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Laura Egley Taylor

Then a miracle occurs . . .

ali smith’s momma love

February 2nd, 2011

ali-smith-opener-

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Obviously, I’ve seen a lot of photos—and many that make me stop and catch my breath—during my years as Mothering‘s art director, but NYC photographer and writer Ali Smith‘s work stood out for me when I first saw it. Something about the way she manages to be there, in the moment, capturing the intimacy of the mother-child relationship with an honesty and a beauty that hurts. Real-life moms with their kids, doing real-life things—and looking simultaneously edgy/hip/fresh and TIMELESS. That ages-old momma love.

(Gotta say I also really like her eye for composition.)

So I’m thrilled that our January-February issue features a photo essay by Ali, “Caught in the Act of Mothering.” The photos are a part of a larger project, a book, Momma Love: How the Mother Half Lives, which Ali’s working on—and which I’m really eager to see.

You can click here for a beautifully moving video which will give you a sense of Ali’s work . You can also follow her blog here.

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Photo above is of Hannah Bright and her daughter, Lizzie.

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poetry at work

February 2nd, 2011

our-future

(Haikus created by Melissa, Mel and me, with help from of the very fun Haikube set Peggy gave us)

A Vision for My Future

hero inside I
travel after grand fortune
happy wind woman

* * *

dreaming glorious
a gorgeous light on my eyes
touches lofty ground

* * *

#@&*#!! hellbent moonlight
it’s clamor which shines our heart
the riches bust wild

* * *

As you might guess, some days in our office are more technically productive. Others are merely rich.

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new month, new month’s resolution

February 2nd, 2011

cold-commute

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Be a better blogger. (Starting yesterday.)

Photo taken yesterday during the stunning commute I get daily with my man Tim. (I walk with him across some gorgeous country, en route to his workplace, before heading in to the Mothering office.)

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where theater meets magazine production

December 10th, 2010

hearthOn the surface, the fact that I went to school for theater doesn’t seem related to my current role as art director at Mothering. Except that both involve something I really enjoy: creating illusion. Building sets, creating postures and identities and costumes and mood are not all that different from trying to evoke a sense of coziness and comfort when shooting a bowl of soup in the office.

Photo of my annual attempt to create the illusion of a fireplace at my house. (I come by this inclination naturally: When I was little, in the days before my folks had a fireplace, my mom created this same kind of bookcase covering every December, and we kids loved it.)

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what artists do

December 1st, 2010

rooflineSo, even though I

1) got up and out this morning and made it to yoga (despite feeling like crap—stupid respiratory crud); and

2) did not dawdle and finished my physical therapy regimen* in 30 minutes; and

3) eschewed the outfit I’ve worn the last three days, quickly and efficiently deciding upon an alternative ensemble: ridiculously ratty—but clean!—jeans and a dapper thrift-store sweater I found in Reeve’s drawer (Hey, he won’t need it—he’s off at school where it’s warm in the winter!); and

4) left the house earlier than usual, making just one stop along the way, at Whole Foods (arnica for the legs and dark chocolate-covered espresso beans for the production team). . .

it still came to pass that as I was headed in to the office, I checked my watch and noticed that it was NOON. How does this happen? Every day? Even on days, like today, when we’re in the production crunch at work? Why can’t I ever get it together?

Bummed and feeling like a screw-up because I can never get to my job before 12:00 (by which time, of course, most people are halfway through with their workdays), I called my sister, who answered the phone with a cheery “Hey, whatcha doing?”

When I complained that I was, indeed, walking to the office, still trying to get to work—like some bad dream where your legs move and move but you never get anywhere—and how I’m always late, etc., she responded, little knowing that her words would turn my day around:

“No, you’re fine. You’re not late. You get things done on your own time, in your own way. That’s just what artists do, you know.

She’s pretty smart, for a little sister.


*have been having hamstring/piriformis/sciatic nerve issues which are really not a problem until I try to sit for more than 10 minutes. But who needs to sit, anyway?

Photo of evening light (if you can call 4:30 in the afternoon evening) on the roofline of the artist’s studio next door. He works late, too.

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women at work: just another day at the office

November 15th, 2010

cinnamon disaster

In which Laura and Mel (staff photographer Melyssa Holik) shoot hot drinks for Jan-Feb, spill cinnamon while trying to sprinkle a fancy pattern on the surface of one of said drinks, and, absent a vacuum cleaner, discover that effective traffic cones can be hastily constructed out of paper when circumstances demand.

Meanwhile, Managing Editor Melissa Chianta, who might have thought she was going to get some editing—or even some managing—done today, finds herself agreeing to go for an impromptu manicure in order to better serve as outdoor mug-hugging hand model for the hot drink photography team.

(Yes, these are the women with whom I work. And, yes, I am very lucky—and very grateful.)

Stay tuned for the results of the trio’s efforts!

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manicurePhotos: 1) Mel’s self-portrait (this shot made the cut for her photo-a-day project); and 2) Melissa takes a break from work to show off her manicure (while still holding on to the tools of her trade in the other hand)

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accidental composition

June 17th, 2010

steve-and-me

I love it when photos take themselves. Or, more accurately, when I snap a photo without looking and end up with something I really like. Like this one, shot with my iPhone on a day so bright that I couldn’t see a thing on the camera monitor: the mirrored hands, black, almost fists; the long stain Steve McQueen is leaning against; the placement in the frame, the way my shadow is almost cropped out; the slight reddish color around the stencil; the flecks in the pavement . . .

I also really like Steve McQueen movies. Great Escape, anyone?

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yet another example of why I love working with Mel

April 29th, 2010

e.g., her whiteboard calendar of days.

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another day in the life

March 19th, 2010

raw-food. . . of the Mothering production team.

Mel (Staff Photographer Melyssa Holik) and I spent a good chunk of yesterday on the back porch of Candace’s (Feature Editor/Product Review Editor Candace Walsh) very gracious former partner, shooting raw food recipes for our May–June issue.

The food was “cooked” by Mel and Mothering’s new fulfillment manager, Sarah Patamia (who has jumped into her role here with both feet—and primo culinary skills), then styled by Mel on site—with occasional awkward and inopportune suggestions by me.

By far the tastiest raw food surprise of the day was the Raw Choco-Nana Pudding, made with cocoa powder, honey, bananas, and . . . avocados!

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Photo of Mel shooting a fresh and colorful plate of Caribbean Tacos. Notice the conveniently placed clothesline—perfect for hanging green seamless (in an attempt to “springify” an otherwise still winter-brown back yard).

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lovely distraction

January 16th, 2010

Yes, I’m here to work. On our March-April issue. Yes. BUT. I just came across an old postcard, mailed a couple of years ago, from illustrator Gwenda Kaczor, which led me to her website, which just provided some lovely, refreshing distraction from the tasks at hand.

Here’s a bit of a peek at her yummy portfolio.gwendakaczor

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