Never underestimate the power of joy. Joy makes everyday a day worth celebrating.
Thank you Angie Winona for capturing these playful, joy-filled moments.
Daily Hive / VancityBuzz on shares Chimp.net interview with Eyoalha Baker about sharing joy in the community.
This is a surprise… an interview I did for Chimp.com On Purpose last year is featured in Daily Hive today 🙂
I love that Chimp is encouraging giving. Right now if you register on the link in the article, they will give you $10 to give to charity AND if you add $10 they will match it!
That means your $10 ends up being $30 towards the cause. I suggest donating to: A Better Life Foundation (or to Atira Women’s Resource Society both are amazing causes) as they help make sure that people, like those I met while making the mural are getting nourishment and opportunities for a better life.
Win, win 🙂
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/on-purpose-eyoalha-baker
Stay focused your own joy, and you will notice how it ripples out in your interactions and affects those around you. Share your joy.
Alexandre Légère photographed by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for joy Photo project
I met Alexandre while working on my first Jump for Joy Photo Mural, and he was the first to volunteer when I began my second mural in the down town East Side of Vancouver. Sharing joy has a powerful impact the ripples out and touches others. Share your joy, it just may change someones life for the better.
Alexandre Légère …
Q: What inspires you to jump for joy?
A: Life changing. Jump for a better world.
Q. Jumping photo experience?
A: I had fun! Good laughs lol I felt fresh and made a new friend. I felt all doors open to me.
Q: Inspiration in life?
A: Others in action. Life experiences. Nature.
Q: Greatest passion?
A: Love. Liberty to be free. Free to create.
Q: Philosophy?
A: You are alive, always have hope. Hope to change. Hope to love. Hope to be better person in life.
Q: Anything in the world?
A: The world needs love. We need to take care of the world. It’s a garden that needs love to flourish.
Q. Working on?
A: I’m providing home hair services to my clients. I volunteer by doing hair for the homeless in my community.
Mini bio:
I will share a piece of my story. We were two friends. We were living in the darkness of addiction and lost our way. Enough is enough. With Gods’ love, I found the courage, determination, passion and love to fight against myself. I was able to get out of the darkness.
I present myself. Alexandre Légère. French Acadian. Artist. I was orphaned from a very tender age of 5 years old. I want to share my story because I won this struggle. With Gods’ love, I found a family every where I go. The world is my family.
Recently, I was walking down an alley where my friend Robert used to live. Singing to him. Love. Truth. Courage. Faith to never give up. My Biggest wish is to see him happy and in peace. Eyoalha was doing her art at the end of the alley while I was singing to my friend who lost his life. With Gods’ Love, she is now my friend. This is Gods’ handiwork.
Now I take the time to see, feel, listen and smell art. That’s the reason I jump. I jump for joy. I jump for peace. I jump without fear. I jump for love. Thanks to all my friends who never give up and who believed in me. Special thank to my dear friend, Robert.
A little video about the project, Eyoalha Baker being interviewed on TelusOptic during her first mural in 2014. It shows Alexandre’s photo shoot too 🙂
Photo of Ashleigh Wiles jumping for joy by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for Joy Photo Project
Introducing the fabulously joyful – ASHLEY WILES …
Q: What inspires you to jump for joy?
A: I am surrounded by so much awesomeness in my life, and all the stuff that isn’t so awesome – well even more reason to jump. My learning curve has seemed steep the last couple of years in business, leadership and dealing with things I never thought I’d ever do. It is absolutely freeing to take a morning and reflect on all the lessons learned and jump for joy!
Q. Your experience doing jumping photos?
A: This was the most fun thing I’ve done all week. Eyoalha and I laughed so hard I thought it might actually be an abs workout instead of a photo shoot. Eyoalha is super fun and made this shoot so easy to be playful.
Q: What inspires you in life?
A: I’m inspired by people’s ability to make change happen – when we get into a tough situation choosing to learn and grow and push through the dark. I’m inspired by the ocean, that keeps on coming in, the mountains that always stand strong, I’m inspired by my friends and family and I’m especially inspired by the sole girls.
Q: Your greatest passion?
A: I’m passionate about being active and spreading the message of positive mental health. I have gained so much from my personal experiences in both – and I’ve also seen the flip side, when we aren’t active and the depreciation of mental health.
Q: Your driving force?
A: Possibility. So many possibilities… it allows me to get out of my head and dream bigger than I previously imagined. In my business, I was driven by a video of a girl named Amanda Todd – I think it is truly unfair and cruel that anyone should be treated like this, and it drives me to listen more actively, strive for my goals, support the people around me and create a community, a movement of people who want to see change happen.
Q: Philosophy?
A: Be openminded and kind, and listen with your heart. Everyone is going through something.
Q: Anything in the world?
A: I think I have always done exactly what I wanted, I’ve had my dream job a few times 🙂 Currently I’m working on making the teachings of Sole Girls, a movement and physical activity fun and inclusive for everyone! I love connecting people especially young girls with older girls and seeing the beauty of mentorship and connection shine.
Q: Working on?
A: www.Solegirls.org is my baby. We are taking Sole Girls on the road this summer to Kamloops, Kelowna, Williams Lake and Calgary! I’m also working on Speaking more about mental health, physical activity, and community building in business.
Mini Bio:
Founder and Head Coach of Sole Girls, Life Coach, Iron(wo)man, and Mental Health Advocate! Growing up with a family of runners, Ashley started running at 5 years old, and now runs and competes in marathons and triathlons around the world, recently she completed the high altitude road marathon in La Paz, Bolivia.
After seeing Amanda Todd’s video in 2012, she created Sole Girls, a program and community for girls to build their confidence, connect with mentors and combine that with a love for physical activity. Sole Girls has expanded to 6 locations and encompasses leadership summits for young women and events for moms to connect more with their tweens.
CONNECT WITH ASHLEY:
Twitter: @sole_girls
Instagram: @sole_girls
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SoleGirls
Web: www.solegirls.org
Photos of Ashley were taken in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Photo of Ashleigh Wiles by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for Joy Photo Project
Introducing George Bradt, another beautiful soul whom I had the pleasure of meeting during HATCH. Hatch is more or less, JOY in motion (and my absolute favourite event of the year) which took place in Big Sky, Montana.
Q: What inspired you to jump for joy?
A: You. Loved hearing you talk about it. Loved your excitement. Loved the setting. Loved being invited to do it.
Q. How did jumping photos make you feel?
A: Happy. Pure and simple.
Q: How do you describe the feeling of joy?
A: It was a simple, uncomplicated joy. Wasn’t trying to prove anything to myself or anyone else. It was just happy.
Q: Your greatest passion in life?
A: Meg. I’m absolutely positively convinced that the root of all my happiness is my relationship with my wife. We dated for four years before getting married 35 years ago this week. She is my angel.
Q: Driving force?
A: I try to be a contribution. I contribute to individuals including my family and friends, HATCHers and the people we help through our executive onboarding consulting. I contribute to knowledge through my books and articles. I contribute to joy through my musical plays. (Including my newest one that I wrote in its entirety this week in Bermuda)
Q: Life philosophy?
A:
I will follow Jesus and continually grow as a loving friend and caring teacher.
I will answer Jesus’ call and model my words and deeds after His.
I will love myself and others with integrity, compassion, courage and optimism.
My words and deeds will light the way for others.
George Bradt 1988
Q: What are you working on?
A: A new musical. Finished the book and lyrics this week. Will do the music next week.
Q: Something unique about you?
A: I don’t actually write the music for my songs. Once I write the lyrics, the music is already there. So my efforts are more about discovery than creation.
Connect with George:
Linked: georgebradt
Twitter: @georgebradt
Instagram: @georgebradtsr
FB page: gbradt
Web: www.primegenesis.com
Photo of Chris Denson Jumping for Joy by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for Joy Photo Project
This past weekend I had the deep honour and pleasure of taking part in a magical experience called HATCH. I met a vast cross section of 150 incredible, creative and kind hearted people making the world a better place in their own unique ways.
On one of our morning walks, with a small group of these amazing souls, I spontaneously pulled out my camera to capture some joy filled jumping pics. #BecauseofHATCH
Chris Denson sharing the joy:
Q: What inspired you to want to jump for joy?
A: Being out in nature, elevated in the mountains, after a nice moment of silence during a hike in Montana; I really felt peaceful and happy.
Q. How did jumping photos make you feel?
A: It’s this great burst of energy that you get to make your all your own. It’s a weird and awkward request at first, but suddenly you’re in the middle of the air. And although only a split second, it makes you feel powerful, fun, and creative all at once.
Q: How do you describe the feeling of joy?
A: Joy is one of those emotions that makes you feel extremely calm and grateful and puts you somewhere at the intersection of a giant smile and the verge of happy tears.
Q: What is your greatest passion in life?
A: I recently had to write this down on a piece of paper during a very cool creative retreat called Hatch. Here is where I landed: “To help people realize and increase the potential of their goals; through conversation, ideation, and creation.”
Q: Your driving force?
A: Competition. I love looking at situation or project and thinking, “what the f**k has no one else even THOUGHT to do in this space.” Which a.) forces me to ask questions and research what’s been done, and b.) pushes me to my highest creative self.
Q: Your life philosophy?
A: “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will begin to change.” it’s a quote I choose to live everything by. Whether personal, professional, or somewhere in the middle, there’s always a path to higher version of the path you’re currently on. It’s our job to challenge ourselves to think and do differently in order to get there.
Q: What are you working on?
A: Too much, probably! Right now, I’m working on saying no, more often. I say yes to a lot, and actually love everything I say yes to. But learning when and how to say “no” is a skill in and of itself that can free you up to be excellent in the things you need to focus on.
Q: Something unique about you?
A: I’m just weird. I don’t know if that counts. But I have a strange sense of humor, and even did stand up comedy for a number of years. I kind of let things fly out of my mouth at awkward moments… well maybe more awkward to those on the receiving end.
“Chris Denson is an award winning innovator, marketer, and adviser. As an industry tastemaker, he helps brands, startups, and executives develop creative solutions at the intersection of technology, content, product innovation, and culture. In addition to leadership roles at organizations like OMD, Machinima, and the American Film Institute, Chris is a member of the White House’s Council of Excellence, the SXSW Accelerator, and the host of the Innovation Crush podcast.”
Connect with Chris:
Linked: www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdenson
Twitter: @densonology
Instagram: @densonology
FB page: www.facebook.com/InnovationCrush/
Web: www.thecrush.co
HATCH hiking group in joyfull jumping action:
HATCH Group Jump! Photo by Eyoalha for the Jump for Joy Photo Project.
Photo of Bobbie Long Haberdasher by Eyoalha Baker
Bobbie Long Haberdasher Shares her beautiful Jumping joy!
Q: What inspired your jump for joy?
A: Joy! Joy made me jump! It’s an extraordinary feeling and emotion that not everyone gets to experience. I am blessed to experience joy at least once a day. But I had to do the work to get there. There was a long period of my life where I hadn’t experience joy.
Q. How was your experience doing the jumping photos?
A: Fun and joyful! How can it not be? What a glorious idea to take pictures people jumping for joy. I loved it, and as a matter of fact for two days after, I found myself randomly jumping and it brought me so much joy!
Q: How do you describe the feeling of joy?
A: Oh man, how do you describe the feeling of joy? For me, I am a deeply feeling soul and when I feel eminence joy, the best way to describe it is like their is the biggest brightest light in the world trapped inside me and it wants to bust through. It makes me feel warm and joyful. It’s probably one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced.
Q: What is your greatest passion in life?
A: My business – I get to dress men for a living and it brings me so much joy every day! I love that I get to do what I’m good at. I have amazing clients and network that also love what I do and support my passion.
My Husband and our life. We’ve worked hard to get to where we are and continue to work on growing and evolving into our best life. It’s a tough world out there, but it’s a lot easier when you get to go through it with someone you love.
Q: Your driving force?
A: The young girls in my life – my nieces and step-daughter. I want them to see that even though you are a girl, you can be, do and have anything you desire. I have faced a lot of challenges in my life, but the biggest one was not being encouraged and supported in my dreams as a young girl. We need love, support and encouragement to rise to our greatness and I want to be that role model for them.
Q: Your philosophy?
A: You don’t lose when you lose, you only lose when you quit. This has been with me ever since I moved to Vancouver in 2004, I read it in an article interviewing Jimmy Pattison. They quoted him saying that and I have tried my best to live by it everyday. It’s the reason I’m still living in Vancouver and now running my own business.
Q: Anything in the world, what would you do?
A: Currently I’m doing it, but I have so much more that I want to accomplish. I would like to have multiple, thriving HaberdasherAndCo businesses that are run by strong, successful and empowered females. As well as start a charity that provides support, education and work skills to at risk male youth.
Oh and travel. I want to travel!
Q: What are you working on?
A: I’m working towards being the go-to Suit Specialist in Vancouver for men and Grooms!
Q: Something special about you?
A: I love being outside – camping, picnics and hikes are my favourite Summer activities
I am obsessed with podcasts and audio books. I love constantly feeding my brain with self improvement, motivational and business related content. I am constantly learning and want to be the best at all that I do.
I’m an urban gardener. We grow all the stuff on our private rooftop patio in East Vancouver.
Instagram: @HaberdasherAndCo
FB page: facebook.com/haberdasherandco
Web: haberdasherandco.com
Photo of Sora Jumping for Joy by Eyoalha Baker
A beautiful poem about joy by Sora Takayama …
———–
Jump
Jump
The body’s pulse
Jump
The soul’s fugue
Jump
Over the horizon
Jump
Break through the dimension
———–
ジャンプ
ジャンプ
肉体の躍動
ジャンプ
精神のフーガ
ジャンプ
地平線を越えて
ジャンプ
次元を破って
———–
Photo of Sora Takayama by Eyoalha Baker
A little bit about Sora:
Born in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan in 1979. Master of Arts in philosophy.
Beginning in 2007 travelled the world for 4 1/2 years.
In 2008, joined Austrian Artist Bello Benischauer’s ongoing art project doing translation and performance (http://www.artinprocess.com).
1st poetry book “Tsuki To Buranko” was published in Spring, 2014.
Started Vegan Pudding & Co from 2015.
Co-stared with Japanese actors Takao Osawa and Masami Nagasawa in clothing company Global Work’s advertising campaign “Sekai-jin” [Global Citizens] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ws8y_bHW54).
Invited to perform poetry piece at the Canada Japan Friendship Association. (http://cjfa.org/).
Host of the “Japanese Poets North of the 49th”.
Working on: Writing poem. Performance poetry reading. www.takayamasoramaru.com
Connect with Sora:
Twitter: @soramaruT
Instagram: @vegan_pudding_co
FB page: www.facebook.com/veganpuddingco/ www.facebook.com/jpn49th/
Jordan Kallman celebrating a successful day at the Vancouver Deighton Cup. Photo by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for Joy Photo Project
Jordan Kallman
Q: How do you describe the feeling of joy?
A: Pursuing a dream, living with flow, laughing with friends.
Q: Your greatest passion in life?
A: Dawn, my one-and-only. Without her, I would have zero interest in pursuing my many sub-passions.
Q: Your driving force?
A: Since I was young, I’ve been driven to deliver a sense of belonging for others. It took a long time to really understand why I love building this vibe, but it is definitely part of my personal fabric. This force will provide meaning and purpose for my remaining days, I guarantee it.
Q: Your philosophy?
A: We each belong to one of three companies: givers, matchers and takers. Always choose to join the give ship. And once there, lead from a place of empathy.
Q: What are you working on?
A: We are constantly developing awesome projects. But today, I’m working on a new idea showcase and media platform with a few great partners called Superhuman. Longevity lessons, human augmentation technologies and explorations outside of the comfort zone. The goal: #ENHANCEYOURSELF. Check it out: superhvman.com
A note from Jordan:
A: I will one day, very soon host a dinner party for 10,000 people. Seems crazy, until you join the fun with @TSC_Agency
Twitter: @JordanKallman
Instagram: @jrdnkallman
FB page: www.facebook.com/jordan.kallman
Jordan jumps for joy at the end of a fun day at the Vancouver Deighton Cup. Photo by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for joy Photo project.
Barrie Mowatt + Murray Nichol jumping for joy in front of the Love Your Beans installation by Artist Cosimo Cavallaro for Vancouver Biennale. Photo by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for joy Photo Project
BARRIE MOWATT
Q: What inspired you to jump for joy?
A: YOU! I love the project, the visual impact messaging. I’d love to see it happen all over the world… on streetcars, busses, warehouse shacks, billboards… in Soweto, Berlin, The Favellas of Rio, Jerusalem, Ankara, Damascus, Moscow, Mumbai, Calcutta, Hubin, Guangzhou, Beijing, Lhasa, Dubai, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Dar Saalem, Casablanca, Tunis, in Iraq, Iran, Lapland etc. … capturing locals and their local garb… and eventually bringing all of these together as one gigantic United Nations pic or Canadian Museum of Human Rights Installation.
Q. How did jumping photos make you feel?
A: I felt … kidlike… joyful… anxious. I love doing these jumps, been doing them all over the world since the Toyota ad days…
Q: How does joy impact your life?
A: ‘JOY’…… is contagious……… energizing…… liberating…… it’s essential to daily living……visualizing the jumping pics in itself is uplifting… bringing a smile to my face and appreciation for my life………
Q: What are you working on?
A: VANCOUVER BIENNALE
Twitter: @BarrieMowatt
Instagram: @barriemowatt
FB page: www.facebook.com/VancouverBiennale
Web: www.vancouverbiennale.com
Barrie Mowatt + Murray Nichol jumping for joy in front of the Human Structures installation by Artist Jonathan Borofsky for Vancouver Biennale. Photo by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for joy Photo Project
MURRAY NICHOL
Q: What inspired you to jump for joy?
A: I believe in joyful, liberating, spontaneous, uplifting experiences!
Q. Your experience doing the jumping photos?
A: Jumping made me feel like a kid. The entire experience was invigorating and highly entertaining. I would strongly encourage others to jump (and jump high!) and to be prepared for 100% fun!
Q: How does joy impact your life?
A: I think we all need joy as human beings to feel complete. A wonderful element of joy is that it can be self-generated and available to us 24/7. A spontaneous, joyful experience can spin our habits of routine 180 degrees. I wonder how many of us experience joy, especially the uninhibited kind, on a regular basis. Another spinoff of manifesting joy for ourselves and others is that the joyful activity could very well generate more joy. Imagine: joy to the power of 1,000,000 or . . . 1 billion!
Q: What are your greatest passion in life?
A: Music, food, travel, Mother Nature (especially sunsets!), visual arts, intimate conversation. . . Anything that stimulates my senses!
Murray:
A: As a member of the Vancouver Biennale Board of Directors, I am grateful for all the engaging experiences with artists, artworks, and the public. One joyful, smile-inducing #VanBiennale art installation is A-MAZE-ING LAUGHTER, located in Morton Park (at Davie Street and Denman Street) in the West End of Vancouver.
Twitter: @Murray_Nichol Instagram: @murraynichol
FB page: www.facebook.com/VancouverBiennale
www.vancouverbienanle.com
Jump for joy photo of Meg taylor by Eyoalha Baker
“Don’t look further for answers: be the solution. You were born with everything you need to know. Make a promise to stop getting in the way of the blessing that you are. Take a deep breath, remember to have fun, and begin.” – Jonathan H. Ellerby
What solutions are you creating? Every choice we make has impact in the world… even a smile as you pass by a stranger can uplift a persons day. Being kind, uplift each other. It won’t solve all the worlds problems, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Selfie Jump for joy photo Eyoalha Baker
Nearly 3 years ago, before I had even imagined I would create the 2 Jump for Joy Photo murals and before I got hooked on Instagram, I filled out my own jump for joy newsletter feature questionnaire which I used to give everyone who jumped with me: http://eepurl.com/y6uOP although a LOT has happened since I answered these questions, my answers remain the same… only
I’ve added more to the scope of what I’ve accomplished and far more what I want to accomplish.
Things I’d like to add to the list of to dos:
1. I’d like to make a book about my experience of creating the Jump for Joy Photo Murals in Vancouvers DTES. This was an incredibly heart opening experience that has inspired me to connect more with people, especially people who are facing hardships in the world. Working on this project in an area where people face homelessness, hunger, drug addiction, mental illness and abuse deepened my compassion, and gave me a first hand experience of the effects of sharing joyful images in an area that really needed it. I want to create more projects that use joy to connect people, inspire joy and involve people and communities from all walks of life.
2. I’ve now done 3 public speaking events about the amazing impact sharing joy has had on me and the people I’ve shared the experience with. This was an incredible feat for me as I was literally terrified of public speaking. The best thing about facing your fears, is that they feel less and less terrifying every time. In fact, once I got out there, I had so much fun that I want to do more!
3. I’d love to do a video of people jumping for joy to music! This would be fun.
4. I’ve learned that being open to new ideas, trying new things (especially that scare me) and collaborating with others as much as possible opens whole new worlds of possibilities. I’m always on the look out for the next cool thing or way of sharing joy that I haven’t thought of yet 🙂
It feels really good to look back and be proud of the answers I gave and reminds me of why I set out to create this project in the first place 🙂
It felt good to take a moment to reflect today… Am I doing what I love? Am I challenging myself to try new things? Where do I want to go from here? These questions get me excited about all the possibilities to come.
Enjoy your day!
With love, Eyoalha
Photo of Ryan Jones by Eyoalha Baker
Ryan Jones came out to jump around, many jumps and much laughter later… we have amazing jump for joy photos to share 🙂
A little about what make Ryan, Ryan:
Q: What inspired you to want to jump for joy?
A: I like to do things that push me a bit outside of my comfort zone. And it’s a great project – the other jumping photos are amazing – so it’s an awesome thing to be a part of.
Q. Your experience?
A: I was unsure of what to do in mid-air when we started but then it just got so silly. It changed my whole mood and the rest of the evening was great.
Q: How do you describe the feeling of joy?
A: It feels like my heart is going to explode out of my chest, but in a good way.
Q: Your greatest passion?
A: I don’t really know how to answer this. I’m passionate about things in the moment. When I like something, like a beer or good food or a person, I’m expressively passionate. Effusive. I guess I think it’s worth it to celebrate the small joys.
Q: Your driving force?
A: Iteration. I like to assess my life, my hobbies, etc. for inefficiencies and make improvements. It stands in opposition of complacence, which is an easy state to fall into.
Q: Your philosophy?
A: I don’t have a philosophy. Philosophies can be inflexible and dogmatic.
Q: Anything in the world?
A: I would want to be independently wealthy. Honestly. I have so many hobbies and side projects that would get more attention if I didn’t have to pay the rent.
Q: What are you working on.
A: I’m a homebrewer and beer enthusiast. I have three ciders fermenting right now. Best place to find me is @yeastvan.
Q: About you:
A: I once rode my bicycle across the United States. I make my own hot sauce.
Twitter: @yeastvan
Instagram: @yeastvan
Photo of Ryan Jones jumping for joy by Eyoalha Baker
Photo of Janice Abbot, CEO of Atira Womens Resource Society by Eyoalha Baker for the Jump for Joy Photo project
“You get more reward from your efforts when they’re applied in a positive direction. So instead of rebelling against what you dislike, work to build and support what you value and admire.” – Marc and Angel hack Life
Janice Abbott is a woman I admire and respect. She is the Founder and CEO of Atira Women’s Resource Society, which is a not-for-profit organization committed to the work of ending violence against women through providing direct service, as well as working to increase awareness of and education around the scope and impact on our communities of men’s violence against women and children.
If it weren’t for the support of Janice and all the amazing people who work at Atira, the Wall of Joy Mural may never have been created but more importantly the work they do in the community is vital. People have homes, are safe and eat because they took the time to build what was needed.
There will always be difficult situations in life, the perspective and actions we take make all the difference. Thank you to people like Janice, who do what needs to be done.
Happy to celebrate wonderful people doing good 🙂
Jumping photo of Eyoalha Baker by Lilou Mace
People often ask me for tips on taking jumping photos… Im usually having so much fun, giggling and laughing that I don’t pay attention to anything but playing around to get the shot. Luckily, Laura O’Donnell has submitted this wonderful post with lots of great tips on how to get a capture a beautiful jumping shot (while giggling and having fun at the same time) 🙂 I hope you will feel inspired to go out and do some jumping photos!
Have a great day – Eyoalha
Enjoy the article!
7 Tips for Awesome Jumping Photos
Guest post by Laura O’Donnell
Many people have cameras in their phones today, and taking pictures of every interesting thing has become more and more common. With so many more opportunities to capture the joyful moments of our lives with photographs and utilizing digital picture frames, the desire to create something beautiful, beyond the general pose and smile type of picture has given rise to more action photos, in particular jumping photos.
Jumping photos are fun and have been around for quite a long time. There’s just something inherently joyful about someone jumping into the air, especially if the photographer can give the impression of flight, of the person in the picture becoming untethered from the Earth. That carefree kind of action can capture something truly special in an individual.
A great jumping photo should capture the unique essence of who you are. Here are a few pointers you might consider if you want to take some jumping photos that really show your subject in a new light.
Remind The Jumper to Relax
One reason jumping photos are so great is that they cause people to be fully present in the moment. While someone is jumping up and down, they’re not thinking about how they’re going to look, or about the concerns of the moment – they’re just concentrating on jumping. A great jumping photo doesn’t have to take a lot of effort, the freer and looser the person is, the better the photo will be – remind them to relax before jumping, or better yet, get them to laugh… this is part of the fun.
Go Low
One of the best things you can do when taking a jumping photo is to take it from a low vantage point. The lower you go, the higher the jump is going to look in the final picture. It really gives a dramatic look to the composition.
Stay Close
While you’re getting low, stay close to the subject. Naturally, you don’t want to get too close to a jumping person… but being close up does give the picture a dramatic look. You’ll be able to see little details that give the final photo the impression of motion, or of floating. Remember to frame your photo and take it at the proper time to avoid cutting the subject’s head out of the picture 😉
One of the best things about going from film to digital is that your pictures are essentially unlimited. So, you can take dozens of shots, then delete the ones you don’t like, and keep going until your jumper is tired of jumping (and laughing), or you have a shot you are happy with.
Press (or Unpress) the Button
Remember that there is often a lag between when you push the button and when the photo is taken, so do what you can to get the timing right. If your camera comes with an action or sports setting, use that.
Cell phone users should note that the picture is taken when you take your finger off the button, not when you push it. So, get your position set up, hold down the button, then release it at just the right moment. You’ll get less of a pause until the camera actually starts taking photos. Timing is everything.. that being said, sometimes the outtakes are the most interesting ones.
Count Down
Counting down is absolutely necessary to keep you and your jumper on the same page, so you’re ready when they jump. It will probably take a little practice, but it will be worth the time. You can count down from three, so your jumper knows exactly when to jump. That way, the subject will be totally focused on the jumping, and you will be totally focused on taking photos of the jumping. 1 – 2 – 3 – GO!
*** A little about our guest post writer ***
Laura O’Donnell writes smart content on behalf of the digital photo frame gurus at Nixplay. As an avid writer and learner, she loves to use her skills for engaging others in important topics in creative and effective ways. When she is not working, she loves meeting new people, traveling, and bringing her Pinterest dreams to life. Find her on LinkedIn.
– Edits have been made to the article by Eyoalha Baker –
Eyoalha Baker, Founder of the Jump for Joy Photo Project on the TedXEastVan stage. April 23, 2016
“Everything you do has an impact. Who you are – that you are – actually matters. In an interconnected world (the only kind we have), our actions and the actions of others are inextricably linked- we are always and forever in a dance of mutual influence with those with whom we directly and indirectly participate. It is the unavoidable reality of being social creatures, only magnified by an ever-increasingly complex and interwoven societal structure. We matter to each other.” – Paul Greiner
The decision to make feeling and sharing joy a priority in my life, has shown me just how interconnected we are. Last night I was honoured to share the TEDXEASTVAN stage with 12 amazing human beings who making an impact on the world by sharing who they are through their ideas.
What an amazing joy journey this has been so far… I am excited to turn the next page.
If you were not able to be at our live presentation last night, not to worry, it will be edited and ready to share in about a month 🙂
Thank you for following along. Here is the link to the TedXEastVan Talk
Have a wonderful day!!
Eyoalha
“Joy is the highest energy of all. It’s the magical sense that everything is possible. Joy springs from appreciating the gifts within each moment. Joy allows you to attract and create your present and future moments at their highest possible levels.” – Doreen Virtue
Share joy! Photo by Eyoalha Baker
One of the reasons I love the powerful energy of joy… when you can tap into it, you really do feel like anything is possible. In the times that I’ve felt most joyful, my world feels magical and alive.. jumping around and doing jumping photos, reminds me of that, it loosens me up, gets me silly and brings me back to that state. Give it a try, jump for joy… at the very least, you will giggle at yourself in the photos 🙂
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoalha
Barbara Tili jump for joy photo by Eyoalha Baker
Barbara Tili came out to jump around and spread a little joy with me and we had a really fun time. I loved watching her open up and get more playful with every jump 🙂
A few questions to get to know Barbara….
Q: What inspired you to want to jump for joy?
A: I loved your project since I’ve first heard of it few years ago, so when we met it just came out so natural… of course I was going to jump for you! 😉
Q. Your jump for joy experience?
A: It felt a bit strange at the beginning, like I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to…jump (?)… But then the more we took photos the more I started to feel an exhilarating sensation… like the inner child had finally found something very appropriate to do! When we finished it felt like… no… have we done already?
Q: How do you describe the feeling of joy?
A: The feeling of joy is a very high vibration of energy, you cannot contain a smile even if you try. It feels like a stream of very fresh air.
Q: Your greatest passion?
A: Photography and Architecture. I’m a trained architect but photography makes me look at architecture in an all other way. It makes me feel more connected with the original idea of why I’ve studied it in the first place, photography makes me see the noble side of architecture. It makes me experience the built environment in a more intimate way. (this may sound weird in english…..feel free to change if needed…)
Q: Your driving force?
A: My driving force is inspiration. From every little thing in life or interaction with people. I feel that in order to function well, we need to feel inspired every day by what is around us.
Q: Your philosophy?
A: It is important to never stop learning, wether it is our own profession or exploring new directions. I believe in not being afraid to discover who we really are and what is our true journey in life and doing all we can to follow that path. Because it is only when you are on that path that you feel you have arrived home.
Q: If you could do anything in the world?
A: I would love to use my photography to document what good architecture can do in developing countries. It is in my list of goals for the next years.
Q: What are you working on?
A: I’m specializing in architectural and interior photography, and have a bit of obsession with geometry and patterns, most of my photography is a collection of shapes and form. www.barbaratili.com
Q: Something special you would like to share.
A: Exactly 1 year ago I decided that inspiration was something that I wanted in my life, every single day. I didn’t expect that so much would have changed after this decision, I’m a very different person from whom I was then, and I’m also turning 40 this year….the best time in life to celebrate change and new directions!
You can follow her work at:
Instagram: @barbaratili
Webpage: www.barbaratili.com
Have a wonderful day!
Much love, Eyoalha 🙂
“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” - Marianne Williamson
Kate Duncan came out to play!
Taking a few minutes out of a busy day full of deadlines to jump around and share joy, make you remember… just how good things really are 🙂
Kate designs the most beautiful, handmade furniture… check this out: www.kateduncan.ca
and, follow her work on all the good stuff:
Twitter: @KateDuncanDesig
Instagram: @duncankate
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoalha
Chris Bentzen of Hot Art Wet City jump for joy photo by Eyoalha Baker
Making art, with art.
Chris Bentzen kindly came out to jump around with me in the glorious sunshine. I found this great mural in a lane way off of 8th and Main Street in Vancouver and thought it would be fun to play around with it (I’d love to credit this artist, so if you know who made it please let me know).
I love how Chris became part of the mural and is so effortfully suspended in the air. Light and fun.
Mini interview with Chris:
Q: What inspired you to come out and jump for joy?
A: Why not! (I have a tendency to say yes when a photographer asks to take my picture)
Q. Your Jump for Joy experience?
A: It’s a little weird. It did take me a few jumps to feel comfortable and then I would have jumped all day.
Q: Your driving?
A: I’ll let you know when I figure that out. Always trying to find a new challenge.
Q: Your philosophy?
A: Unfortunately it’s the Nike slogan: just do it! I try not to worry to much if it something is going to success or fail but at least I tried.
Q: What are you working on?
A: Always the gallery… hotartwetcity.com
Pleas support art! follow Chris Bentzen on all the links to get to know him a little better 🙂
Twitter: @hotartwetcity
Instagram @hotartwetcity
FB: hotartwetcity
Have a wonderful day!
Friends! Jump for joy Photo by Eyoälha Baker http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
Joy feels even better when shared 🙂 This gang was a blast to shoot, thanks for pulling all your friends together for these fun shots. The joy was felt and still being shared.
Have a wonderful day!
Much love, eyoalha
Ashleigh and Jay DeMerit Jumping Joy Photo by Eyoälha Baker for http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
“Passion is defined as having or being compelled by intense emotion; a strong fondness or enthusiasm. It is a stirring within that possesses your being in a euphoric manner, creating a feeling of connectedness with yourself and an assurance that you are following your life’s path. It is what propels you forward each and everyday, each and every moment, and gives you the strength to pursue all that inspires you.” – http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Passion-in-Life
When I think of passionate people with strength to pursue what inspires them… these two are a perfect example. I first discovered Jay DeMerit (ex-pro soccer player, and played in the world cup, entrepreneur) watching his talk at TedxVancouver. I was so impressed and inspired by the story he shared, by his incredibly positive energy and uplifting attitude that I immediately contacted him to ask if I could feature him in the Jump for Joy photo project. He not only said yes, he also brought his amazing wife Ashleigh McIvor-DeMerit, who just so happens to be an Olympic Gold Medalist!
When you hear the stories of determination and passion to reach a goal… or even better, following your life’s path, from two amazing people like this, it really does make you want to jump for joy.
Thank you Jay and Ashleigh, for reminding me that anything is possible.
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoalha
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” – Jesse Owens
Action. Taking action is all part of the fun of creating ideas into reality. Without taking action, even the smallest little steps – or leaps – towards what you want, a dream will just stay a dream.
Right now, I am dreaming about making a Vancouver Jump for Joy Photo Book about my experiences of creating massive murals with hundreds of people jumping for joy around Vancouver. The murals were made in an area of Vancouver where you would least expect people to be jumping for joy. Creating the murals had way more impact than I even imagined, both on me and on the people in this neighbourhood.
This area has a high percentage of homelessness, poverty, struggling with drug addiction, abuse and mental illness. Creating these mural gave me the opportunity to interact and get to know a lot of these people who actually became the biggest fans and supporters of the murals. It felt humbling to realize that after years of passing by people on the street and feeling sad and helpless, that public art with my joyful images, really did inspire joy and brought people from all walks of life together. The experience opened my heart and has made me fall in love with the neighbourhood and I would love to continue to share the joy, long after the murals have disappeared.
This experience was not a planned part of my original dream but has created a new path for accomplishing what I had set out to do. Simply by saying yes to an opportunity and taking action to make it happen has provided a new outlet for sharing joy around the world.
Part of my steps towards creating this book, is to get some feedback from you. I have created a questionnaire and would love your feedback: VANCOUVER JUMP FOR JOY BOOK QUESTIONNAIRE The more feedback I can get, the more I will know what steps to take to make this dream come true. So please forward this questionnaire on.
Thank you for your continued support.
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoälha
Meg Taylor jumps for joy! Photo by Eyoälha Baker http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
“Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and forgiving heart. Be the one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.” – Marvin J. Ashton
I loved the beautiful energy of Meg. When I was out scouting around for people in the DTES to take part in the second Jump for Joy mural, and she hopped in right away 🙂 Unfortunately on the day I was working on the mural and about to paste her 6 ft poster to that wall, a big gust of wind came, crumpled the glue covered poster and it fell to pieces out of my hands. Her jumping pic never made it into the Wall of Joy mural (which is also, crumbling down and being removed very soon), but I love this photo of her and Im happy to share here and uplift you all with her energy. Im looking into a new art projects to make with the photos to keep on spreading the joy with my friends in the DTES.
Have a wonderful day!
Much love, Eyoälha
Eyoälha Baker, Founder of the Jump for Joy Photo Project speaking at TedXEastVan April 23, 2016
“You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
I’m excited to share that I will be one of the speakers at TedXEastVan on April 23rd, 2016!
“Dear Eyoalha –
Congratulations! TEDxEastVan would like to extend a formal invitation to you to speak at the event on April 23rd, 2016. We think that you have an idea worth spreading and would love for you to share it live on stage….” – TedXEastVan
It’s been an amazing learning experience, on many so many levels, creating and building the Jump for Joy photo project over that past few years. It all started out as a simple idea: To feel and share joy around the world with photos of people jumping for joy.
This simple intention has grown and morphed in ways I hadn’t even imagined when I set out on this journey. Creating images with people that touch others on an emotional level, creating massive mural projects that brought people from all walks of life together; all with the intention to uplift ourselves and others through the energy of joy, has been the most gratifying and heart opening experience of my life (so far).
In many ways I feel like I’m just at the beginning, at the tip of the ice burg and Im only now, after several years of jumping photos, starting to tap into the potential of what I can achieve with this project.
Many of you have been following along from the start and I appreciate your continued support. I’m honoured that I have the opportunity to share my experiences on the TedXEastVan stage and hope those of you who can, will join us to hear our ideas..
Have an amazing day!
Much love, Eyoälha
Self-portrait jumping photo by Eyoälha Baker http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
Jumping free in venice, CA.
I love this quote. In the moments that I’ve felt most connected, alive and in the flow, I have absolutely been in service to a greater purpose. Its those moments when Im helping others, being goofy / playing around, laughing uncontrollably, creating photos that uplift, and make people feel good about themselves. Its when I hear that art I’ve created has inspired someone, gave them hope, improved their lives in someway or simply made them smile.
If I can create work that inspires joy in others, it expands my own feeling of joy. Its something I feel to my core, to my soul. I’m still not exactly sure how to put into words, but I know that my greater purpose is related to: creating and sharing joy with others through interactive experiences and art, by expanding and opening my heart to what is possible and including others in the process.
I tapped into it while creating the jump for joy photo murals over the past couple of years. When I’m in the creative process, playing and connecting openly and focused on bringing out the potential and greatness of others… something beautiful happens. In those moments I feel pure joy and most connected to myself. I can only describe it as alchemy in action and I’m determined to learn how to live more continuously in this magical state of creation and connection.
Thanks for following along on my journey and helping me share the joy around the world.
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoalha
Selfie Jump photo by Eyoalha Baker
Global Asian Times interview with Eyoalha Baker Founder of Jump for JOy Photo Project
Jump for Joy founder fights negatives in life with joyful photos. An interview by James Phu
…. Read Entire Article HERE ….
Excerpt from interview:
James Phu: The Jump for Joy project that you started is one of the most beautiful and unique initiatives I have seen in a while. What is the background story behind the Jump for Joy Project?
Eyoälha Baker: We know that images are used as powerful tools of persuasion in business and politics, and I noticed that news and media tend to showcase mainly negative, fear-based images. It got me thinking about how this affects us as a society and how we in turn interact with each other. How does it make us feel as a collective, to see images that depict sad, terrorizing news on a daily basis? In general, it breads fear and distrust. My idea with the Jump for Joy Photo Project is that if societies as whole can be influenced to shut off, and fear each other by negative images, they can also be influenced to open up and be kinder by positive images. I look at it as the group think concept, where people feed off each other’s energy in a group situation, such as a riot, where people who may not normally be destructive get caught up in the situation. The same can be true with an overwhelming sense of joy. If there are mass feelings of joy being felt, people tend to be more open, more helpful, hopeful and want to help each other. So I began taking uplifting, positive images of people jumping for joy, and sharing them around the world. The intention is to help shift some of the negative energy being fed to us….
…. Read Entire Article HERE ….
Jump for Joy photo of Sheila by Eyoalha Baker
“…look at life with more playful eyes… …Just simply be a human being. The whole world is showering its joy on you in so many ways, but if you are too serious, you cannot open your heart.” — Osho
This was a completely spontaneous Jump for Joy shoot. I met Sheila while looking for people to participate in my last photo mural project called the Wall of Joy mural, in Vancouver’s DTES. When I do Jump for joy photo shoots, I usually take time to meet up with someone in a specific location and do several jumping shots to choose from but this one was a lucky one shot deal. When I told Sheila about my project and asked her to participate, she was vibrant and excited to take part. With one jump we were done and she was happily on her way. It was the only time I met her, but I have this photo as a momento of this brief encounter. I’m happy to have included her photo in the project so she could pass by and see her photo in the mural knowing that her energy would make many passers by smile. Sharing her joyful energy with the world helps uplift us all.
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoalha
Jumping selfie by Eyoalha Baker. Artist Talk at Thrive Art Studio.
Excited to be invited to do an artist talk at Thrive Art Studio on March 30th. Its a small intimate space to meet with other artists and creatives. Join us, tickets on sale now and can be purchased here: http://thriveartstudio.com/thrive-talks-2/
Hope to see you there!
Eyoalha Baker speaking at Interesting Vancouver about the creation and process of Jump for joy Photo Project and murals.
Life is very interesting…
Today, the talk I did about the Jump for Joy Photo Project / murals at Interesting Vancouver was posted. I was incredibly nervous, emotional and fumbled my way through.. but I did it 🙂
Yesterday, I received a letter from the city letting me know that I have 30 days to repair the mural or it will need to be removed. I may have some funding coming in, and need at least a week of dry weather. I’m asking for an extension in case the funds and money are not in line with the deadline. Will see what happens.
History repeats itself and gives us opportunities for deeper learning and understanding every time. It makes me wonder, maybe the creation of the murals were meant to be temporary and more about the beauty of sharing joy, connecting with people, learning about community and kindness. I’m not sure how this month will play out, I’ll keep on pushing for the repairs but if it doesn’t happen my heart is full with all that the experience creating this work has brought me. I know that either way this is only the beginning of more amazing opportunities to create, connect and experience life in whatever form it takes.
Eyoalha Baker speaking at Interesting Vancouver
“To play is to be the bridge between mastery and mystery, chaos and control, the foolishly brave and the bravely foolish.” – the Oaqui
The damage to the mural has become worse in the past month and the repairs will be more extensive than anticipated. Im now looking at a weeks worth of equipment rentals and will need to raise upwards of $5000 just to cover costs.
For the month of December, I served to save up tips towards repairs at Save On Save on Meats. I chose to work at SOM because of the generous work they do with people in need in the DTES (where the mural is located). Im inspired by the work they do. I also love supporting the token program which feeds many people who may not otherwise have food to eat. Hoping to do more work together in the future with this amazing group of people 🙂
Thank you to all the wonderful people at Save On Meats who welcomed me in, helped me learn the ropes and made me feel like part of the team.
I’m proud to announce that working part time as a server of the month of December I was able to save up $980.60 to wards mural repairs (thanks to some generous tippers and direct donations) 🙂
I still have a few thousand $$$ to raise to make the repairs and am working on finding sponsors to make up the balance. And of course, I’m more than happy to accept direct donations too – email info@jumpforjoyphotoproject.com if you would like to contribute 🙂
Wising you the happiest and joy filled year for 2016!
Much love,
Eyoalha
Hello folks!
I have a couple more shifts coming up at Save On Meats this weekend December 11 + 12 from 4pm.
Im serving up yummy food and saving ALL MY TIPS over the month of December towards mural repairs.
I wanted to stay connected to the community and interact on a more personal level with people. I appreciate the kind work done at Save On Meats with the token program and the care they give to the community so I’m happy to be part of the team.
Please stop by and I will be happy to serve you up some comfy diner food – the shakes are the best! 🙂
Hope to see you this weekend… if you can kick in a little extra to help with the mural, even better!
Have a wonderful day!
Eyoalha selfie Jump for joy Photo
MetroNews Vancouver – Jump for Joy mural
By Emily Jackson
Metro News Vancouver Eyoalha to serve at Save On Meats to save up for Wall of Joy Mural repairs by Emily Jackson
Thank you Emily Jackson for your wonderful article in Metro News Vancouver about my efforts to save up and fix the Wall of Joy Mural thats been getting a beating from our rainy and stormy Vancouver weather 🙂
I will serve at Save On Meats for the month of December 2015 and donate all of my tips towards repairs to the mural. You can read the full story HERE – One note… I gave the wrong start date! I will have my first serving shift on Saturday, December 5th from 4pm – please do stop in to say hello, get a bite to eat and pick up some food and clothing tokens for those in need while you’re there 🙂 It just feel good all around!
Hope to see you soon at Save on Meats!
I really like this pic of Vinnie jumping for joy in the Hastings Street Community Garden. When I met him initially, he seemed a bit shy and I actually didn’t think he would want to Jump for Joy when I first approached him. Not only did he agree, he very much wanted to make sure we got a great shot. Lesson learned: You never know until you ask 🙂 In the end, I just love this photo.
Have a wonderful day!
Serving up food at Save On Meats to raise funds for Wall of Joy Mural Repairs
For the month of December I will be serving up yummy food, selling food / Clothing Tokens at Save On Meats to raise funds for repairs on the Wall of Joy Mural.
I’ve joined the amazing team at Save On Meats for the month of December 2015 to save up for unanticipated Wall of Joy mural repairs. ALL TIPS I make while serving will go directly towards mural repairs.
Why am I doing this?
The Wall of Joy mural has a very special place in my heart. This project means a lot to people in the community and I want to ensure it will be around for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the wether has drastically started to take its tole and the mural has started to deteriorate at a much faster pace than anticipated. I didn’t want to do another crowd sourcing campaign, I wanted to come up with a fun interactive way to serve the community while raising funds for the repairs. I am a huge fan of the Token program at Save On Meats and all their amazing contributions to the community through A Better Life Foundation.
Last month I volunteered as a server at Save On Meats for their monthly fundraising event that raises funds for A Better Life Foundation called – Greasy Spoon Diner – if you haven’t been to this yet – GO! Its so good!
I had so much fun that was inspired to ask Mark Brand if he would like to collaborate on a serving fundraiser for the Wall of Joy mural repairs over the holidays. He very generously agreed 🙂 So, I’m in training and will be serving for the entire month of December!
ALL MY TIPS will go towards the mural repairs!! Please come in for a meal, a coffee or even just to say hello and leave a little tip for the mural – I will be happy to serve you. AND it gets even better! While you’re enjoying some yummy food, you can also purchase TOKENS for food / clothing for those in need – BEST GIFTS EVER! Hope to see you soon!
If you can’t make it in to the diner when I’m working, you can drop of a donations envelope with Jump for Joy mural written on it and you can also send an email transfer to info@jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
Please share this post around on social media and invite your friends for a meal at Save On Meats 🙂
Thanks for your help and have a great day! 🙂
Photo by Eyoälha Baker http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
The playful, joy-filled way of children always inspires me and makes me smile. As adults, we have so much to learn and be reminded of when we witness the freedom of a child laughing and playing.
Get out and play today!
Thanks to everyone who has let me know that there are some posters coming loose on the Wall of Joy. I appreciate you looking out for it 🙂
The weather is already starting to take its tole on the posters, much sooner than expected. I think the major storm we had that hit the wall, literally the day after I finished did more damage than I realized. Im guessing that the water sealant we had just finished applying had not cured yet when the storm hit.
I was able to do some of the most needed repairs in a couple of hours the morning of the mural opening but skipped a lot of the smaller ones due to time limits. What were small corners of posters lifting up are now starting to show and pieces are starting to peal.
I want this mural to last as long as possible so I am working on setting up a full day to do repairs in the next couple of weeks. It is a bit of a process and of course the costs (around $1200) to make it happen. One 24 hour day of repairs requires: insurance, a signed licence agreement between myself, Atira, BC Housing and Impark, rental of all the parking spots along the wall from Impark, 30 ft of fence rental (delivery and set up), lift rental (+delivery), repair materials (several gallons of contact cement), a volunteer to help me as time will be limited to get a lot done and of course, a beautiful sunny day so the wall is dry.
Hopefully this set of repairs will be the last ones that need to be done until next year.
Enjoy your day!
Much love,
Eyoalha
Jump for Joy Photo Project is delighted and honoured to be included in this year’s Heart of the City festival. The 12th annual Downtown Eastside festival is a cultural and heritage event that celebrates the neighbourhood’s emerging artists, rich and diverse cultural heritage, and history.
The festival runs from October 28 to November 8, 2015 and features 12 days of music, dance, poetry readings, story-telling, theatre, film, gallery exhibitions, workshops, history walking tours, and much, much more. Our very own Eyoälha Baker will be hosting an Artist Talk at the Jump for Joy wall on November 1st at 11:00 am. Meet up at the southeast corner of West Pender and Abbott street ( beside Tinseltown).
To view a complete list of events please visit www.heartofthecityfestival.com
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
It’s a beautiful day and the Jump for Joy photo project team would like to invite YOU to submit your best jump for joy photo of yourself, friends or family jumping for joy! We will choose 5 of our most favourite, creative, fun, inspired photos and feature you on all our social media channels ( Newsletter, blog, Facebook, and Twitter ) . We encourage creativity and weirdness so go for it 🙂
We are looking forward to seeing your photos! Have fun!
SUBMISSIONS: Send photo via email: info@jumpforjoyphotoprojcet.com. Please include your name, photo credit, where you are from/where the photo is taken and a brief note about what inspires you to jump for joy with links to your social media/website. You can also post your photos directly to our FACEBOOK PAGE or TWITTER.
DEADLINE: Oct. 10, 2015
Selected photos will be shared on the Jump for Joy Photo Project website and our top 3 favourite jumping pics will be featured in our Newsletter between October 10-20th, 2015
Wall of Joy – Community BBQ September 9th 4-6pm. The West wall of the Arco Hotel (facing Abbott St)
Come celebrate with us … Excited to bring all the people (well, most of the people, some will can’t make it and will be missed) together that helped create the Wall of Joy mural. This will be fun!
The mural, located on the West wall of Arco Hotel, an SRO (Single Room Occupancy) building located at 81 West Pender St. Vancouver, will set the scene for a community BBQ celebrating the completion of The Wall of Joy Mural.
http://gastowngazette.com/event/jump-for-joy-community-bbq/
Photo damage to mural from the storm by Eyoälha Baker http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
We had a few days of intense rain and wind here in Vancouver over the weekend. The storm tore up trees and left many people without power for several days. Once things settled down I went out to check on the Wall of Joy mural and found that a couple of the posters mid way up on the side of the mural had started to come loose – they since have peeled down. The rest of the mural seems to have held up quite well through the storm 🙂
Im now in the process of arranging to replace these two posters. It’s a bit of a process as they are at least 30 ft high. I’ve already had the posters reprinted but also need to put them together and before I can put them up I will need good weather, to rent a scissor lift (they don’t deliver on the weekend), to get the ok from Impark (and maybe the City too.. checking into it) before I can do anything (I may also need to get insurance first). Im hoping to have this all arranged and the repairs done before the opening event next week.
The opening event will be a community BBQ at the mural (located at the corner of Abbott and West Pender Street). We will be there between 4-6pm. Stop by if you can and say hello.
Have a wonderful day!
http://www.eyoalha.com Hire Eyoalha for a photo shoot email: eyoalha@gmail.com
Photo by Eyoälha Baker http://www.jumpforjoyphotoproject.com
So proud of my friend Ashley! This amazing woman just completed in the Ironman World Championship! This ironwoman ran in 41degree heat, came in 79th/145, is the 2nd Canadian in her category and finished with a time of 5:51. Way to go Ashley!! Jumping for joy 🙂 Learn more about Ashley here: solegirls.org
Get out there and do it!
The Georgia Straight
Wall of Joy Mural photo by Rick Etkin
Another fanstastic write up about the Wall of Joy mural I’ve just completed with the participation and support of many people all around Vancouver (and the world! I had funds donated from around the world). Really feeling proud and happy to share everyones joy. You can read the article here: http://www.straight.com/blogra/518561/photos-300-people-jump-joy-downtown-eastside-corner-abbott-and-pender
24hr News article about the Wall of Joy Mural
More news on the Wall of Joy Mural. I love that this article also shares the perspective of Janice Abbott, CEO of Atira Womens Resource Society. Its thanks to her that this mural got the go ahead from the start. She is also responsible for raising more than half of the funding for the project! Forever grateful for the support I felt from everyone at Atira.
You can read the article at this link: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2015/08/26/wall-of-happiness-returns-to-vancouver-streets
MetroNews Vancouver
MetroNews Vancouver – detail photo of the mural by Emily Jackson for MetroNews Vancouver Aug. 25, 2015
Exciting week – The Wall of Joy Mural is finished and all over the news… I am overwhelmed by how beautiful the response has been to the mural. Im touched and humbled. I will post the news articles over the course of the day, there are a few. Love that the celebration of joy has been embraced so full heartedly. Happy, thank you everyone who has participated and contributed to create this work.
Follow this link to read the write up in the MetroNews Vancouver by Emily Jackson from Aug. 25, 2015
www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2015/08/26/jump-for-joy-mural-brightens-downtown-eastside.html
Now that the Wall of Joy mural is done, I’ve had the pleasure of chatting to passers by (and jumping for joy a lot – this video sent in by Barbara Burkholder) and sharing my excitement about the project with the media. I am exhausted and so happy 🙂 I love this project and work. I am so grateful to everyone who has participated and contributed to make this Wall of Joy happen.
An opening event – Community BBQ is in the works for September 9th, from 4:00 – 6pm.. will post details once things are set. The Wall of Joy Mural is located on the corner of Abbott and West Pender St.
See you soon!
A Playful Path – A sweet note on Jumping for Joy by Bernie De Koven
A Playful Path – A sweet note on Jumping for Joy by Bernie De Koven Photographs and mural by Eyoalha Baker
How nice to be included in the – A Playful Path website – a collection of ideas and tools to help us bring our playfulness back into the open. When we find ourselves forgetting the life of the game or the game of life, the joy of form or the content, the play of brain or mind, body or spirit.
www.aplayfulpath.com/jump-for-joy/
