I’ve been invited to take photos at a beautiful Spiritual Retreat called Guru Shasta in Mount Shasta, California. So I’ve been taking a lot of time to reflect deeply on the direction I’d like to move with the Jump for Joy Photo project.
Am I still doing what I love?
Am I still challenging myself to create, experience, learn new things?
Am I still growing personally from this project?
Do people still enjoy the message of joy and the images?
Where do I want to go from here?
These questions get me excited about all the possibilities to come because the answers are primarily still: YES!
However, the most important question remains:
How do I continue create this impactful, joyfilled, uplifting work AND make excellent money, and always have easy access to money so I can create and share more, better and more impactful joy art in more ways with more people around the world?
My focus on this blog has begun to weign slowly over the past couple of years. I stopped dreaming of how I could grow and expand the project, mainly because funding projects is a challenging area for me.
I also get unsure of my direction sometimes, especially after the completion of the murals (I get exhausted and crash pretty hard after each one). I tend to focus on other creative work and aventures between the big projects to reset and refocus my energy. I’d like to bring my attention back to blogging here again with more personal stories about my experiences and adventures. Anything your interested in hearing about send me a message in the form below.
I’m looking into partnering with more organizations, conferences, doing more speaking events, finding corporate sponsors that align with creating and sharing joy. I’d potentially like to find an incredibly skilled, honest, kind business partner to focus more on the fundraising and bookings to help build and grow the project, so I can focus on being an artist, expressing myself, creating art and sharing joy around the world. Know anyone who might love to partner on this project? Send me a note in the form below.
This project has continued to morph and change constantly from the initial concept. When I first started this blog in 2012, I’d post a jump photo, an uplifting quote or updates on the project 1 – 2 times per day, everyday for the first few years. I added weekly newsletters with features asking people about their experience jumping and what joy means to them.
Then, things started to shift. I created my first Jump for Joy Mural in 2015 from 200, 4ft photos of people jumping around Vancouver. The project began to pick up a lot of momentum. I began speaking on stage. I had to face down some pretty intense stage fright to share my heart opening experiences and the process of becoming a muralist as a public speaker at TEDxEastVan, Interesting Vancouver and Peacelove. I started writing articles for blogs and magazines and did interviews about the impact of sharing joy through interactive public art projects.
The next year, I partnered with Atira Women’s Resource Society to create the Wall of Joy Mural on one of their housing units in the DTES of Vancouver. The Wall of Joy is my largest mural to date, made with 250, 6ft posters of people from all walks of life on a 65ft high x 114 wide wall.
Out of the blue, I was invited to be the inaugural artist in residence at the Palm Springs Cultural Center from January to June last year 2018. It was 5 months of pure bliss and the first time since starting the project that I had full support. I got to focus purely on creating art and my third mural on 3 sides of the cultural center. An absolute dream come true! I’d like more of this please!
These are some of the major highlights up to this point… there were many other fun things interspersed along the way as well. The best part of everything that has unfolded so far… I’ve met hundreds of incredibly kind, open hearted people, who were willing to get out of their comfort zone and jump around with me to help spread the energy of joy around the world. That feels amazing!
Now what?
I’ve been posting more frequently on my instagram account @jumpforjoyphotoproject, but I’ve been leaning more towards posting on my personal photo account @eyoalha with more personal stories and interactions while doing selfie jumps and meeting people along my adventures. I think I will pull some of these more personal stories and creative mini videos and start to share them here as well.
I want to continue to create more projects and partner with more people/organizations to use the power of joy to connect people, inspire joy and involve people and communities from all walks of life.
Here are a few things on my current “I’m doing it!” list:
1. I’m in the process of creating and self publishing a couple of books, of course it’s taking longer than anticipated, but everything is in the works. One book is all jumping photos and quotes of what joy means to people which is super uplifting and inspiring. The jumps in this one were all created during my Palm Springs Artist residency in 2018.
The other book I’m working on is a compilation of landscape and art photos taken on a road trip across the USA (in case you didn’t know, I also love taking non-jumping artsy photos as well, click here to check out my art photography).
If you are interested in pre-ordering a book, or just interested in staying in the loop for when these books are complete and available for purchase, join the mailing list or send me a message in the form below. I’ll keep you posted on when and where to purchase and other fun updates on my creative endeavours.
2. I’ve been invited to another artist residency! In Mexico! Pending receiving full funding for the project, I would begin the residency in August or September. I’ve applied for an arts grant with the Canada Council that should cover most of the costs of the project… but, I wont find out for at least 5 months if I get the grant.
I’m looking for corporate sponsors and other funding options as well. When all the funding comes in, I will be able to spend 6 months in San Miguel de Allende in partnership with La Calaca Festival doing jump for joy photos with the community and creating another Jump for Joy mural with the images. It will be another dream come true! If you have any leads on funding options or potential sponsors that would align with Jump for Joy Photo Project, I’d love to hear from you, get in touch in the form below. #becauseofhatch #sponsorsthis
3. Speaking of Sponsors… I am over the moon to introduce you to my first official corporate sponsor! A huge THANK YOU to: The Hit House Music for your ongoing support! Your generosity and support of the arts is inspiring. aka this adorable family:
4. Also! I’ve decided to practice living my life in a way that far exceeds my own limited expectations and is more amazing than my best ever wildest dreams… so far, things are going pretty darn good. I’m just starting to get the hang of this.
5. I’ve got this idea of being on the cover of Vogue Magazine in a photo of me doing a jump for joy selfie in an elegant flowing couture dress (probably red or fuschia, need to figure out which designers dress would work best). I sent Vogue Magazine an email and told them about it. Lets see if they get back to me.
Any ideas on how I can get a photo of me doing a jumping selfie on the cover of Vogue Magazine? I’d like to hear from you in the contact form below if you have solid connects.
6. Lastly, I’ve learned that being open to new ideas, trying new things (especially that are out of my comfort zone) and collaborating with others opens whole new worlds of possibilities. I’m always on the lookout for the next cool thing, new way or opportunity I haven’t thought of to create and share art and joy… please reach out if you are interested in commissioning a Jump for Joy Photo Project mural in your area, invite me to speak at your event or have ideas on collaboration.
I’ll keep you posted as things progress. Loving the f(&)^k out of life.
Let me know what kinds of stories or info you’d be interested in me writing about, experiencing or exploring.
Enjoy your day!
With love, Eyoalha
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