Skopelos Photo Submissions 2015

Casondra Sobieralski 2014-2015 Photography Samples for Skopelos Foundation for the Arts

Copyright Casondra Sobieralski 2014-2015

Usually I shoot landscapes and seascapes.  Lots and lots of scapes because I like to be outside, and I take my camera with me when I hike.  Maybe shooting so many scapes is why I chose photos that are not like the rest to present to you:  it is too hard to pick objective favorites otherwise.

Please click the photos to see large versions. 


February 2015: From the "Playing with Light at Muir Beach" series, Marin County, California

February 2015:  From the "Historical Fort Ross" series--Jenner, California

January 2015:  From the "Dialogue with Found Art, Grizzly Peak" series, Berkeley, California.  Someone, or someones, created an installation of chachkies on guard rails on a windy road high above the San Francisco Bay.  These inspired me to make more art via photography. 

September 2014: From the "Zozobra" series, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Zozobra is a participatory community ritual with Spanish Catholic roots.  The community stuffs an 80-foot kinetic effigy with their miseries written on paper then burns the puppet to release the miseries.

August, 2014: From the "Home" series, exploring what makes the Northern California home to me after a year away, and who called it home long before I did.  These are reconstructed Sierra Miwok homes in Jackson, California 

March 1, 2015:  Pasadena with Michael Kline, Suzy,  Alex... and some turtles

How many Pittsburgh viewers of this blog remember Michael Kline?  --the dear friend I sat with on the bus from 2nd grade through high school.  We reunited!

I was trying to network in Southern California when I was job hunting last year, and I remember he lived down there...somewhere.  I Googled his name, his graduate school, and his profession and I found him!  At NASA in Pasadena!!!!

AS luck would have it, on this trip to SoCal centered around Jennifer's film premier (see prior post), Alex signed me up for my first swim meet--UG!!!  In Pasadena.  

So it worked out well for us to catch Michael and to meet his spouse Suzy.  Alex had not seen Michael since high school, and I had not seen him since right after college -- 19 years ago, I think we figured.  so it was a very special day indeed. And Michael is as humbly smart, creative, and sweet as ever. He found a great match in Suzy. I adore her.

A few shots from our visit:


All of us and turtles at CalTech--

Fitting in a short hike in Los Angeles National Forest before a storm...

February 27, 2015: Jennifer's Hollywood Film Premiere -- Go Jennifer!

These photos are "sharing", not Art (it was dark, the pace was fast), but what a fine evening to share.  And these photos were taken by a variety of people.

Jennifer acted in an indie film called "Roxie" (about relationships and aging) that premiered in Hollywood with a red carpet event.  I flew down to SoCal to support her and scooped up my friend Alex, who lives in Orange County, to go to this special event, too.  

Alex was excited because he is an aspiring screenwriter, and he had never been to a film opening.  (He does med tech startups as his main career, but his mom was a Muppeteer for Jim Henson, so that creative side needs some expression, too!)  I was excited because --IT WAS JENNIFER!  :)  

Jennifer has been like a sister to me for about 17 years. We met just a couple years after I moved to San Francisco, through Dr. Ross's office where we both worked.  We have been there for  each other through so many phases of each other's lives, through so much growth.  

Jennifer is a single mom with 2 kids, works full time, commutes 120 miles a day in Bay Area traffic, and STILL commits to make time to pursue her true passion, which is acting.  She is as feisty and wonderfully righteous as the women I grew up with (she is also half Mediterranean, ha ha), and also one of the most INTUITIVE, WISE people I have ever known.  She takes all the finely tuned perception skills and deep feeling she learns through acting techniques and applies it to everyday life.  she "feels" stuff in her gut, and when I try to fight her gut with logic, I lose. Every time.

Jenn, I am so proud of you and value you so much.  Thank you for being such a big part of my life, and for being my biggest cheerleader when I run out of steam. 

The cast of "Roxie".    The director, Nick is in the gray jacket.  

Me and Jennifer-- SISTAHHOOD! 

Jennifer, me and Alex

Jennifer and her friend Alison, a professional photographer in LA who shot some of the photos on this page.

Jennifer being goofy and me.  

Alex, looking like an aspiring producer.

February 21, 2015: Fort Ross (near Jenner) with Jeanette

All images copyright Casondra Sobieralski

I had always wanted to go to Fort Ross but it is just a bit too far away to be easy.  Then finally I found a good excuse: Eastern European egg decorating festival!  Just like home (Pittsburgh).  

Northern California certainly does not have the degree of Eastern European culture that I grew up with in Western Pennsylvania.  Asian and Mexican culture are more evident here.  But the Russians came to this area very early on to trade with the Native Americans (whom they treated far better than the Spanish did, even if they were not perfect) and to hunt seals for pelts.  (Sorry vegetarian friends. It's just historical fact.)  Fort Ross is a Russian Fort.  To learn more, see: http://www.fortross.org 

The lighting here was beautiful.  Here are some favorite photos from this excursion with my cultural heritage kindred Jeanette.  PLEASE CLICK TO VIEW THESE BIG.  There is lots of great texture in there.