New Friends

Here's the first official update from Greeley, Colorado! I got to Tim and Betony Coons' house last Thursday afternoon. They are one of the neatest families I've ever met. Lucy and Harriet are their precious little girls. Lucy is the one in the pictures below. She's taken to calling me either "new friend" or "Kafrin". I live in the basement. Which is really a super cool room and a perfect space for me to relax and work on projects.

The projects I'll be working on will be very collage and photo-focused. Some will be personal projects and some will be collaborative. And other than these, a lot of what I'll be doing is meeting and talking with other artists around Greeley. Tomorrow I'll get to meet the members of Atlas church, which I know will be so good.

There's so much more I could talk of but I'll stop there for now. Everyone's prayers and support have been so important and appreciated. I truly wouldn't be here without them. I ask that fellow brothers and sisters in Christ would pray for the Lord to give me direction as an artist and that I would continue to seek Him. This opportunity is such a grand one and I will fill you in on more soon!

While At Home

Yesterday marked the 2 week mark before I start the long drive north to Colorado.

It's been a very good time home. Reading all the Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein books I can get my hands on. Watching the little ones graduate from Kindergarten and pre-K. Gathering goodies to sell in a yard sale this weekend. Celebrating a birthday in honky tonk fashion. Sleeping in (lots of sleeping in). Leatherwork with an older sister. Playing superheroes and watching a ninja turtle movie with her boys. Good, real talks with close friends. A little bit of thrifting. A bit of redecorating.

And all the while the anticipation of this trip out to Greeley is continuing to build! A grand adventure is approaching.

Light Has Come

The wood of the floor is rough and unsanded. 

It's dark out so I can't see the floor too well.

But I can feel it by the splinters in my feet.

There is no moon because it is not yet night.

And I cannot see the sun.

For the thick clouds cover every light source available.

Every now and again the wood floors are visible when lightning strikes

And the water that makes them slick

Reflects the light up and down the deck.

But I still don't see the floors because I'm sprinting across the deck

Hauling and tying, loosing and screaming

But I can still feel the splinters in my feet.

>>

He was sleeping.

The storm did not disturb him. 

Thunder snarled to send chills through our bones

And he did not turn over in his sleep.

We woke him with the presumption that he did not know of the storm.

Yet the clouds were under his command.

Hush.

Be still.

The wind was quiet.

The water was calm.

And the wood reflected light from the moon.

The storm was gone and was not coming back.

For the one by which it was tamed knew it was nothing to fear.

And the one who did not fear it,

Asked me why I did.

But I was still amazed that I no longer felt the splinters in my feet.

This piece was created for a collaborative arts narrative called Lights In the Dark, which took place at City Fellowship in March. This was the poem I read during the show. When I returned home from school I decided that I wanted to give it to my dad. The theme of the piece is that the light has come and darkness cannot overcome it. My father is the person I think of most when I think of someone who, even when facing darkness, always has faith that the light will overcome it. He teaches me to keep faith, even in tough and confusing times. He so readily and willingly trusts in the Lord's goodness and love in ways I have a hard time fully understanding. I am so thankful for a father that sets such an example as this. I can't think of anyone I would rather dedicate this to than him.

Folk Festival

The 60th Annual Florida Folk Festival: on film.

Summer in the North

Hello family and friends!

I have an exciting opportunity this summer that I want to share with all of you. 

For the entire month of July I will be in Greeley, Colorado working with a church called Atlas Theater, helping with their art ministry program! This is super exciting for so many reasons. Tim and Betony Coons, along with their two little girls, Lucy and Harriet, are generously welcoming me into their home while I'm there. Tim is the worship pastor at Atlas and is one of the musicians that is a part of Enter the Worship Circle. Betony is a mom, an artist, and an art teacher and from what I can tell, she is incredible at all three. I know that the Lord has a lot to teach me through this family and I truly cannot wait to meet them. I'll also get to learn about how this community of believers is using art to bring people together and show God's beautiful love. I couldn't have dreamed of a better summer. 

One big thing I need a little help with is gas money. Yes, that's right. 

Driving from Florida to Colorado in three days!

So I'm asking for donations to help me get out there. I know this is sort of different than your typical fundraising for a mission trip or the like. But all of you have been so encouraging with my blog and art work I've been creating the past few years and I want you all to be a part of this as well. For certain donation amounts, I want to give back to you with an original piece created with you in mind. If you would like to take part, click on the image  below. Then send me an email at bunciknumber7@gmail.com specifying which gift you would like. (Look below image for different gift options)

Donations of $25:

-a handmade 5x7 collage, watercolor painting, or printed photo of your liking (any photo I've taken)

Donations of $50:

-a handmade 8x10 collage, watercolor painting, or printed photo of your liking (any photo I've taken)

Donations of $100 or more:

-a handmade multimedia collage on a 16 x 20 canvas OR an original multimedia photo transfer on wood panel


Thank you all for your support! Prayers for safe travels and growth in the Lord during this time are more appreciated than anything. I will post more about this throughout the summer on my blog but please feel free to email me more about it. I love talking about the adventures the Lord has placed before me and all of your encouragement is such a sweet gift. I love you all.

Roasted

Rob Alvey is a champ. He's one of my good friends here at school and he put together a stellar senior show last night. For his show he completely rebranded our campus coffee shop with bow tie/ coffee mug logo, coffee bag designs, website design, pre-concert listening station, and much more. He put a ton of work into all of this and it definitely paid off. There are a lot of people who will miss this guy when he graduates. But I know the Lord has great plans for him, for he's blessed him with some truly amazing talent. I'm super stoked to see what Rob's going to be doing in the next several years and I'm incredibly thankful to know him.

Double Exposure

This is my final project for my Photography II class. All exposures were created in camera and taken with a Minolta X-700. These were my first 2 rolls of in-camera double exposures and I really loved making them. If you want to see some magnificent double exposures that heavily influenced my own, take a look at inthoughts' flickr page.