The title refers to a phrase in ancient yogic tradition, which explains we have five levels of consciousness: Physical, Energetic, Mental, Wisdom and Bliss. This is a portrait of the most basic physical level, or Annamaya Kosha. This Kosha must be nurtured then released in order for the soul to gain unimpeded access to the center of consciousness. I needed a lot of nurturing at this stage. I felt bound, but attempting to grow.
I grew up in the shadow of Mickey Mouse’s ears in Anaheim, California.
I think in large part my creativity as an artist now is due to my many forays to Disneyland as a kid. With my Instamatic camera, I took many snapshots at the “Kodak Picture Spots” that were placed throughout the park. My Dad was also a huge influence on me at that time. He had a Minolta SRT-101 35mm film camera which he showed me how to use, develop my own film and make prints. We ventured out to Joshua Tree in the springtime to capture macro images of the ephemeral wildflowers.