Journeys With Joy
How it came about?
One day I took a leap and decided to apply for a job with a start-up publishing company. I knew it would be creative and that's what I craved.
A couple of days later I was headed off to my interview. Someone was willing to take a chance on my work! I was extremely nervous and considered sitting on the tube and just going round and round all day rather than taking this big leap of faith in myself and this new company. However, I gathered my thoughts and got off at the right stop. I tried to slow my pace as I headed to the coffee shop where I was to meet Michele (Director of Jasami Publishing) I was going to be extremely early at this rate.
I arrived with butterflies in my belly and a healthy red glow on my face and found a table to sit at. Moments later Michele swept through the doors. She was glamourous and had a massive smile on her face. At that moment I knew I was going to enjoy this interview whether I was offered work or not.
We got to talking and I showed her the DIY portfolio I had carefully crafted over the weeks with the best of my work I could find. It had been shown to endless people as I slowly gathered information on what those closest to me thought was my best work.
Michele carefully flicked through the pages admiring each and every one of my photographs as I explained their background.
Over our coffees, we discussed photography and my vision and passion as well as Jasami Publishings' vision and goals for the world. Towards the end, she offered me some work and the prospect of my first ever book being published.
It would be an understatement to say that I was thrilled.
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Just over a year after that conversation Journeys with Joy was published. I am so proud of my work and that of Catherine Grace who published short stories next to my photography.
The feedback I have been given is overwhelming and the support from Jasami publishing as well as my friends and family is truly tear-jerking.
What I learned from that day was to believe in my work and to never feel worried about showing it to people because art is subjective and that is its beauty. It can mean so many different things to some people and not a lot to others and that's the appeal to keep creating. To connect with those that have the same visions as you and to perhaps persuade those that don't.
I hope this story has encouraged you to go and look for Journeys with Joy and I hope it connects with you in the way it did for myself and Jasmai Publishing.
