https://youtu.be/5IsESlnFzIY?si=ySgAiO3LNUIpvvTd

Every day for more than a decade, Mary Jo Hoffman has made a photograph of found nature – no subject too small or too ordinary. For Mary Jo, a former aeronautical engineer, this daily ritual cracked open profound revelations about the connectedness of all things, the importance of place, and her own life. She joined me to talk about her daily practice that led to more than 4,000 consecutive days of images filled with surprise, play, wonder, and joy as she paid attention to the natural world. We discuss STILL, The Art of Noticing, Mary Jo’s stunning new book -- a fabulous holiday gift for yourself or someone you love.

Today, we have a very special episode to share with our creative community as we welcome Mary Jo Hoffman, a botanical photographer, writer, and artist, whose eyes and camera capture intimate portraits of the flora and fauna in her world. Every day since January 1, 2012, for 12-and-a-half years, Mary Jo made a photograph of found nature, capturing it in an alluring minimalist style.

Mary Jo Hoffman

Her daily ritual cracked open profound revelations about the importance of place, the passing of time, the connectedness of all things, and the trajectory of her own life.

Here’s a bit more about Mary Jo Hoffman:

Mary Jo Hoffman is an artist-photographer renowned for her unique and personal engagement with the natural world. Best known for her project, "STILL” -- where every day (every single day) for over a decade, she made a photograph of found nature – no subject too small or too ordinary.

Inside pages from STILL by Mary Jo Hoffman

Her book, STILL: The Art of Noticing, features 275 of the most stunning photographs the author-artist has accumulated over thousands of consecutive days of daily shooting accompanied by perceptive, deeply felt, and often humorous essays illuminating the insights gained through this daily creative practice.

Mary Jo lives in Shoreview, Minnesota, on Turtle Lake, with her husband, Steve, a food writer and author, and her indulged puggle, Jack, who accompanies her on her daily foraging walks to find new subjects.

Pink tulips opening

I received a review copy of STILL when it was published earlier this year in May, and I wanted to save it for a special episode. We usually feature Slow Flowers members as our guests, so the exception I make is to host artists and creatives whose work moves me personally. Now that we’ve arrived at the gifting season, sharing my conversation with Mary Jo will, I hope, inspire you to check out STILL. There’s still time to purchase your copy.

Follow Mary Jo Hoffman on InstagramSubscribe to Mary Jo's newsletterView her Pinterest GalleriesOrder your copy of STILL

Ferns from STILL

I will leave you with a passage from one of her essays, which spoke to me, from page 50. I hope it resonates with your own mindful practice:

“You are what you do. If you show up every day and make a little bit of art, however incomplete or unsatisfying or misguided or not how Georgia O’Keefe would have done it, you are an artist.”Mary Jo Hoffman, STILL: The Art of Noticing

Thank you, Mary Jo, for helping us notice the places where we find ourselves – and to see them with new eyes.

Slow Flowers (Virtual) Member Meet-Up on December 13th

Aurora Zinnia from Johnny's Selected Seeds

In our news of the week, you’re invited to attend our December Slow Flowers Meet-Up, coming up Friday, Dec. 13th - 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern. The topic for this month’s session: New Cut Flower Seeds for 2025 + Breeding News. We will be joined by three floral experts from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. We recorded a similar presentation one year ago when Hillary Alger and Joy Longfellow unveiled the new flower seed varieties for 2024. The replay video has been viewed more than 5,000 times on YouTube – it was our most popular episode of 2024.This time around, we are again welcoming Hillary and Joy to the Meet-Up to re...