Monday evening I attended the Three Rivers Artist Guild monthly meeting. As the vice president, it’s my job to line up speakers for each meeting, and this month we had Laura Valenti Jelen giving a presentation on “Creating a Visionary Portfolio.”

As a photographer, Laura’s focus is little different than mine as a painter; not only are the mediums different, some of the protocol and etiquette is different.

These differences proved to be an insignificant barrier. Laura explained that in her world a portfolio was the development of a theme or idea, not a collection of greatest hits. She invited us to really explore an idea, giving examples from her own work an others.

For example, she has a current project called “Atlas of Remote Islands” which is loosely based on a book she read. She selects photos evocative of a place, real or imaginary and names them after these remote island (Laura, forgive me if I’m not explaining this correctly.) It’s a fabulous idea and so inspiring.

Many people in the room commented on ideas that they had base on Laura’s ideas. I, too, have some ideas. I’ve been toying with the idea of going smaller and more frequent with my work, and this seems like a great jumping off point. Here are some ideas:

• Skies (sort of a sky scarf idea)
• Birds (either yard-based or Canemah-based)
• Horses on Yupo
• Hawaiin fish series inspried by work of Carol Bennett
• More abstracts
• Insects (particularly bees)
• The madrone trees at Canemah
• Sketching every day
• Hummingbirds at my flowers
• Whales

Maybe doing a series of smaller works would allow a little more play and experimentation into my life.