Distance changes meaning

March 20, 2026 by Donna Hopkins

One of the most significant changes in my recovery from anxiety is recognizing just how hard I have been on myself. How often I have judged myself in negative ways and how little I appreciated the gifts I have. The whole process is a kind of reconciliation, and it feels good to be more nearly balanced.

Found Art - Oil Painting - Stream through the Meadow, 2026

I see this same pattern in my creative work as well. Pictures deemed unworthy now regularly make their way to current projects. The old photographs find their place alongside the new and breathe fresh air into the process. I am happy that I did not delete those pictures—those I deemed “not good enough.” Many of them are truly exceptional in that they reveal something to me about myself that I was unaware of at the time, but can now see clearly. It feels as though the woman I look at in the mirror is now someone I’d like to know, someone I want to hold dearly, someone I have forgiven, and someone who has much to give.

Glimpses

March 16, 2026 by Donna Hopkins

I am happily working away, taking and arranging photographs.

In doing so, I am attempting to create a kind of visual poetry. Work in progress on Conversation Pieces.

This is the the lesson I am learning: edit in sequences so your pictures speak to one another.

Framing

March 11, 2026 by Donna Hopkins

Even empty space is a kind of frame, deciding what deserves attention and what quietly fades into the background.

Flow

March 08, 2026 by Donna Hopkins

When the book arrives from the printer and I hold my work in my hands and turn the pages, I realize that when I am doing my best work, little to no thinking is happening in my mind. There is very little judgment in this kind of work. And if I have thoughts at all they are neutral, constructive, or creative. I do my best work when I am not thinking. (I often wake up with a list of ideas and things to try, and this all happens during the night as if by magic.) This is surprising. And at its heart, this practice allows the full authentic expression of who I am. This book and the others I have created are byproducts of my ability to surrender and trust. What an amazing feeling!