I feel like one of the incredibly small number of fortunate people that gets to look back on 2020 and call it a GREAT year overall, despite y’know *gestures broadly at everything* …

I got married on the Leap Year, was named Best of Calgary’s Best Photographer, taught my Lightroom technique for the first time, produced my first play, received my first Arts grant, released three years worth of backlogged creative work, and much more…

There were innumerable hardships to overcome at once. We said goodbye to our beloved bunny Charlie, who was my office companion every single day. I battled personal demons head-on like never before including depression, despair and what is looking more and more likely to be a case of undiagnosed ADHD. I discovered the emotional healing affects of psilocybin, and helped guide half a dozen or more friends and colleagues to fight their own battles in a similar way.

Despite it being another banner year as a professional, I had to go out of business for 3 months in order to make it happen. To keep the studio lights on. To keep food on the table. To stay alive. To be able to say those things in the same breath as ‘new career high’ puts me in a ludicrously privileged position that I do not intend to take for granted.

This was all in the face of the whole world shutting down for the longest period in any collective memory. The only comparable world-crippling event that I can recall would be 9-11, when the world stood still as one.

I’m cautiously optimistic going into 2021. Who knows where we’re going from here. I intend to continue to create art and inspire the community around me. I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunity to be that person for so many.

Get your shots, friends. I wanna hang out this year and make arts with you. <3