I am excited
to be part of the Cancer Community Center's 5th Annual Cycle4Care. My
dad Jim Fox will be riding with me again next Friday, January 30, 2015.
The event is held at the University of New England's Finley Recreation Center. It will be his 3rd consecutive year riding and my 4th
consecutive year (we were lucky enough to be featured on the Cancer
Community Center blog recently - link on my FB page and pasted below!).
We will again
both be riding a double session this year. For two straight hours, we
will be spinning on one of their bikes in order to raise much needed
funds for their free wellness and emotional support programs. All of
which are provided right here in Maine and completely free of charge.
I also donate
my photography services every year to this event and try to provide
them with imagery that will be helpful to promoting the event and
capturing the positive energy that the event generates. Yeah we're all
usually sweating and our legs might hurt a little, but there are smiles
on everyone's faces. They know what they're doing is all for a great
cause that helps their local community out and provides free support for
souls that need it most. Cancer is prevalent in my family and it is an
ugly, ugly beast.
I would
appreciate it if you could show your support to me, my dad, and the
Cancer Community Center by making a donation today. Remember that no
gift is too small and every bit counts and goes a long way to helping me
achieve my fundraising goal.
Want to help
spread the word about this awesome event? Please SHARE this page on
Facebook, Google+, and Twitter! Or, even better, send an e-mail to friends you
think might be interested in contributing and/or participating in
Cycle4Care and include a link to my page!
Please come join me this Thursday, January 22, 2015 from 4 - 6pm at Borealis Bakery + Bistro (182 Ocean Avenue, Portland, ME 04103) for my Artist Reception. Though the work has been hanging for a little bit, this is first date we could schedule given the holidays and me traveling for work. Borealis will be making some tasty treats and light refreshments to nibble on. Even if you can swing by to just say hello after your work day, I'd love to see you! Spread the word! Thanks for the support!
Nancy Audet from the Cancer Community Center
interviewed my dad and I for a sweet story on their blog (Nancy is also
the mom of the talented Watershed Floral designer Sarah Lapine who I work with for emilie inc. photography weddings!). My dad Jim
and I will be riding in Cycle for Care again in a couple weeks. 2015
will be my fourth consecutive year and my dad's third. Stay tuned for my official fundraising page for this amazing event and organization. Thanks,
Nancy, for spending time with my dad and I. It meant a lot!
I'm excited to announce my first mainland Portland show. I am the featured artist at Borealis Bakery + Bistro starting today, December 12, 2014. The show is hung and, for the next couple months or so, photos will rotate and be replaced with varying work as they sell, so hopefully there will be a constant stream of different imagery each time you walk in to grab your tasty breakfast or lunch!
Hopefully these are semi-affordable pieces of art for folks, maybe good holiday gifts or a future birthday gift to stock up on. There will be an opening reception held at Borealis (182 Ocean Avenue, Portland, Maine), but the date/time is TBD -- awaiting confirmation from Borealis, but hoping for this Thursday 12/18. I'll let you know as soon as I hear!
Framed photos are $25 - $100.
Matted photos are $10 - $40.
Notepads + Notecards w/ envelopes are $15 - $25
Canvases are $175 each or Buy TWO, get ONE FREE. Limited quantity.
Hope to see you there! Thanks for checking out my work! Here are a few images you might see....
This is my third year participating in this awesome local art show! The past years have been so much fun and I am thankful I received such great
encouragement. I'm looking forward to another great event.
This art show is currently the only show that I participate in and that I sell my fine art photography at. Hopefully I will expand elsewhere soon, but for now, this is one of the many reasons why I love Art On The Porch. My beloved island, the other artists, and the patrons are so supportive. It's extra special to me that Peaks and Art On The Porch is the only place I want to sell my work at right now.
So come check out dozens of artists and support their work
on Sunday, August 10th at the Fifth Maine. I guarantee you will leave
with some beautiful goods you won't be able to resist saying no to!
Come make a day of hanging on Peaks Island -- shop at Art On The Porch,
go for a walk or bike around the island, then grab some grub at the
pub. There are also tasty burgers, dogs, and baked goods for sale right at the art show. Sunday is supposed to be beautiful weather. Hope to see you
there!
I found out on Sunday morning that Brian Delaney had died the day before in a climbing accident. I was headed to photograph a wedding and was trying to stay focused, but I was already scouring the web for whatever information I could find. Why? How? The journalist in me was making sure facts were being found and checked against news reports and climbing forums. Are we sure this is true? I was hopeful that somewhere I would discover a shred of evidence that this was a cruel lie.
The wedding proved a needed distraction. I was still in shock, but I put my photographer hat on and managed to make it through the day. During his toast to the newlyweds, the father of the bride had a moment of silence for the bride's grandparents who had just passed. She sobbed and my heart skipped a beat for her grandparents and her family's pain from their passing, but also for Brian. "Keep it together," I told myself.
For a couple days, I was in photographer mode, editing images and such. I took breaks and again scoured the news reports for any updated information and new photos of Brian I hadn't yet seen. It was so sad yet comforting to see his photo, him climbing on various trips, doing what he loves, always donning that sublime smile of his. I'm not sure if I realized that I was still in shock. However, I did know I was anxious to head to work at the rock gym on Tuesday. I wanted to be there, but I didn't. I wasn't sure how I would react, knowing that Brian would never walk through the Maine Rock Gym doors again, bringing his wave of calm that everyone felt when they were around him.
Brian's death finally hit me Tuesday afternoon. Lots of talking. Ran brought in a photo of Brian. I hung it next to me at the desk. More talking. Brian's wife Kris called the gym and I spoke to her for a few (a slideshow celebration night will be held at MRG soon). Then as Jess was trying to buy a membership, I lost it. The gym was slammed. A dad and his two sons even walked out, but I'm sure they had no idea what was going on. Jess kindly offered a hug and I hid my tear-streamed face behind her small shoulder, thinking I barely know her, but I need something right now. I feel lost and hollow, angry and sad. "Keep it together," I told myself again. Back to work. Get through the day. Tomorrow will be better.
I finally had the courage to pull the RAW images I shot of Brian during my Day In The Life shoot for the photo studio I work for, emilie inc. photography. It was back in October and one of my images of Brian made it into the final slideshow edit (ironically, bouldering). Looking through the RAW images, I pulled anything that had Brian in them. Even the out of focus ones with the tilted horizon line -- that doesn't matter now. The 28 frames right in a row, a digital film strip of Brian climbing and down-climbing a problem in the cave, that same smile on his face -- that made me smile.
Finally, my first moment being able to think and see more clearly; I could handle doing something with these images. Initially, I just wanted to process the photos and share them with folks. But I found myself not wanting to do anything to the images really, other than just color-correct the white balance for the gym lights. For me, I wanted these "unedited" 28 frames to just be a beautiful record of a mere minute of Brian's life. Writing this post and creating this short piece has me in a better place amongst my grieving process. Maybe it will help someone else as well. I did pretend that Brian was there editing with me. Would he like this if he saw it? Would he approve of it? I kept those questions in mind, and I think (I hope) I have succeeded.
I only knew Brian in the gym capacity. I never had the privilege of climbing with him outside. But now that he is gone, I realize how much a person like him affected me. I am only fully understanding this now. It is amazing what you can learn from others, if you're willing to be open to it. Brian was one of those people who probably didn't realize how much he taught others -- how to be happy, conscientious, curious, and bold. I just feel lucky to have crossed paths with him during his lifetime.
Last Wednesday was the last time I saw Brian. I was working at the desk, and he waited until I was off the phone to say hello and ask how I was doing, because that's who he is. I had no idea that would be the last time I ever spoke to him. I am sad it wasn't a longer conversation or that I didn't give him a high-five or do more. Oh, to have that moment back again. However, I am so thankful I had that moment at all.
Brian, you are so missed by so many. I have no doubt though that your spirit is living on.
Totally rad climbers bouldering and top roping during the 80's theme night at Maine Rock Gym in Portland, Maine. This colorful decade inspired some gnarly neon costumes. Okay, maybe it was less about the climbing and more about the outfits this night. Theme night winner Erin rocked the quintessential eighties-riffic attire - accessorized with a hot pink scrunchie for her side ponytail and rocked a gold fanny pack - receiving a free one month membership. Thanks to everyone who came out - it was totally awesome!
I hope you enjoy the photo stories and multimedia projects you see here on my blog. You can also visit my website at www.whitneyjfox.com. For weddings, families, and adoption stories, visit www.whitneyjfoxweddings.com. Please feel free to email questions, comments, feedback, and story ideas to whitney@whitneyjfox.com. Thank you!
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Photographs are a powerful language that everyone can speak. Photographs become a journal that teach people something about the human spirit and the world we all live in. Combining photographs with video and audio creates another form of impactful communication.
Whitney J. Fox is a storyteller who uses photographs and multimedia platforms to tell a visual narrative about the people and places she encounters in this world. She believes people are connected more closely than they may realize. She hopes her work informs, promotes communication, builds relationships, and sparks unexpected dialogue.
Whitney has a B.A. from Connecticut College, studied at the University of Mysore in southern India, completed graduate studies in Photography at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, and has an M.S. in Photojournalism from Boston University’s College of Communication.
She is a member of American Society of Media Photographers, National Press Photographers Association, and Lightstalkers.
Whitney primarily works out of Maine and Massachusetts, but is available for both domestic and international travel.
