Carolyn CJ Jones
@carolyncjjones
About
I am as passionate about photographing wrought-iron gates as I am about varnishing teak wood trim on boats. It is the light which reflects off the metal, just as it is the light that reflects like a mirror off of the varnish. You see, I look for the light in my life and that is where I find it. I love to share about how I found that light while speaking to a variety of audiences.
Lured to the San Francisco Bay Area by dreams of ocean sailing, I lived aboard a sailboat with my husband in the late 90’s. Eventually, I evolved from boater to landlubber, married to single, nurse to author, photographer, and publisher, and from living in an RV I renovated, to homeowner.
While living in the van, I traveled the Western States and Mexico for three years, photographing dozens of gates; I have hundreds of images from my journeys. Currently, I speak to a variety of audiences about the unique origin of my book, Opening the Gates of the Heart: A Journey of Healing.
This book is one which you can pick up and start at any point in the book. It transports you to that safe and tranquil place you remember as a child. Once you read a verse or two and go through the gate(s), you are able to put the book down with a lighter heart and go about your day. For those who did not have a safe and tranquil place as a child, this book will bring you both in present day.
Read in its entirety, Opening the Gates of the Heart is a pathway to peace. Read one verse at a time, it is a starting point for a meditation or daily reflection.
This book is composed of 42 photographs of gates and inspirational prose that reflects my own healing journey from the depths of despair and praying to die, to joy and inner peace. It has won several awards for spirituality, inspiration, and photography.
In addition to gates, I photograph colored light through cut-glass, which produces magical and vibrant abstract images.These photos have been the recipients of awards, as well. I invite you to visit my photo galleries at www.gatelady.com. Please feel free to contact me at carolyn@gatelady.com.
Artist Statement
“My art is about dancing with light -finding it, feeling it, and living in it. It is about sharing what I see through the lens of my camera. Come share the dance with me."
