds me and I rub my thumb over this circular rock and stare out at the muted blue lake meeting the out-of-focus overcast sky. I decide I will hold onto this rock until it is time to let it go.


I may make a step or two before I see another rock that calls to me. I pick it up and brush the sand clear revealing its true personality and history. 'Is this an arrowhead?'  My thumb presses against it's point. 'It's got to be, this sharp edge was purposefully created.' Even though there is slight pain, my thumb keeps pressing up against the point of this arrowhead and my mind contemplates disagreements, war, survival, and history.


I continue walking along the beach, staring at the debris in the sand with the calm, flat, smooth rock in one hand and sharp arrowhead in the other hand thinking about the extremes of duality. About to turn around from my introspective exploration along the shore, I spot a white piece of sea glass, one of my favorite rock collecting finds. I take another step back towards the concrete path when I see another piece of green sea glass. I begin walking around in a circle and find a handful of sea glass pieces in a heavy concentration.     


Sea glass has always been a sense of wonder for me. Walking back home with my pocket full of these broken pieces of glass worn smooth by the passage of time, wind, sand and water I think of my own memory. Memories once so sharp and clear become worn around the edges over time.

Day Dream Reality

2010 has been a year full of fulfilling day dreams I've had over the years.  If I ever seem unfocused, it's because I want to do everything and I am not letting anything or anyone get in the way of me accomplishing these dreams.  My 2011 goal is to fine tune all my living daydreams for the best chance of success.

One of my dreams I had when I was in college was to have my own greeting card business.  I made a few false starts while juggling school, interpersonal relationships, and my deli job at Koppa's.  I'm older, smarter and more confident now so I'm starting again.  My goal is to produce a line of cards every quarter.

These guys were originally designed for the 2010 Performance Arts Showcase at MIAD.  I altered them a little to make them more accessible to the general public.  My cards for the Performance Art Showcase had a specific song and artist on the outside and had a personal story written inside.  They were a total hit at the Showcase and I sold or traded them all away fast.

I will be working on distributing these cards this upcoming week.  Contact me if you are interested or know anyone who is.

MAKE BOOKS!

"Make Books!" in the voice of Max Yela, Head, Special Collections, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries

As always, I've been juggling a number of different projects, jobs, and events. While loving every minute of it, my winter goal is to focus my energies down just a few avenues to maintain quality results. Mainly: Photographer at Caesar's Pet in the Historic Greendale Village, The Living Photo Booth Project with fellow photographer April Heding, various freelance gigs and favors, and enjoying the help I can offer my boyfriend, the freelance writer, Tea Krulos on any of his various projects.

Today I focused on books :
A. Caesar's Pet Photo Album for their Fall/Winter Fashion Show November 6, 2010

B. Portrait of Trashy Romance Novelist, Leroy Ronalds

C. Re-edition of my photo book, "On Our Way to Fall in Love," circa 2009

Milwaukee Zine Fest is this weekend and Tea Krulos will have a table where you can find his early prototype of a collection of his nightmares titled "Me Head Is A Haunted House, Mate," along with Leroy Ronalds' latest work, "Say You Love Table" and the re-edition my photobook "On Our Way to Fall in Love."

Caesar's Pet Photography

I am just finishing up my photo order from Saturday's Photo Session at Caesar's Pet. This portrait of Cayton, Cloe, and Chase is my favorite. Visit Caesar's Pet in the Historic Greendale Village. This Saturday, October 2, is Hay Days Fall Festival from 10am-4pm.

K-Niners

Today was a trial run at a new gig I’ve taken up at Caesar’s Pets in the Greendale Village. I photographed the owner’s two puppies and the store manager’s five puppies. It was a lot like photographing children with a number of added difficulties. The largest achievement was the final portrait of the store manager’s family of five (5) dogs in one frame. While reviewing the photos I had a lot of beautiful portraits, but this one really stood out to me. I like a real portrait that tells a story, that has a personality, that might be a little goofy, that might not make sense.

Photo Restoration

Bringing your memories back to life, one photo at a time. Restoring old family portraits make a great gift and will last for generations to come. Don't let time destroy your family memories. Get your portraits restored before it's too late!

...before...


...after...

Long Distance Love

The best part about being in a different hemisphere from your man is having me take sexy photos of you.

Souvenirs

“She wasn’t Looking for Love, She was Looking for a Distraction.”
Laura Gorzek and Angie Moser

This is the story of two women with a wealth of collected stories of their love affairs gone sour. Illustrated in memorable tokens packed in suitcases, they travel through life carrying the weight of their experiences and not much else. They make an effort to sell their memories as they pass through town to town. But every place they visit, they just end up collecting more and more stories.

Milwaukee, WI : Wednesday September 22nd : 7:30-9:30pm

Tour De Cure

Last week I volunteered at The American Diabetes Association Tour De Cure bicycling fundraiser. I welcome just about any experience I can fit into my calendar. Learning by doing is my motto. I am a sucker for the more ambient, dreamy types of photos, as well as good topography. However, I am growing and try to discover what the client desires and achieve directed imagery to the best of my ability. Good times.

Paper Hearts Give You Paper Cuts

It's official... I will be working as an Artist-in-Residence at a MPS Summer Recreation Enrichment Camp. I am pretty excited to be working on such an intense project and spent the weekend working out samples for my projects. Then one thing led to another and I discovered a new art endeavor for my own work. By using the Scientific Method I spent today working on understanding materials to their fullest potential and have an end goal I would like to achieve by the close of the summer. Somehow I worked till the day disappeared and my work turned into goofy play time. Today I learned that Paper Hearts Give You Paper Cuts.... gonna hold out for that Heart of Gold.

Bellies, Brides and Businesswomen

A sampling of some of my recent photowork.

I *still* just want a pretty apron.

I started this project early 2008. During the Guildess Discussion on Inspiration in March 2010 I was encouraged to keep working on it. It's been a long time since I really made ART. Since early 2009 I started doing silly creative stunts, began facilitating art and craft for others, and explored tiny visual exercises. Domestic spaces and the events that occur in them inspire me on a daily basis.

Yellow Wallpaper

Reference :

Yellow Wallpaper

by: Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Treasure Hunt

Yet to be determined animal skull found at Gorzek Residence circa 2003 while cleaning up brush in woods. Initially Laura was not allowed to have it. Don Gorzek decided circa 2003 to burn years of forest brush with hopes of achieving dream of converting house into successful photo studio.


True-Vue Stereoscope viewfinders found 2010. Amazing find! These toys are educational film strips that are viewed in 3D. Pictures with depth. Laura sort of remembered playing with these as a child. Don Gorzek also remembered having one as a child when West Allis Central High School Library was throwing them away. Too neat not to keep.


Originally owned by George Korkos. He had a rummage sale at his sister, Sue Gorzek's house circa 1999, when he decided to sell all of his worldly possessions and bike across the country. Laura has a strange obsessions lately with aprons and thinks tool belts are "man-aprons" and wants to keep it in her personal collection.

New Venture

When one door closes another one opens. I am working on a little side business while I look for new employment. Check out the corresponding photography restoration blog for more details :

Grasshopper Restoration