It started out with an art competition in Western Australia about six years ago when I entered a collage called "Fragments of".  I won a prize, gained a bit of confidence, and decided to approach a store in Perth who agreed to hang my art. A few pieces sold and I was overjoyed to see them clustered on the wall. We moved to San Francisco and I tried again,this time at a vintage store. My new friends came to flood the store for an opening I'll never forget. There was another show in another vintage shop, another in a local shop, one in our office at Twitter, and then last year in a store called Merch. Despite having a full time career plus running a full time photography business, I somehow always made time to make and show art on the side. It was fabulous and the openings were each a night to remember forever with those same friends, plus new friends along the way. But this was something all together different. 

Aside from the art itself being entirely different, this opening was in my gallery. Crazy! I opened the doors for the first time to my closest friends and exposed the insides, all that has grown from my year and my imagination, to warm the space with the faces of those who mean the most and who have been a part of the journey. I could only compare it to being at your own wedding- when the fruits of detailed labor to perfect something uniquely curated come together and you're so excited, all of your loved ones are in the same place, it's a moment in time that means more than words, and you want to savor every second- but it's all flashing so fast and you really need more hours to say hi and absorb and celebrate with everyone… 

Fortunately Sherese agreed to take these photos so I could reflect back on anything I missed and get to see it all again through a different set of eyes. Thank you so much, Sherese! And thank you from the very gory core of the bottom of my heart to everyone who came to be a part of the night with me. Extra thank yous to those who came early to help and got stuck with chores, who listened to me in the weeks and months leading up to the night, who were my sounding boards and my muses. Not only are you fun, but you're pretty priceless. 

And for everyone else, COME CELEBRATE the grand opening of Electric Blanket on JANUARY 12!  More on that in a few.