I am having a studio sale of handmade books.

Of all the books Ive made in the last year I think this one is one of the nearest and dearest to my heart.

The sweet little tree in this unnatural, and yet still beautiful landscape, reminds me of ourselves at this moment of time, a bit on the edge as it were, uncertain of our history, and definitely uncertain of what is yet to come, but still beautiful, and fragile and worthy of being seen , acknowledged and honored.

I think of this piece, as an altar both to the tree itself, to nature, a reminder of our inter-being with all that is. I hope it reminds that our real relationship with this tree, and everything else is not something from outside, as if it were to be consumed, but this tree, like ourselves, hold its its place in the vest pattern of things, and deserves some reverence.

Im very interested in the materiality of objects that I make. And even though I work digitally, I like the transformation that happens when I print on a special paper and make a book of this insubstantial matrix of the digital world into some thing of beauty in a material state.

Im interested in multiples and multiplicity and creating some thing intimate. A sense of walking is important to my work- even in this small panoramic landscape as the eye is allowed to rest frame by frame taking in the view.

The craftsmanship of the thing itself, as a book is important to me, as part of the honoring of the thing which I am representing.

I see ourselves and the tree in relationship. Perhaps the tree is a bit of a metaphor for our own inner beauty, even in the most fraught of times, and our capacity to endure, to see ourselves as beautiful.

Recently, a friend wrote this particular piece, and my work in general some thing that really moved me, and I would like to share with you:

Hillary was born in America, but her works approach, progress, and result look more eastern. In other words, your work emanates tranquility, but conveys myriad, powerful meetings in silence.

I love this writing, because it really seems to me that she understood something powerful and important to the heart of my work. I believe that making things is just the beginning of a conversation. And that when someone falls in love with a piece that I make, and wants to have it in their home or some other place in their lives that it is a continuation of this conversation and that together we are creating a world which is kinder and were compassionate and full of beauty.

Local Chicago delivery is available as well as international shipping.

The Landmark Tree
Piezography printing on archival Japanese paper. Hand cut and covered linen and book board. With twig and stone from the location where the image was made. Wax thread, hand stitching and archival glue.
10.5 X 3.25 folded
Extended dimensions vary
Limited addition of 25 with variations 12 remain currently available. Each hand titled on verso, signed, and numbered.

$888

Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, or cash. Payment plan available.

If you are interested, please either indicate that by commenting below or sending me a direct message.

These book objects are offered in service to the highest good of all.

I am super excited to share a new short video about a woman who went through a major life change during Covid which led to her picking up the practice of swimming in ice cold water. I call it, Ongoingness. Enjoy!

GIVING TUESDAY CHALLENGE in support of Aldo Leopold Foundation !

When I first shared images to choose between for a benefit fundraiser for the Foundation, a whopping ONE HUNDRED of you MAGICAL HUMANS VOTED to select this image for the cause.

WHAT?!!! YES.

You guys Blew me Away. If just 50% of all who voted took the next step, this could be done in a hot minute. Or 25% of you decided to give two of these, one for you, one for a friend, colleague... half a hot minute!

NOW, I would LOVE to invite you to a very specific, time-sensitive challenge. My vision is simple: To raise $2500 for the Foundation by selling out this limited edition of ONLY 50 prints by December 12th!

It's a TOTAL WIN-WIN.

YOU or someone you love receives a beautiful photograph made of a site responsive installation I made on the Leopold land, as a reminder of the gold within which can never be tarnished and your precious connection to the land.
(Photograph signed and comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity)

AND

KNOW that your purchase helps support the Foundation's work to inspire an ethical, caring relationship between people and nature through Leopolds legacy including historic preservation, Land care, Community education, and cultivating leadership for conservation. The Foundation also fosters education and outreach about a land ethic on a global scale, working through educators and other ambassadors who extend our capacity by helping awaken an ecological conscience in others.

TRANSPARENCY
I receive the other $2500 which helps cover the cost of having made the work, travel back and forth, gas costs (which lately, I don't need to tell you!), materials, as well as my continued efforts to make work responsive to our current ecological, energetic and spiritual moment in service of our communal healing.

Please, if you do not mind, share this post, BUY the PRINT please and let's show the land and the Sandhill Cranes, and the future generations, and those miraculous dinosaurs winging their way through time, that we see them and care and will do what it takes to make sure these magical places and creatures will be there for generations to come.

Thank you thank you thank you. Use the link below to make your purchase directly from my website.

A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE TO YOU ALL, XO

Hillary

NOW AVAILABLE! The Inner Gold print collection. This special limited-edition photograph is a celebration of healing from within from my ongoing series, The Universe Shines with Reflected Light. One photograph has been made available as a limited edition with two sizes to choose from.

Each print is made by me on archival Epson Metallic Luster paper with a subtle shimmering surface that provides extreme sharpness and depth. Includes a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity.

FREE SHIPPING AND SPECIAL PRICE until December 15th.

Order today from my website!

Archival Inkjet print

30" x 30" overall
Limited Edition of 5
$888 Holiday Special Price $688

10" x 10" overall
Limited Edition of 5 (4 available)
$333

This piece is where for me the deeply personal and planetary trauma intersect. Living beings who are impacted by trauma
and try living without receiving loving care to heal suffer a great deal. The way we do one thing is the way we do everything. If we are unhealed, we may be inclined, quite unconsciously, to act in ways which perpetuate trauma from one generation to the next, on all with whom we come into contact.

As we begin to do the inner work which can transform our thoughts, feelings and actions, we may feel simultaneously broken apart and strangely as if things begin to make sense; we can begin to piece things together. It can be as if the truth was there all along, quietly waiting to be perceived. In such moments, we repair our relationship to ourselves, by which I mean of course, across boundaries, to all that is. We begin to piece things together. In the earth in shallow graves, we can lay down the husks of our old selves. They reflect back to us the goodness, the gold which has always been part of us, of everything since the dawn of time, that gold which can never be tarnished.

Yasmin
Lom Homolák
Prague
Czech Republic
Sunday September 10, 2022

Yasmin and I had quite the adventure finding this place.

Exiting our Bolt taxi at what seemed to be a road closed to the public.

walking into a wild area without a map

no Internet signal anywhere except at the top of the road

Yasmin just kept saying yes and so did I.

Two young men with backpacks in the woods when I managed to speak the name of the quarry lake in Czech although very badly, pointed generally in a forward and left moving direction. And so we kept walking forward and generally left.

A young couple exploring in the woods. The young man said she knows this area well and can show you the quarry. We followed them.

we entered a landscape that looked like the opening scene from Breaking Bad.

A little further on boys on dirt bikes raced up and down the muddy mountain.

we kept walking following this young girl and boy

and suddenly, there it was, a beautiful pool of green tranquil under a cloud studded sky

Yasmin and I continued with her ritual and it was magical. All the parts of the adventure where necessary. Each apparent setback was actually a moment of grace to keep going, to trust the divine.

once immersed in water the human body experiences many remarkable things. We know that water makes us feel wonderful weather were in it or next to it. Ive been doing research into the neuroscience of immersion in water.

In Wallace J Nichols book, Blue Mind: how water makes you happier, more connected and better at what you do, he writes:
(and this is a quote from Bruce E. Becker, Director of the national aquatics and sports medicine institute at Washington State University)

During immersion, the body sends out a signal to alter the balance of catecholamines in a manner that is similar to the balance found during relaxation or meditation.

In other words, just being in the water can create a feeling of relaxation and a decrease in stress.

In the ritual, The Waters We Swim In, you are immersed in water so you can access this more relaxed state which makes it easier to touch and heal and ultimately release your inner wounds an open yourself up to your own divine beauty and place in the pattern of all things so that you can do the work you're meant to do.

This is what happened for Yasmin on Sunday.

If this resonates with you, whether you're in the Midwest or somewhere else in the world, I invite you to join this global movement for healing and human potential. Email me through the contact page and let's talk.

Thank you to Yasmin Lambie-Simpson, being so magnificent.

Thank you to Jessica Serran for being amazing and so supportive every dang day.

Thank you to Libor Pospisil for your kindness and help with locations.

Thank you to Isabelle Rizo Gönczy who's photo inspired Yasmin three years ago and for being the first to say this was a global movement.

I'm so pleased and proud to have this work was selected for the Filter Photo exhibition, "we like small things v.5," juried by Jan Christian Bernabe.

Thought Form: The Divine Revealed in it's Own Time

Inkjet print, 10 x 10 inches, Edition of 5, 2 AP.
Available for purchase through Filter Photo ($333. A portion of proceeds go to Filter to support their magnificent programming)

The exhibition will run from September 9th  October 22nd, with an opening reception on September 16th, during the 2022 Filter Photo Festival.

I'm especially proud of this piece because it came after so much intense in our work around my own most difficult life experiences and a diagnosis of complex post traumatic stress disorder. This was the piece of work I made just as I was beginning to turn the corner on my own healing and really step into an entirely new way of being.

I'm also extremely grateful to the Photography Department at Columbia College Chicago where I am currently an MFA candidate. Columbia has given me the time and space, intellectual challenge and support to make new work in ways that exceeded all of my expectations about what I thought I could do as an artist.

Rage and anger have come up a lot lately all over the world with people I know, not just artists but almost everyone. Wherever you live, you may have your own reasons. They may be personal and intimate, local and social, national or global political, ecological, etc. Someone recently asked how I handle anger or rage feelings and in answering them, I thought it might be good to share here since it's coming up so much. 

Mind you these are my practices. They work for me. If they help you, great. If not, please don't take my words as prescription you must follow. Hear me out, if you like, and then investigate for yourself. Does it make sense for you, work for you? There are many ways in this world.

Dear beautiful humans, if you're feeling rage, that's definitely something to work with. How I deal with those kinds of feelings has a few branches.

One: I don't want the hormones and chemicals of rage to build up in my body because that feels terrible and can lead to illness or disease when not allowed to move through. So, if I feel too agitated to sit still, I will frequently go to movement to have a somatic way to discharge the energy. Something fairly rigorous like a fast walk, or a bike ride or a swim. I do what is easiest and most accessible so I don't get stuck in thinking about what's best (which was an old pattern for me- overthink! LOL.)

This allows me to settle enough to examine what is going on for me and begin to make sense of it all.

Two: From there, I do a bit of inquiry. I know that anger or rage, are secondary emotions. Underneath it is either sadness or fear. So I ask myself, which one am I feeling? And I sit there and allow the feeling to come, I don't fight or resist it.

If it's sadness, sometimes that realization leads to a good ole sobbing outpouring if that's what's needed. As the crying moves through me, that sadness and/or grief along with it, I stay open to what's causing it and keep asking until I feel like I get to the bottom of it. That can take some time so I make room and love for it.

If it's fear, I inquire, what am I afraid of and name it and then keep asking, what else? And in the same way, keep going till I feel like I've got to the bottom of it or have done enough for today. I never force myself to rush. I allow all of it to have space and time and love.

If there are other things that MUST get done at a certain time, then I decide I'll give myself a certain amount of time and then I'll stop and make time for recovery, which usually includes at least a brief rest and a shower, because rage makes me stink! And I know, I can come back to it later and continue to inquire and process.

Of course, there's more after that, but that's how I begin. Everything really is anchored in love, allowing, and inquiry.

From there I find ways to bring what is unearthed, revealed, floats to the top or in the still waters can be seen at the bottom, into the studio, into my work. Sometimes there's journaling or just intuitive making which I allow in, 100% trusting the process to lead me expansively onwards. I know I'm right where I need to be, remember it is a process and love myself. Make the work. Let things arrive in their own time.

Hope this helps you! 

xoxo, so much love and many blessings,
Hillary

(photo by Andrey Shtefutsa) 

Beautiful humans!

Do you encourage others to rest but press yourself onwards without a break?

Do you wait until you are in crisis mode before remembering your meditation practice?

Are you cutting some corners in your self care rituals in general?

If you are a yes for any of the above, then I want to encourage you to consider grabbing some time for yourself in one of earth's most beautiful and awe-inspiring places this August 5-7.

(photo by Yee Kiu Ng)

Join me and Katie Sollohub in Cuckmere Haven for a weekend retreat designed just for you.

This retreat offers a restorative weekend of deep rest, healing, and creative expression through guided meditation, walking the land, silence and a range of experimental drawing exercises to help you reconnect with yourself and the beauty of your surroundings.

There's just three spots remaining in this intimate offering for a maximum of 12 souls.

It's time to give yourself the deep rest you truly need so you can bring your best your life, love and work. Feel free to ask any questions after reading the description. I'm happy to answer you.

Please share to help spread the word.

Blessings, Hillary Johnson

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e...

I invite you to 8 Weeks to sovereignty of your own mind.

Practical, earthy, no bs, you can do it instruction in meditation and knowing your own mind.

When you can see clearly what your mind is kicking up and pause to ask some powerful questions rather than merely reacting, you gain agency so you can be clear about what you are thinking, saying, believing and doing.

No need to be a tumbleweed blown about by every little breeze.

Join us and please share! Let's spread the goodness and compassion EVERYWHERE!

Class starts Sept 6th at 6pm Central Time. Check your time zones!

I'm very honored to be included in new programming from ImageUnion in a show titled, "The Poetics of Grief," curated by Isabelle Rizo Gönczy.

I hope you enjoy the show and the many wonderful films. It's wonderful to be in such talented company.

We don't know much about how to handle grief. As a result we pretend sometimes like everything is okay, or suppress the feelings, distract ourselves, or numb etc. I hope these films open some doors of possibility for you in your own hearts and with your own experiences of grief.

If this resonates with you, I'd love it if you would please share the show with friends to help spread the word.

Thank you,

Hillary

Living on the Edge: An Expressive Arts Retreat for Navigating Difficult Times

We are living in particularly challenging times. This retreat is a gift to yourself of a beautiful container, a safe space to explore, draw, play, experiment, rest, release and let go.
 
You will be held in this space by Hillary Johnson (Chicago, USA) and Katie Sollohub (Sussex, UK) - both highly experienced Arts and Meditation practitioners, who will guide and nourish you over the course of two and a half days, while you immerse yourself in the spectacular landscape of the Seven Sisters Country Park at Cuckmere. No experience necessary, all materials and food will be provided, just bring yourselves, an open heart and a willing mind. 
 
As sensitive, creative souls we might often find ourselves walking along that edge between heartbreak and beauty. This course is for you if you answer yes to any of the following:

• are you constantly holding space for others?
• would you love someone else to hold space for you, a safe space for all your emotions, the comfortable and the uncomfortable?
• do you feel like you are living in a state of high alert?
• do you crave some time for yourself?
• are you feeling stressed, in your life or in your art practice?
• would you like some practical support and guided exercises for you to work with in everyday life?
• do you need to heal your body, heart, mind, energy?
• would you like to connect more with nature/beauty?

 

This retreat offers a restorative weekend of deep rest, healing, and creative expression through guided meditation, walking the land, silence and a range of experimental drawing exercises to help you reconnect with yourself and the beauty of your surroundings. 
 
When: From 4pm on Friday 5th August to 4.30pm Sunday 7th August 2022 (Accommodation is not included but we can offer advice on where to stay locally. All food and materials are provided)
 
Where: Coastguard Cottages, Cuckmere Haven, Near Seaford, East Sussex - directions will be sent to you on booking - please note there is a 12-15 minute walk downhill to the cottage from the carpark, uphill on the way back! 
 
Cost: £378 including all materials and food (early bird price £324 if booked by 8 July 2022) Registration and Booking via Eventbrite
 
We are inviting you to join us at one of the Coastguard Cottages in Cuckmere Haven, perched on the edge of the land. Built in 1822 the cottages have been a protective presence for 200 years. The cottage only hosts one or 2 retreats a year, so this really is a unique opportunity to visit such a magical location. 
 
Being part of a Nature Reserve, a natural floodplain and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the location hosts phenomenal birdlife and fantastic views. The quiet pebble beach nearby is dominated by the white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters, sitting at the mouth of the meandering River Cuckmere. Here you can literally surround yourself with natural beauty so that you can reconnect with the beauty of yourself.
 

THE RETREAT 
 
You will be held with care as you enter the sacred space of this spectacular and fragile place. Throughout the retreat you will be gently guided and supported as you prepare to re-emerge into the world. The retreat will give you an opportunity to:
 

• Unplug from all the stresses, demands, media (the cottage is off grid)
• Make new friends and meet like minded people
• Immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful spots in the world
• Enjoy simple, nourishing, delicious vegan food prepared with love  
  
  

TIMETABLE (for a full timetable see below)

Friday 5 August 4pm - 8pm 
Saturday 6 August 10am - 4pm 
Sunday 7 August 10am - 4mm
 

TIMETABLE - FRIDAY EVENING WELCOME

• 4pm arrive for tea and cake and a 5pm start
• Introductions 
• Walking tour and grounding/meditation activities
• Small vegan meal of soup, salad, and fruit around a fire
• 7-7.30pm Closing ritual
• 7:30-8pm Depart while it is still light for the walk back to the carpark

(You are welcome to stay until 9pm if you wish)

SATURDAY

• 9:30am arrive for coffee and flapjacks for 10am  start 
• Morning Activities including meditation, drawing and writing
• 12:30 - 1.30 lunch - salad, fruits
• Afternoon Activities - starting with WALKING IN SILENCE, plus meditation, drawing, writing
• 4pm 4.30pm Closing Ritual

SUNDAY

• 9:30am arrive for coffee and flapjacks for 10am  start 
• Morning Activities - meditation, drawing and writing
• 12:30 - 1.30 lunch - salad, fruits
• Afternoon Activities - 1.30-2pm WALKING IN SILENCE 
• 2-4pm Closing Rituals
• 4:00-4:30 Q&A and farewells

YOUR HOSTS
 
Katie Sollohub 
Katie lives in Shoreham by Sea in West Sussex, UK, where she revels in the coastal landscapes and swims in the sea every day. She has a background in Anthropology, Fine Art, Yoga and Meditation, and has been teaching and facilitating workshops for over 25 years. Her current research and creative practice has brought all these disciplines together, working with people both as a teacher and as a socially engaged artist, interested in the capacity for risk and the psychological, spiritual and physical health of herself and others.
 
Katie says: I like to bring things alive through my creative practice, animating objects and spaces. Observation, sound and touch help me feel present, anchoring me in a place from where I can dream. In 2020 she was awarded 1st prize in the Derwent Drawing Prize.

                      
 
Her work is often marking time through ritual and routine. Working in series, connecting her daily practice of meditation to the creative process. Her current practice includes a self portrait made in the bathroom mirror straight after her routine dip in the sea each day. She has done this for 18 months now, and is continuing indefinitely. In 2021 she received Arts Council funding for Immersed, a project about cold water swimming and wellbeing, for which she swam with and painted over 70 sea swimmers in Sussex, honouring a shared love of the experience. 
 
Katie runs regular one day workshops face to face, weekly Drawing and Meditation sessions online, and occasional short courses. You will find news on the About page of her website www.katiesollohub.co.uk/about, or follow her on Instagram @katiesollohub 
Hillary Johnson
Hillary Johnson is an international, interdisciplinary artist, meditation teacher and healer living by Lake Michigan in Chicago, USA. She has been facilitating workshops, teaching and offering individual coaching for over 15 years. Growing up by the ocean imbued Hillary with a deep love of our ever changing seas where she enjoys sailing, swimming and wool-gathering. 
 
Her work and research investigates the tensions and challenges created when drastic upheavals transform or destroy delicate beauty. Her work also explores the potential for deep personal and social transformation through the healing power of art. Her life purpose is to help others evolve and expand their capacity for love, abundance, and creativity through photography, immersive installations and embodied transformational practices.

 
I love to hold space for others' healing, helping them become better witnesses to their own evolution so they might discover and fulfil their potential. I believe our greatest work is creating the most beautiful lives we can, so we can heal and share our gifts with others. To me the greatest tragedy would be getting to the end of ones life and not having fully done what one was put here to do. 
 
Hillarys work often involves creating experiences and rituals to witness, name and celebrate the deep inner process of healing and connecting. Her current practice is a global movement called, The Waters We Swim In, a ritual of transformation which combines meditation, powerful questions and immersion in water for deep healing. The resulting photos which each participant receives serve as daily reminders of their inner beauty, expansive capacity and sovereignty.  

Participants in Living on the Edge Retreat are invited to radically deepen their healing experience with a private session of The Waters We Swim In with Hillary before or after the retreat, at a special price just for those in attendance. The Waters We Swim In is a peaceful, bespoke experience that creates space for you to reconnect with your own inner goodness so that you can unleash your gifts and do the work you were meant to do. To inquire and arrange your session, book a complimentary consultation with Hillary. 

Hillary leads meditation and creativity workshops online and face to face, as well as periodic retreats around the world. You can learn more about her on her website https://www.hillaryjohnsonphoto.com/ , and follow her on Instagram @hillaryjohnsonthephotographer 
 
TESTIMONIALS

 Katies breathing exercises were surprisingly powerful, connecting with a feeling I didnt know was there. With my eyes closed making marks in response to the rhythms of my breath I felt a greater connection to my inner self   

 Thank you Katie for being so daring and honestly so.  It is for me your voice which holds the space in silence. Thank you so much for sharing your journey and learning with us as it is happening.

"Ive had the best January because of you Katie…its just been brilliant. Tuesdays are now like the magic tuesday. Youve unlocked something, so thanks a million"      

Thank you Katie for reminding me what's important and what's not.

FOR THE WATERS WE SWIM IN

Hillary immediately put me at ease and I placed my trust in her completely. Even as the waves were pushing me towards the shore. This water experience was beyond anything I could have envisioned.

"The Waters We Swim In" is a retreat toward calm and reflection during these turbulent times.

I am still swimming in the magical experience we had this morning. Being part of The Water We Swim In is incredibly meaningful. Thank you for a magical experience that healed my soul and reconnected me to the universe.
 
 
Daniel Martin Is the current steward of the property and will be taking care of the container as you practice. He will also be preparing the food (vegan) throughout the weekend. Although not leading this retreat, he has 20 years of experience as a yogi and meditator, and is training as a yoga therapist. 
 
 
* More information, location map and how to reach the cottages will be sent once you have made your booking

The Landmark Tree

Northerly Island
Chicago, Illinois
United States

This work centers on a single tree teetering on the possibility of failure or life. The viewer is invited into precariousness, to join the tree, a tentative survivor at the margins, with full humility, in this challenging, human-built landscape of neglect. Though the landscape may appear at first glance to be a place of natural beauty, with closer examination, it is revealed as a landscape of threat. As such the tree becomes a surrogate for us, in this Anthropocene age, facing survival, only tentatively.

This is meant to make space for us to confront and contemplate, what most know but prefer not to, our direct, embodied experience of fragility. In seeing this tree, this way, we have the possibility to meet this truth, and in that space, make room for hope, however slender. I hope this viewing might be, as Theodore Roethke, described, ...an event that meant as much as simple seeing.

Finally, Northerly Island (the location where this work was made) is an entirely artificial construction. Part of Burnhams grand vision for Chicago. I recently learned that the building of this island (and much of Chicagos coastal land, is a transgression against treaties with the native people who lived here and still do, a case which is ongoing. As far as I understand it some of the tribes include Potawatomi and Peoria.

Handmade artist book

Edition of 30 with variations

13"T (stick height variable) x 3"

Detail

Edition of 30 with variations
13"T (stick height variable) x 3"
Black and white photographs on Hiromi Japanese long fiber paper with hand sewing, found twig and small pebble from location. Cover boards with linen book cloth.
$1500

Shipping available in US or Internationally.

Please contact me with interest if this speaks to you.

One of a kind bespoke handmade book for Alejandra Camacho

The images were all made during her session with me as part of, The Waters We Swim In, on her birthday in 2020.

its hard to believe that almost 2 entire years have passed since that day.

Im so happy that she is on her way to take one of these pictures to her sweet mother in Mexico.

And this book will be waiting for her when she returns to Chicago. A lasting reminder and keepsake of the deep healing she did on that day.

One of the things I love most about doing this healing work with people is seeing the amount of transformation that is possible even when the person has been through all kinds of incredible pain.

I think thats certainly one of the reasons Im so drawn to do this work is because of my own experiences with trauma and healing.

This deep feeling I have inside that says all of us deserve to feel loved and be able to see ourselves with the eyes of love.

We each have our place in this beautiful universe.

if youre having a hard time experiencing that and youre really ready to make a change then, Im here to help.

if this sounds interesting to you please reach out and learn more about this healing water ritual. You can email me through the website.

Im booking sessions anywhere in the globe where you happen to be because theres no place that suffering needs to continue needlessly.

Blessings,

Hillary

When I found vipassana meditation, I was desperate for truth and clarity.

I'd been suffering so much, for so long, that I craved even the smallest crumb of feeling like I had a bit of truth as ground under my feet.

The idea that I could actually learn to navigate life more wisely wasn't the big draw, it was the promise of LESS SUFFERING.

It made sense to me that naturally, life would continue to throw things my way that might be in fact ridiculously, egregiously painful but that I COULD BEAR IT, WOULD BE ABLE TO BEAR IT, and would not be destroyed by it. That sounded awesome to me.

After years of feeling truly existentially distressed nearly all the time, the offer of real insight, real quiet and peace in my heart and mind, sounded magical to me.

And you know, it worked then and still works now. Every day is not perfect. But whose is?

And that, for me is so small magic. As an empath, an HSP, someone with her own emotional balance and mental health challenges, I feel All the things, from all sides...and having this practice has been a life changing wonder.

If you like me, would like to know a little more peace inside, have a little more clarity, I invite you to try taking my class, which I'm happy to call Summer Meditation Party.(because why so freaking serious ALL the TIME!?)

You don't have to believe anything.

You certainly should not believe anything I say just because I say it.

Check it out for yourself.

Trust your own experience.

Give yourself 8 weeks to try it on for size. Gentle guided instruction, online and in person.

Come as you are.

We start June 7th.

$200 for the whole 8 weeks.

Learn:

the power of awareness

to reduce anxiety

reclaim or initiate self trust

inner sovereignty

And if that sounds good, I invite you to please share with anyone you know who could use some of the magic too.

Thank you and see you in class!

Register here now.

REALLY EXCITED TO BRING MEDITATION CLASSES BACK THIS SUMMER!

Many of you asked me about pursuing training meditation and mindfulness in more depth than one time events . I'm super excited to offer it.

This will be especially great for ANYONE who's like -
I tried meditation and I can't do it.
YES YOU CAN!
You have a brain, a mind, a body, lungs...you can do this. I'm here to help.

In an age of anxiety, and stress, it's so important to be the sovereign of your own mind. To become someone who can face whatever arises and which can not be controlled , but still must be faced, without fear highjacking your mind and capsizing into disarray.

BENEFITS:

• See what is true.
• Become more compassionate to yourself and others.
• Less screaming inner critic!
• Cultivate Neuroplasticity.
###li/li###
• Settle your nervous system
• Respond rather than react
• Greater patience, compassion, capacity for chaos
• Greater freedom from suffering of all the kinds (and so many! AM I RIGHT? SMH)
• etc etc...

WHAT IT IS:

JUNE JULY MEDITATION COURSE
This is a Practical Mindfulness Meditation (Vipassana or Insight Meditation) Class in Pilsen starting on June 7th.
We will meet every Tuesday from 6-7:30pm June through July.
You may attend in-person or virtually. No special gear required. No experience required.

Come as you are!

If you have friends or family, colleagues who might wish to join us, please share the info.
In the event that I may be traveling for a specific class, you will be advised and the class will be offered on Zoom.
CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE YOU!
Blessings,
Hillary 

PS
Tuition: $200 for the two months. (which works out to $25/class. 4 classes per month)
If anyone is experiencing any kind of financial hardship, there's a no questions asked heart based sliding scale, in which you pay what you can. You may also pay in two installments if you need to. Contact me and I'll get you set up.

lovely studio portrait by Erica McKeehen

WE ARTISTS NEED PHOTOS OF OURSELVES.

I know. It can feel cringey, scary BUT the process can actually be powerfully transformative.

HERES THE DEAL:

Any photographer can make pictures of you, but what I do, as an artist, writer, a photographer, an empath, as someone who understands about crafting a narrative, is think about not only making the photos, but who are we making the photos for? 
Who is the audience for you? 

Who is your divine right audience, the people who want your art?

I think about: 

• What you want to wear?
• Where do you want to show yourself: in the studio, outside somewhere, a special, meaningful place?
• What's the environment you want to be in so your people will be able to resonate with you more easily through these photographs?

There are photographers out there who have a kit of lights and a sort of one size fits all approach to making portraits and headshots. And thats cool, you know…the world is big and wide and theres something for everyone.

Me, I like to draw on my zone of genius so I can help you enter yours.

I think of it this way: 

Each person in front of my camera is a unique human being. 

I want to get to know who you are, what you need, want and dream of for your future self as an artist. I help you present yourself in ways that make sense, and which are in alignment with that vision. This process takes time. 

Im also aware that being photographed can be incredibly stressful. Because Im also a meditation and mindfulness teacher, I bring that kind of support into our sessions together. 

While were making photos…we take our time.

We pause between images, and rest, so you can gather yourself, and get grounded in your body, come into your body and be ready to do more. 

We explore body language and the meaning of certain postures and positions and find what FEELS right for YOU. Even when it might feel like a bit of a stretch…because thats where the growth is.

THE BASIC PROCESS:

I ask each of my photography clients a series of important questions, before our session, so that the time we have together is part of your becoming process. We talk about the sessions well before and the IMPACT you want the images to have. We do a phone or zoom pre session to go over all the details so you feel really comfortable.

• Do you want hair and makeup, a stylist? 
• Is that part of how you want to present yourself, or not? 
• Its all about me doing my best to educate you about your options and supporting your choices to make the best photos we can.

While we are making your photos, we are also having a conversation, were getting to know each other more personally. I share some of who I am so I create a comfortable space in which you can reveal the parts of yourself that you feel comfortable revealing. 

I believe that making strong portraiture is about relationships and connection.

Especially if you feel any sense of trauma around being photographed, you will naturally feel reticent to have portraits made, (I know I did) and yet, you simply must have great photos of yourself for your website, social media, the catalogs of your work and all the things you need on your way to becoming the artist you want to be.

Im not shooting. Im not taking pictures.

We are collaborative together.  Ill do my best to be the wise, supportive guide who helps you show up as you.

Its a transformational process. 

Doing this work with me will help you experience yourself more fully and with greater confidence than ever before. 
I invite you to take up the space you deserve.

THE BASICS: 

Up to three sessions/locations over two days 
For Only $1500*

Book your spot now with a $500 deposit. I use PayPal, Zelle, Venmo.

Then well set up a call to talk and brainstorm. I'll email your questions to think about. Then we start to look at dates for our work together. I have availability between mid-May through August 2022.
 
*You also cover travel expenses, flight, room, board. 

Genius Zone Idea: Team up with your artist friends and colleagues to bring me where you are and save on the expenses! Where are your local peeps? Get together and reach out to me and lets get you ready to take the art world stage!  

Imagine how fun it would be to gather together to make pictures and all the money you would save by doing that. (More money for the clothes you want to wear or art supplies!)

Interested? Email me and let the photo magic begin!

Opening day for the first show of the year!
@hillaryjohnsonthephotographer


Appointment Only

If you are in the Shangai area, I invite you to go see this, my first international exhibition at Hüten Gallery. The curator, Yizhi Zou, is an incredible artist herself. She has a beautiful mission for the gallery and I could not be more pleased that she gave me this opportunity to show this work which means so much to me.

The fabric prints are available in a limited edition with two Artist Reserves on silk. The video itself is also available for your collection. I look forward so much to hearing the show is received. If you go, please let me know and share your impressions.

Blessings, 

Hillary

THE ITALIAN GENTLEMAN: WHERE SO MANY THINGS BEGAN

The year, it was probably 1987. I made this photo, on my first trip to Italy. My best friend was getting married in an old family villa outside of Florence. I'd been living in Boston in a mostly unheated loft above a dim sum restaurant with a roomate who kindly let me live there. We paid almost nothing in rent. To deal with the lack of heat we hammered a hole through wall to the central heating chimney in the center of the building. My bedroom faced east into the rising sun each day facing the old leather district, which was becoming a hub of photography studios. In winter, coming out of the shower, my body steamed in the cold. I adored living there. I worked as a photo assistant and a stringer for the the wire serves and later for the Boston Globe.

In Florence, the summer heat radiated up from the cobbled streets in thick waves. I was at a complete loss. No Italian to speak of. I was so broke I couldn't shop but didn't care. I'd come for the wedding and to learn to see the world. To learn how my eyes, my heart and mind might possibly work together. I didn't know if they could. But that question burned a white hot fire in the center of my being to find out. It was pure obsession.

My camera, which I still have and love, was an old Yashica-D 2 1/4. The lens I think had no coating. But I swear that magic pixies lived inside that little box. My own tiny camera obscura...  a bag of Tri-X swinging in a bag on my hip.

This day, my roommate and I were grouchy with each other. Terrible traveling companions as it turned out. We still hadn't figured out that we might wander around without clinging to each other like two lost little boats trying to find the harbor. 

And then, I got really lucky. I plodded heavy footed up the street, camera dangling. I felt a tingle. I looked down into the ground glass and turned slowly. I looked up. And there was this man, leaning laconically against the wall, a plume of smoke snaked up through the air. He looked past me and then right at me. A challenge in his eyes. The lines of the street, the angles of the window just past him, the shadow in the foreground, the light hitting the buildings behind, all like magic strings pulling me into the frame. 

I know he knew I was making a photo. I felt I barely had time to focus. He stared still, but the rest of him somehow so languid. All that space and light. Everything felt... complete. I summoned my courage and pressed the little button down. Click of exposure the slightest of a sounds, the tick of an insect's wing, the church bell on the hill sounded in great sonorous waves pouring past me, over me. It was complete. Everything felt whole in that moment.

This print was made while I was an artist in residence at Polaroid many years later. It's a photo of the photo made with the kind of Polaroid film that had to be peeled apart to reveal the negative inside. The emulsion could be lifted ever so gently up and applied, floated really onto another paper. (In this case an Arches cold press paper with deckled edges) I love how this version became its own piece of work. Each transfer is so unpredictable, the result unique. Not so unlike the same feeling I had making the original photo.

 I never know what the next moment will bring. (Do any of us?)

I love this image and this process and this print. It speaks of travel, of time gone by, of slow summer exploration, of being young and just going, of walking and witnessing, celebrating the beauty of the man and the street and the light, of being on the edge of the rest of my life.

I am offering this unique piece of work to that person for whom those feelings resonate, who remembers your own first trips, of being in the edge of the unknown and falling into beauty, of wanting to celebrate life. For your wall (or perhaps a friend) to see and love each day.

The image size: 9"x8"

The Arches paper size: 1"5x11"

$500. Venmo, Zelle, PayPal

Local Chicago delivery complimentary. Domestic shipping $30 Intl Shipping based on location.

Contact me to purchase and arrange your shipping.

Thank you so much. I hope the piece speaks to you as much as it does me. Wishing you beauty.

Hillary xo

A little solitude can feel extremely restorative in the midst of it all.

do you give yourself permission to give yourself some solitude, some serious alone time just to allow yourself to settle gain some clarity. This kind of solitude can be very valuable if you use it as a time to simply rest or contemplate without being interrupted or disturbed.

if youre an introvert like me having some alone time is the way of charging your battery, or filling your cup with the energy required to be present for others more fully when you returned them.

or if youre an extrovert or someone whos just very high energy and Vibing all the time, solitude can be a beautiful chance for you experience just who you are on the inside deep down allowing things to settle maybe going and visiting those places inside of yourself that often dont get attention and giving them a little bit of tender loving care.

Even now in the midst of Covid when we have been isolated from each other so much more than usual, still we find ourselves and video calls are other kinds of technology trying to maintain connections. And mothers connections are important still giving ourselves the gift of solitude can be so incredibly healing. I invite you to explore this for yourself and let me know how it goes, If you feel inclined to share that.

as always thank you for stopping by. I see you. I appreciate you. Wishing you a day of some ease. Wishing you a day of happiness and the causes of happiness.

also you may like to know that these paintings of the stones will be available soon as a deck for you to explore at home as a source of inspiration and support to your own mind for pausing. If youre interested in purchasing an original watercolor and handwritten text please let me know because those are also available.

Xo Hillary

Start your day feeling grounded.

Ha I know! Can feel easier said than done. Am I right?

Today I awoke with a raging to-do list blaring loudly inside my cranium.

Old Hillary wouldve freaked out. Totally. Spun in circles rather unproductively.

Current me pauses. Checks whats up. What are those thoughts? What are those beliefs? How am I feeling about it all? Is anything true that while feeling uncomfortable needs addressing?

More pausing.

Breathing.

Today in the pause, clarity. Let those things have embodiment in paint on paper.

What do I need in the face of this?

GROUNDING.

Today for me, that meant, go to the tools of watercolors, brush, paper and ink.

Here is what came.

A beautiful reminder.

I LOVE that the action to make the painting also created the FEELING I was after.

Now, I can write list of what to do with clarity, with frenzy-brain.

Ill walk too.

And sit my ass down on my meditation bench.

Il choose where and how to place my attention, and thus, the day will get made.

I know its not always easy.

Love to hear what grounds you in the face of your day, which feel like SO MUCH.

And, if you need, want, desire some help, I got you.

One-on-one sessions are available monthly via zoom. Support. Guidance. Practical and intuitive coaching/mentoring (as one happy client calls it.

Tell me whats up. Im here to help.

Blessings, 

Hillary

XO

The Feels are warm and fuzzy over here this evening!

It makes me just so happy when a client is able to so clearly reflect on their experience with me and witness their own growth.

In case you didn't know, I make photographs yes and other things...AND, I teach mindfulness, meditation with a very practical coaching spin. 

Here is what one of my clients wrote to me the other day:

Hillary gets it. Her intuition guides the journey that she shapes for the student in front of her. This is not a cookie cutter, breathe like this, think like this, experience. She drops the F bomb like an Olympian (though this may be just with me...but I doubt it). She exposes you to your agency and then celebrates with you as you become more vibrant and whole.

I am accepting one or two new coaching clients to work one on one for the rest of the winter and into the spring.

Hit me up if you want to talk about what it might look like. Especially if youve tried a lot of things are feeling really stuck.

I would say a simple way of describing my mission is to help you find your own inner goodness so that you can really connect to your happiness. Thats good for you and also spreads a ripple of peace and happiness for others around you.

Raise your hand if youd like a little more happiness for yourself and for others too. Contact me for a complimentary consultation.

Wishing you happiness and the causes of happiness,

Hillary

As I was researching today in preparation for what I hope will be a summer research and photography trip to England, Scotland and Ireland (come on scholarship funding!!! Fingers and toes all crossed) for places from which part of my family ancestry derives, I remembered how much I used to love word clouds for showing visually what the main themes seem to be in my work.

I feel like it will be interesting to work with the word clouds as the project develops and evolves. So stay tuned if you like. I would love to have you follow along on this journey with me.

Here is the word cloud generated from part of the proposal I wrote.

What are you working on? What does your word cloud look like?

I'm thrilled to offer limited edition prints for sale from new work which has been emerging during my first semester in the MFA in Photography program at Columbia College.

This work is a huge departure visually and in terms of my process. For most of my life I made photos almost exclusively in black and white, and worked in a documentary mode. But I have always loved abstraction in painting, sculpture, installation and music. Recently, I've started to work in the landscape, painting and drawing as it were, with fabrics and cords, placing materials into the landscape, weaving cords between the trees and so forth.

I'm interested in exploring this further as an investigation of light, color and form and also as a way of considering my relation to the landscape, the boundaries between self and the ground, the elements of earth, air, fire, water.

These two are available are both available as ink jet prints ~4"x8" on archival paper 8"x10" or 14"x 21" on 17" x 22" paper. Studio visits are available in person and virtually. Just ask! Local Chicago delivery available for no additional charge or shipping. Purchases desired for Christmas must be made by 12/15/2021. 

SALE!

If this pandemic has taught me anything it's this:

Our most important work is an inside job.

We can not control anything out there.

All we can do is come to know ourselves deeply and try to navigate the seas of our lived experience with as much kindness and mercy as we can.

We must befriend ourselves and be gentle with the tender beings we are on the inside.

That is what this work is all about. Finding what is good inside you, which can feel so elusive sometimes.

To that end, a special price for right now for booking this transformative work now for yourself or someone you love.

Book and make payment for your Waters We Swim In session for Florida this January by Tuesday December 2 for the special price of $1500 - regular price $2500!

Curious? Let's talk.

Feeling like your own gold is a bit obscured? I can help.

When you find your own inner gold and goodness, you clear away obstacles to greater success, love, creativity and success.

Let's do this!

Message me now to set up a free short consultation to see if this work is right for you!

Let's find that inner goodness.

With gratitude,

Hillary

It took a whole amazing team to make this magic happen.

Two lovely tree climbers, one arborist, one educator and cabinet maker...

They made it all look easy.

All aloft. 60 yards of gold glitter tulle, a spool of golden cord, yards of climbing ropes, throw bags, and all manner of gear.  50 flags of black and silver tulle on bamboo sticks to mark the way in. 

A diverse array of magical human beings who helped in all kinds of ways. I see you all and appreciate you for the many things you did. Paul, extra shout outs to you for wrangling tree people, in a ripple effect outwards of so much goodness. AMAZING!  And to you and Kay for your smiling good cheer and installation of 50 sticks and tulle to guide visitors to the gold.

This lady was so matchy matchy! Clearly, she got the memo. 

This sparkle makes me so happy. Big lessons: 1. Do not think, DO! Thinking alone can trap you in bed and nothing will ever actually happen. 2. Let go of yearning for exact outcomes and celebrate what actually happens. 3. Tulle has a mind of its own. The wind has a mind of its own. Together they will surprise you so much. Let go and show up with gratitude and curiosity.

Gold streaming down from the tree tops.

Gold within and gold without.

It felt at times like the tulle was alive with electricity. It had such presence and was constantly changing throughout the day.

I simply love this image. I saw the tulle and the leaves scattered round. My heart beat slowly and felt full of wonder.

A golden sovereign being aflame in the woods. The sun greeting her with each ray.

My friends Ziru and Senjie brought a drone to film the installation and that was amazing.

They flew it all around, through, above, below the installation capturing it in ways I could not have any other way. So grateful!

Incredible watching the play of light and shadows through the day.

Word got out on Instgram, and word of mouth, the old fashioned way and all kinds of people showed up to check it out. They said:

What a beautiful surprise! Thank you for doing this!

Our neighbors told us to come see it. We just had to come. This is amazing!

It's like something mystical!

The tulle looks like golden spirits in the trees.

So simple and so beautiful. WOW! Are you going to do this again? (YES! and Even BIGGER!)

Something in the way she moves....

MePhoto credit: Senjie Zhu

Me and a whole lotta tulle glowing!

The tulle looking like a golden dragon in afternoon sun.

This reminds me of Kow Loon, Hong Kong, Nine Dragons, the nine mountains you can see from the peak.

Matt P, a professional tree climbing arborist, frees the last bit of tulle from the tree.

And that's a wrap for this time. Stay tuned for an open studio, artist's talk about the work, as well as opportunities to purchase one of a kind collages and photos which document the process from ideation to completion. Pieces purchased by December 10th can be delivered or shipped in time for holiday gift giving.

Thank for you stopping by. Please feel free to share with friends.

With gratitude and curiosity,

Hillary

The Waters We Swim In is a ritual of transformation, reconnecting you with what's good in you and others; to the unique gifts each of us possesses, which, when ignited, gives purpose and meaning to our lives.

Work with transformational coach and fine art photographer Hillary Johnson for a peaceful retreat experience that creates space for you to reconnect with your own inner goodness so that you can unleash your gifts and do the work you were meant to do. 

The Waters We Swim In is available in bodies of open water around the globe. Each participant experiences a guided process of surrendering to self realization while immersed in water. 
 
Sessions are available January 6-22, 2022 in Florida where the water is warm and the sun shines down on us. Options for Jax Beach, St. Pete and Miami. Space is extremely limited.
 
Sessions are also booking now for spring and summer in Chicago and around the world. Reach out to me to talk about where and when you would like to do your transformational session. (Additional fees for travel may apply.)

The Experience:

• We meet by the water.
• I lead you through a guided meditation experience created just for you so that you can become deeply in touch with your embodied experience and inner awareness.
• I hold space for you to see the noise thats obscuring your inner gold.
• Together we let all the noise settle, gently witnessing what is there with loving kindness.
• Together we enter the water.
• Your inner gold and goodness is revealed through a process of witnessing, releasing what no longer serves, and making space for the new.
• I guide you to find the intuitive nudges that allow you to take the inspired actions that will support you creating the life you truly desire as you open up to more and more of the goodness within you.
• You receive a beautiful photograph of yourself immersed in the water to remind every day of your inner gold, your strength, resilience, creativity and all that is good inside you

To Register: 

• Make your payment with PayPal , Venmo @Hillary-Johnson-1 or, with Zelle to hillary@hillaryohnsonphoto.com
• Payment options
• For Winter sessions in Florida you have two options.
• Payment in full now
• Pay a 50% deposit now to reserve your spot. Balance due January 1, 2022
• For sessions during spring break, or summer of 2022, deposit of $500 required. Payment plans available upon booking.
• Book a call with Hillary for a complimentary pre-session consultation to review details, set location etc.

The Investment:

$2500 (Value $5000 This is a special price to end 2021!)

What people have said about their experience:

I wanted to be a part of "The Waters We Swim In" the moment I saw the first image.

Hillary immediately put me at ease and I placed my trust in her completely. Even as the waves were pushing me towards the shore. This water experience was beyond anything I could have envisioned.

"The Waters We Swim In" is a retreat toward calm and reflection during these turbulent times.

I am still swimming in the magical experience we had this morning. Being part of The Water We Swim In is incredibly meaningful. Thank you for a magical experience that healed my soul and reconnected me to the universe.

While I was floating for this project I was thinking of all of those things and how I can honor the importance of this unprecedented time while inviting the passion I see around me to help me evolve into the best version of myself.

There is an ethereality, a spirituality, that encompasses us, and a power that you tap into through your use of light and nature. Something primal is released.

FAQ

CAN I DO THIS WITH A PARTNER, SPOUSE, CHILD OR BFF?
Of course you may! How wonderful would that be? Partner sessions incur an additional fee. This work is open to all. Lets talk.

DO I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SWIM TO BE PART OF THE WATERS WE SWIM IN?
Not at all! All you need is a desire to get into the water. I can teach you to float if you like. But floating is not necessary for this experience to be a success.

WHAT IF IM AFRAID OF THE WATER?
That need not stop you! I can help you face that fear in small gentle steps until you feel ready to go in the water. Remember that you dont need to know how to swim or float. The fact that youre intrigued indicates it may be time for you to take the plunge quite literally. I will be with you every step of the way.

WHAT IF THE WEATHER IS NOT FAVORABLE?
We typically have a plan B date to fall back on. For sustained bad weather that may mean a more significant rescheduling but so far that hasnt happened yet! In the case of needing to plan for a separate trip to your location, there may be costs associated with flying back to our location. 

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
In our consultation we talk about that. The attire in generally classic black, minimalist weather that means a swimsuit or something else, we select together. 

WHAT IF I WANT TO BE NUDE?
You can! We would talk it through together to decide on a time and place where you will feel comfortable doing that whenever possible. I recognize that everyone has a different level of comfort in the body and may have different preferences for making that happen. Lets talk.

WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY PHOTOS?
Typically, I do a hot edit and pick one or two images within hours of our session and send them to you so you can see them right away. I send you a larger edited set within 3 weeks so you can select the image you would like for your special print. Once you make that selection, you will receive your print in about a month. That said, COVID-19 has presented special challenges with the supply chain which sometimes impacts delivery times for prints. If anything unusual arises, I will keep you informed.

WHAT KIND OF PRINT WILL I RECEIVE?
I like to print on an archival, matte finish photo paper. Prints are usually 16x20 and arrive rolled in a tube, unframed. If you would like to have me arrange framing, Im happy to do so for an additional fee.
You may also choose to get a print on canvas, silk or metal. Prices vary with materials. We can talk about what would feel most wonderful for you.

WHAT IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS?
Lets talk about whatever those questions might be. Im happy to talk with you about any questions or concerns.

WHY ME?

Im an interdisciplinary artist, meditation teacher and healer, recovering creative, empath and highly sensitive person. I grew up on the ocean (literally) on the East Coast sailing, swimming and mucking about in nature. I was a lifeguard and swimming coach for the Special Olympics.  Im a certified Tarot card reader, energy and Reiki healer,  and a former candidate in a Masters program in Clinical Psychology. I started teaching mindfulness in 2008. My business clients include Fortune 500 companies, top hospitals, prominent law firms, financial concerns and NPOs. I also have coaching clients across the globe. 
My photography, immersive installations and transformational, embodied practices have two main strands: the investigation of tensions and challenges created when drastic upheavals transform or destroy delicate beauty; and, helping others evolve and expand their capacity for love, abundance, and creativity. I have a background in photojournalism and documentary photography. Im an MFA Candidate in the Department of Photography at Columbia College Chicago.

 "Much as Rothko sought an experience of healing in the act of painting and in the moments in which the viewer is in communion with the work, I have similar hopes for this body of work. That contact with these images may plant seeds for an awakening, a shift in consciousness through contact with beauty even in the midst of collapse."

YOU'RE INVITED!

WHAT? 

A public art installation of beautiful, sparkling glitter, gold tulle tumbling from the trees lining the walking path. A shared experience of alchemy, contemplation, restoration and reconnection with the gold within you and others.

WHEN? 

Sunday 11/28 11am-2pm

WHERE? 

Palos, Illinois Park in the lot for Teason's Woods and cross 104th Avenue, walking west to enter the path into the woods. You will find us easily. 

HOW MUCH?

FREE and kid-friendly

DANG, I CAN'T MAKE IT! 

No worries. There are other ways to bring the essence of the experience into your home or work space. A variety of one-of-a-kind conceptual photos with collage and gold leaf painting and pieces of the actual tulle used for the installation are available for purchase.  

Studio visits to view the work are available in person or via Zoom. Just ask! 

The photo above is available for purchase too. $100 for a 5x8 inch print on 8x10 paper, edition of 10. 

(The $100 is a special price now for holiday gifts for yourself or friends, family, loves.) Local Chicago delivery $10, $20 across the US, Intl by location) 

Order by Dec 10 to be in time for all the celebrations!

Order by 11/29 and receive a special extra surprise in your package!

WHAT ELSE? 

Join us with your cameras, phones, video to experience this with us as a reminder of the miracle of light and aliveness, our own inner gold, our loving kindness for ourselves and each other as we move into the winter season. 

Please share your photos on social media with the #TulleExperiment and tag @hillaryjohnsonthephotographer on IG. I'd be very grateful for any photos and video you would send my way to share the experience with others.

We'll begin the installation process at 9am with 4-5 tree climbing arborists, who are each volunteering their time to help me realize this vision.

Please share this event with your friends and family. We welcome you to come with snacks and beverages to share if you like. Upon departure, please leave the forest as you found it.

Wishing you all light and loving-kindness, Hillary

Tulle Experiment: Palos Edition

A public art installation of beautiful, sparkling glitter, gold tulle tumbling from the trees lining the walking path.
You're invited on this Thanksgiving weekend to join us with your cameras, phones, video to experience this with us as a reminder of the miracle of light and aliveness, our own inner gold, our loving kindness for ourselves and each other as we move into the winter season. Please share your photos on social media with the #TulleExperiment and tag @hillaryjohnsonthephotographer on IG. I'd be very grateful for any photos and video you would send my way to share the experience with others.

Admission is free and the event is kid-friendly.

The installation is meant to offer visitors an experience of surprise and delight, the fragile and ephemeral, in some lovely woods which are very easily accessible.
We will begin the installation process at 9am with 4-5 tree climbing arborists, who are each volunteering their time to help me realize this vision.

We hope to have all the tulle up the trees and ready for release at 11am. The installation will remain in place for three hours max. in part dependent on the weather.

One-of-a-kind conceptual photos with collage and gold leaf painting and pieces of the actual tulle used for the installation are available for purchase which will enable us to increase the scale and capacity for the next iteration on an even larger and more grand scale. I plan on much larger fabric and being able to pay the riggers, and creating high quality documentation. Please inquire. Studio visits to view the work are available in person or via Zoom.

Please share this event with your friends and family. We welcome you to come with snacks and beverages to share if you like. Upon departure, please leave the forest as you found it.

Park in the lot for Teason's Woods and cross 104th Avenue, walking west to enter the path into the woods. You will find us easily. I'll come up with something to tag the path for you and post about that later.
Wishing you all light and loving-kindness, Hillary

Here is a link to a pdf map of the area.

Please reach out for studio visitto view the work which is available for to have or give as gifts.

Thank you, Hillary

I did a thing!

I have dithered over doing this for years. Why? I have no idea... well not true. I know why. All the self indicting votes of no-confidence, you can't, what will people say, it's not perfect and on and on... But a lot of inner work, going to Life of Yes Camp run by Saya Hillman and her amazeballs, Mac & Cheese Productions which supports so many humans, led me here to finally creating some stuff that I believe in, in support of chasing my dreams, and hit that dang publish button!

Whoa! 100% nervous and excited too.

My first online shop!

You can get #thewatersweswimin t-shirts, sweatshirts, masks (natch). I'm so excited! Yeeee!

All sales support art continuing to be made, keeping me in grad school and spreading loving kindness all the places we all go. The Waters We Swim In is a global project supporting healing transformation so we can find our gifts and make the most of the life we have in front of us while helping others thrive at the same time.

Can you, would you help me meet my goal and sell 100 t-shirts or sweatshirts by the end of the day tomorrow?
Please and thank you for sharing too.

Happy Halloween! Big spooky hugs!

I hope you will join me and my art witch friends for a beautiful show at Art of Balance November 6 & 7, 6P - 9P CT.

Art of Balance Open House & Dialectics Gallery Show
Art of Balance is hosting an open house and sponsoring The Dialectics gallery show in recognition of our newly opened second location in the West Loop on 1611 W Monroe St.

I'm thrilled to share a video and photography installation, "The Waters We Swim In," which invites you to contemplation in a transformational, liminal space.

Inspired in part by this teaching of Pema Chodron's: Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us. The work reflects my own sense of the expansiveness and ease which meditation has given me over the last 20 years, even during the global pandemic. Meditation gives me that capacity to stay present with what is, even when it's very hard, with a bit more grace than I'd have otherwise. This installation invites you to try a few moments of your own quiet presence to befriend whatever is true for you in the moment.

Meet therapists and attend workshops that present on specific theoretical lens and therapeutic tools. Engage with our community artists and show support through contributions. Receive tarot and astrology readings.

Food, drinks, live music, and raffles will be present at our space. Any contributions will support our local artists and clients seeking affordable therapy services at our location. Reach out for more information - we hope to see you soon!

I had an occasion last week to really confront and revisit the concept and practice of right speech. 

The Buddha was precise in his description of Right Speech. He defined it as abstinence from false speech, abstinence from malicious speech, abstinence from harsh speech, and abstinence from idle chatter. In the vernacular this means not lying, not using speech in ways that create discord among people, not using swear words or a cynical, hostile or raised tone of voice, and not engaging in gossip. Re-framed in the positive, these guidelines urge us to say only what is true, to speak in ways that promote harmony among people, to use a tone of voice that is pleasing, kind, and gentle, and to speak mindfully in order that our speech is useful and purposeful.

This is a very good article about what it is and how it works and matters from creating harmony even in difficult communications. Thank you to Tricycle Magazine!

Super excited to share this beautiful opportunity for you all to join me and sound healing yogi Natalja Aicardi for, "Healing the Wounds: Guided Meditation and Sound Healing Experience."

Are feeling like you could use a little outdoor time before the grey of Chicago winter lands?

Are you feeling a little trepidation about upcoming winter and all that indoor time?

Is the ongoingness of COVID getting to you?

Could you use some contemplative time in a beautiful outdoor setting to help you get some grounding and relief?

Meditation and portrait photography pop-up!

Do you sometimes struggle with anxiety?
Does your brain feel scattered sometimes?
would you like to be able to feel more grounded and present?

Practicing mindfulness meditation reduces stress and anxiety and open the way for greater ease and peace in every day life for ourselves and all those with who we come into contact.

Having an image of ourselves in a peaceful state is a form of potent witnessing and celebration. The photograph can remind us of who we are, and that that inner well of peace is available to us at any moment of every day. It can help keep us on our path of well-being.

I am offering a special opportunity for one on one meditation instruction along with a portrait to be made of you sitting in meditation. So that you can have your reminder of your inner peace to help you stay inspired and in your practice.
instruction and portraits are Only available next week on Tuesday the 13th and Wednesday the 14th. Morning, afternoon and evening slots are available.

$100 ($300 value)

If money is an issue right now, heart pricing/sliding scale available. No one will be turned away. Sessions last one hour.

Please share with anyone who could benefit. 

Reserve your session now with payment via:

Venmo: @hillary-johnson-1
PayPal: @HillJPics
Zelle: hillary at hillaryjohnsonphoto dot com

Thanks and blessings, Hillary 

#meditation #mindfulnessmeditation #mindfulnesscoach #wellbeingcoach #vipassanameditation

THE WATERS WE SWIM IN: A HEALING RITUAL of TRANSFORMATION

Here is all the information about the healing work of The Waters We Swim In. I would love nothing more than to see you fully

THE WATERS WE SWIM IN: A HEALING RITUAL of TRANSFORMATION
Here is all the information about the healing work of The Waters We Swim In. I would love nothing more than to see you fully flower in your purpose as a human being, an artist, whatever you dream of most deeply in your heart of hearts. How beautiful! Especially in this strange global pandemic time, in which we have all suffered a collective trauma, we need healing at a soul level more than ever. 

What's wonderful is how powerful it is that when we heal, we also help our family and community heal. This is how we change the world, healing ourselves and letting the ripples spread outward.

THE WATERS WE SWIM IN: A HEALING RITUAL of TRANSFORMATION
Here is all the information about the healing work of The Waters We Swim In. I would love nothing more than to see you fully flower in your purpose as a human being, an artist, whatever you dream of most deeply in your heart of hearts. How beautiful! Especially in this strange global pandemic time, in which we have all suffered a collective trauma, we need healing at a soul level more than ever.
 
What's wonderful is how powerful it is that when we heal, we also help our family and community heal. This is how we change the world, healing ourselves and letting the ripples spread outward.

 
IS THIS YOU?
Hey hello there, beautiful, sensitive, creative human!
You're highly sensitive, empathic.
Youve always known there was something special awaiting you.

• You worry that despite your best efforts youll miss your true calling
• You feel like finding answers is sometimes so elusive that you wonder if youll ever figure it out.

Or MAYBE, you feel like you have things pretty well figured out but still...

• theres this niggling sense that you arent quite fully there. You know you wont rest until you feel youve completely become the very best version of yourself.

You want to live fully aligned, heart, mind, spirit for purpose.

• You want to feel healed and whole.
• You want to feel inspired and inspire others.
• You have a profound feeling theres something you were meant to do.
• You wonder, why is it so hard to find what IT is?
• You wonder, is it really possible to live like that? 

What if instead of living with uncertainty, you knew that:

• you could live your life totally sure that you were really living to your fullest potential
• completely confident that you were doing the work you were meant to do in this life
• each day is a magnificent expression of your fullest, most sovereign creative self

 

THE MANY THINGS YOUVE TRIED:
Youve been in therapy (maybe more than one kind), done journaling (countless pages of searching), gone on retreats, read a librarys worth of self help books, made vision boards, gone on pilgrimages, bullet journaling, and so on. I get it. So many things! Ive been there right along with you. Sometimes you may wonder, didnt I already deal with this? Why aren't I further along
 
WHY THOSE THINGS DIDNT WORK:
First of all; It isnt you. You havent done anything wrong. Living fully, passionately and in total alignment with your most profound gifts isnt an obvious thing. Our true gifts have frequently been negated for much of our lives. Career paths laid out for us by well meaning guidance counselors or family have been too narrow, too safe. There may be things hiding back there in family stories, history, even inter-generationally, that are part of a way of being that you may not even know is influencing you, holding you back. People didnt ask us the RIGHT questions. We didnt even know how to ask ourselves the right questions.
 
But now is YOUR time!
Learning how to live in a place of deep purpose and joy is less about the externals most people associate with finding our way to success. What makes the difference is the deep magic of committing learning who you really are, throwing the doors open wide to knowing what your unique gifts are so that you can do the great work of this life, the work that only you can do and making room and giving yourself permission to own your own gifts, your very place in this sparkling universe. The world needs your gifts. Your offerings.. You are called to create them from your own dear heart AND in part because others need what you alone can offer.

UNCOVER YOUR GIFTS & START LIVING YOUR PURPOSE:
The key to discovering and owning your gifts is to uncover the hidden/dormant/latent so you can learn how to make the best of them for yourself and in service to others. To do this, you need to be in a liminal space where we witness and heal; excavate and celebrate. A place where your gifts come into the full light of consciousness. Most of all, a place where you give yourself permission to live in this expansive space, now and forever. The answers are all inside you and you can access them. Water is just this sort of space.

THE WATERS WE SWIM IN: A HEALING RITUAL of TRANSFORMATION is a way for you to step into this space and to experiences a guided process of surrendering to self realization through profound healing of the deepest wounds in conjunction with reconnection to the unique gifts each of us possesses, which when ignited, gives purpose and meaning to our lives.

WHY ME? 
Im Hillary. For much of my life, I felt like I was living a short distance from my actual life. I often felt that my skin didnt fit me, that I didnt deserve anything good. Occasionally, Id have a vague recollection of feeling powerful, magical, intuitive and creative but that feeling would vanish into thin air almost as soon as I noticed it. I was constantly searching for answers. I thought the only  way to fix my lost feeling was to ask some mythical right person, who I was and what I should do. I was looking for rescue, to be fixed. It took me years to figure out that what I was searching for was right here inside me. Once I made  up my mind and gave myself the space and permission to live fully and joyfully in my true purpose, I have lived just that way… and its been downright magical. Every day is more expansive, more creative, more full of love. 

If it feels like this is more of a commitment than you are ready to make right now, I do offer a condensed version of this work which doesn't go as deeply for $1500 (a single pre-beach session, water ritual and follow up) as well as a lighter version for $650. 
 
If you are looking to make real change, I would ask yourself, what will it mean to me to have these answers and be able to move forward from an entirely new place of sovereignty to really do the work I am here to do?
 
After sitting with this please let me know how it all lands and what you would like to do. Then we will set up a time to have a call to make our plans for your healing and transformation. Contact me here or call 312-714-4563 (please send a text first so I know to expect you or leave a voicemail and Ill call you back.)

Thank you.
Wishing you expansiveness, joy, alignment in all you do.
Xo Hillary

 
#thewatersweswimin

TAKE A SELF GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF THE "I AM WATER," PUBLIC ART PROJECT IN BROOKLYN  NEW YORK!

I AM WATER is a public art exhibition organized by Our Humanity Matters and ecoartspace in collaboration with SaveArtSpace. The exhibition consists of ten billboards sited in the borough's of New York City and addresses our relationship with water and our human understanding that we are water. (Click to learn more about the project and see the other incredible photographs by 9 other amazing artists.)

Water is the origin of life with the innate purpose to continue creation. In water, we see that everything is connected and interrelated. Everything is liquid before it becomes solid. Humans, who are mostly water, depend on it to protect our DNA and for our basic survival. Water is not a resource but an essential connection to life. The one-sidedness of modern consciousness and our disconnect from nature increasingly subjects water to pollution. If we do not change our behavior, we will run out of water.
We humans cannot be healthy if our waters are not healthy. This exhibition shows waters mystery and importance and helps to reestablish, on a deep cellular level, the intimate relationship with water that we have lost in modern life. 
Exhibition Curator: Patricia Watts, founder of ecoartspace
Production Curator: Tanja Andrejasic Wechsler, founder of Our Humanity Matters
Billboard Application and Procurement: Travis and Justin, SaveArtSpace

THE BILLBOARDS ARE UP! (JUNE 21, 2021 for One Month) SO HURRY UP AND GET THEE TO BROOKLYN! 

WHEN YOU GO: Please snap a photo of yourself with the billboard, use #thewatersweswimin on your favorite social media and share one way this photo touched you or had an impact on you.

Thank you so much for stopping by. Please share this with friends for whom this message would align.

Blessings, Hillary

Gabriella
Sunrise
Santa Monica, California
The Waters We Swim In
Releasing what no longer serves.

THE WATERS WE SWIM IN: A HEALING RITUAL of TRANSFORMATION
 
The Waters We Swim In is a global photography project consisting in black and white portraits of people immersed in water. Each participant experiences a guided process of surrendering to self realization through profound healing of the deepest wounds in conjunction with reconnection to the unique gifts each of us possesses, which when ignited, gives purpose and meaning to our lives.

I would love nothing more than to see you fully flower in your purpose as a human being, an artist, whatever you dream of most deeply in your heart of hearts. How beautiful! Especially in this strange global pandemic time, in which we have all suffered a collective trauma, we need healing at a soul level more than ever.
 
What's wonderful is how powerful it is that when we heal, we also help our family and community heal. This is how we change the world, healing ourselves and letting the ripples spread outward.

Ready to lean into your own healing? To learn more about this work and how you can join, contact me through my contact page and let's talk so you can see if it feels aligned for you.

Blessings, Hillary

#thewatersweswimin

I LOVE PARTNERING WITH A BUDDY FOR FUN AND GROWTH IN NATURE AND CREATIVE PLAY!

Discover your Inner Artist Guided Mindfulness & Creativity Watercolors with Hillary Johnson

About this event

Join us for a transformative outdoor experience aligning your body, heart, and spirit through creative play and mindfulness in nature!
Feeling like you want to...

• Regain your mental & emotional balance?
• Activate a calm presence?
• Really get into some creative play?
• Feel really relaxed and at ease?

But youre not sure where to begin?

We got you. In this guided hiking adventure youll feel:

• A connection with your deep inner balance
• Calmed and refreshed
• Inspired, expansive, creative
• Connected to your inner well of peace

BUY YOUR TIX NOW! 

A lot of jumping up and down over here today in my studio.

@saveartspace announced the locations of the outdoor public exhibition #iamwater! This is a wonderful collaboration between @ecoartspace @ourhumanitymatters @saveartspace and a handful of really great artists. Im thrilled to be included.

Water isnt a resource, its LIFE.
No water? No life.

Go see the installation and snap some selfies with #iamwater and #thewatersweswimin

This is the image which will be on my billboard.

Here is the full list of artists and the locations of their wonderful work for this important project:

Lisette Morales
Flushing Ave & Evergreen Ave

Holly Fay
Metropolitan Ave & Grand St

Danielle Siegelbaum
Morgan Ave & Harrison Pl

Joan Perlman
Flushing Ave & Forrest St

Helen Glazer
Flushing Ave & Forrest St

Hillary Johnson
Grand St & Catherine St

Basia Irland & Derek Irland
Grand St & Catherine St

Maria Whiteman
Grand St & Catherine St

Margaret LeJeune & Hanien Conradie
Grand St & Metropolitan Ave

Ellen Kozak
Grand St & Metropolitan Ave

Ellen Jantzen
Metropolitan Ave & Woodward Ave

All billboards are within walking distance from each other in the Bushwick and Williamsburg neighborhoods.

#iamwater #thewatersweswimin

Get you tix right now by going to fultonstreetcollective.com/events All the jazz shows and art openings are listed there. It's an happening scene right here in Chicago!

How Did I Get Here? 
From tech to art to finding my voice along the way. Get TIX

About this Event

Change is inevitable. How we deal with change whether to embrace or resist it shapes our journeys. Join visual artist Rollence Patugan as he shares different chapters of his personal journey and how the residuals of his choices have accumulated and created a path to where he is today.

ABOUT ROLLENCE PATUGAN:

Rollence Patugan is an American photographer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Identity, diversity, and being seen are undercurrents of Rollences work. Having originally come from Baldwin Park, CA a small but diverse town in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, Rollence wants his work to serve the underrepresented. Growing up in the 1980s as an Asian-American of Chinese and Filipino descent, he did not see a reflection of himself nor his Latino friends in government, sports, entertainment, and the arts. Rollence felt he didnt exist as an American. In his work, Rollence strives to reflect the ethnic diversity that has always been a part of his experiences and uses his voice through art to allow people to be seen
Love art in yourself and not yourself in art.  Konstantin Stanislavski
Explore more of Rollences work: http://www.rollence.com/

"Mindfulness meditation doesn't change life. Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever. Meditation changes the heart's capacity to accept life as it is. It teaches the heart to be more accommodating, not by beating it into submission, but by making it clear that accommodation is a gratifying choice." Sylvia Boorstein, PhD

I love this because it offers amongst other things, the chance to live with more ease and acceptance.

As someone frequently locked into a place of struggling with what is, I rely on practice to show me my heart can open to what is, as it is. The frenzy of struggle only causes more misery. Being clear and open I can try to choose wisely, compassionately. I may not always succeed but thats why its called practice.
What does this quote evoke or stir for you? Id love to know. Please share and use the contact me page to share your own thoughts ad feelings if you feel so moved. Mindfulness is at the heart of my practice as an artist, whether I am making photos or paintings or installations and m ost of all how I try to live my life with my husband, my family, friends and community.

I'M SUPER EXCITED TO TEACH THIS CLASS AKA SPREAD HAPPINESS!

Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Emotional Resilience 

Starting JUNE 2!

Wednesday evenings  5:30-6:30pm CST on Zoom.

$80 for the month. 

If you will miss a class, the recording will be available afterwards so you you'll never miss a thing!

Are you feeling worn out from stress, anxiety, disrupted sleep, worry, racing thoughts?

Maybe you feel stuck in a rut of unhealthy habits or patterns mentally, emotionally or physically?

Do you wish you could feel more in charge of your own mind states rather than falling prey to life's constant ups and downs and the whims or moods of others?

In this class you'll learn:

what mindfulness really is and how to apply its lessons in very practical ways to your day to day life

• where your stresses, fears and anxieties come from and how to navigate them better and mitigate the harm they can cause
• embodied practices for identifying what you're feeling physically, emotionally 
• identifying the thoughts occurring under the surface empowering you to work skillfully, change your mind state and release what is no longer serving you
• how to cultivate feelings of happiness and wellbeing on the regular
• how to begin and sustain your own practice

I'll be available for questions during a weekly morning live on Facebook each Friday at 9am as well.

Register by sending payment $80 to one of the options below. 

Once you register, I'll send you the zoom link. 

Please don't share the zoom link so we can avoid zoom hackers. 

Register by Sunday May 30th and save $15 - Pay just $65! 

Payment for class is available through:

Venmo: @Hillary-Johnson-1

CashApp: $HillaryHelios

QuickPay: hillary@hillaryjohnsonphoto.com

IF YOU KNOW EVEN ONE PERSON WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH THEM.

As a friend said, this photo is a celebration of the magic if unconditional love between mother and daughter, but that also, it's possible to have that kind of unconditional love between people who may have deep connections of other kinds.

Besties in pairs or especially intimate, deeply connected groups; spouses and partnerships of all kinds, family of choice bonds and many more.

These portraits I make in the water are a way of profoundly witnessing, honoring, and celebrating those connections.

The prints become the beautiful evidence we can connect with each day as we look at the photograph and sigh with pleasure and recognition as we connect to those feelings. The prints are the future heirlooms for the generations yet to come.

As we enter this season of warm water floating for Chicago, I'm offering a limited number of immersive aquatic portrait sessions. (sessions are also available in other states and locations starting after May 11th. North Carolina and Florida in June)

Especially after this year of physical closeness deprivation, making photos that celebrate our deepest relationships feels right on time.

A perfect Mother's Day gift (purchase now and make your photo later! I'll deliver* a hand painted card announcing your gift by end of day Wednesday for you to gift your special nurturing figure - all kinds of people mother us if we are fortunate! Add flowers, or other delicious add-ons like springs of homegrown aromatics like lavender and rosemary (for remembrance).

Sessions start at $500.

Add embodied, transformational rituals for releasing what no longer serves your most prized and precious relationship and calling in what you want to manifest together.

Full bespoke packages $2500. Contact me to learn about this option and how you can radically transform the vibration of your relationship and enjoy the beautiful results and documentation for years to come.

xo Hillary Helios

*in Chicago, hand deliver others by FedEx sent out by end of day Wednesday