Let's Try this again

As you can see I am so bad at writing blog post! But I will keep trying

Time to catch up on happenings from the studio! 

Such a busy Spring, Here we are with summer. Time has a way of flying by.

Our vision for this space has always been to cultivate a sense of community through shared experiences of learning, art and faith. While I often lead workshops here, this particular event marked our first collaboration with a prominent figure in the photography realm. Back in March we had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful workshop with Douglas Beasley , Vision Quest Photo Workshops. Having Doug kick off our Spring workshops was truly an honor. The workshop, titled “Photography as a Path of Spirit,” encapsulated the serene and contemplative atmosphere of the four days we spent together. Throughout the week, Doug led the group in readings, creative exercises. critique sessions. We engaged in lively discussions, exchanged ideas, and drew inspiration from one another. . Sharing meals, stories, challenges, embarking on field trips, and sharing plenty of laughter, the workshop was a rich tapestry of experiences. Take a glimpse into some of the works-in-progress photos from the workshop, as well as showcase final pieces from our talented participants.

“Still thinking of our beautiful adventure with you and Doug at your home/studio in Dripping Springs!  Just being there was definitely the “dose of Doug” Barry and I needed to get out photography moving for the spring.  Bobby is the ultimate host and you are the perfect hostess—not to mention workshop organizer, teaching enabler, artist, and amazing chef.  We loved the entire experience.  For me the idea of sharing breakfast to start the day was a great way to settle in with the group and move seamlessly into Doug’s first lesson. “   quote from Dinah McNew

Still smiling at the end of the week! Thanks to Marti Corn for the photo!

Save the Date for Doug’s next trip to the Hill Country April 9-13th 2025. Join our email list to get early registration as well as info on other worshops

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Update on all the Things!

Hello friends….It has been awhile!

I am fairly active on Instagram which strangely makes me feel a connection with all of you out there in social media… (You can find me here @dorrae and @creekroadhomestead) That being said …


I was shocked to look back and see how long it had been since my last blog post. So, today I’m taking a mantra from my friend Karly Borden over at The Public Running Club to “Begin Again”.

(side note) This little catch up post is being shared both here as well as my Photography site. As most self employed artist know we have many different worlds we live/work in and they often collide. This is one of those collisions. 

The last year I have spent time reflecting on who I am as an artist, what my art is, what process I want to use, how I want to work? I have applied some of those same question to how we run Creek Road Homestead, how we want to use this land? The one thing I know is we are all a work in progress. Changing and growing, always evolving. 

In photography I still enjoy the occasional  traditional portrait session such as this sweet couple. 

But I’m mostly excited to continue my journey down the path of Alternative Process Photography. This is such a broad range of ways to capture, create and print images. I have several methods I am looking forward to trying but one of my new favorites is the printing method of Polymer Photogravure. I’ll share more about that process in another post but here is an image currently included in the Texas Photographic Society members only show at The Cain Gallery in Corpus Christi. 

“Italian Washday” Polymer Photogravure DorRae Stevens 2019

One of the things I have learned about myself (or maybe just reminding myself): I love and flourish when spending time in community, learning new things and collaborating with others. Here are 2 pieces created in a workshop this past fall. Did I say I love workshops? Here are a few from a workshop hosted by A Smith Gallery last fall.

This is where Creek Road Homestead  crosses with my art! 

About 18 months ago we lost our beautiful 32 year old horse Fauve. Such a sweet big guy who we’ve had since the day he was born. I could write a whole post about him, but that’s for another time. The image above is Fauve, created using a photo base then hand colored with pastels.

With his passing we officially ended  horse life (at least for the foreseeable future) and began the process of re-purposing the barn into art studios and intimate gathering spaces. One of the core values of Creek Road Homestead to offer and honor a space for the creative life.  Over the years we have had an amazing group of musical, visual and literary artist spend time here and share their art with us. With the barn repurpose that vision continues. Although it is a work in progress, with details to work out, here is the idea:


Work in progress but still making good use of the space for the holidays!

We will be offering a few studio spaces to lease, a dark room space to share, workshop space, a space to host intimate gatherings such as art shows, book launch, house concerts as well as small dinner parties. We are even dreaming about how to create an artist residency program with the lodging we have available here. We are not quite there yet but we started having soft opening events for family and close friends, (those close enough to see past all the construction work!!!!) Including a birthday party, a baby shower and a holiday wreath making day! 


So that’s the update! We are creating a space where I get to surround myself with creative people, mix my photography with our homestead, mix art with running a B & B all while caring for the land and raising bees. Oh did I forget to mention we are now beekeepers? Another post…

I hope you will check back, follow the blog or Instagram to hear about what comes next. Just a hint, watch for a weekend workshop for creative women coming up spring 2020. And if you know anyone who might be interested in Studio space please send them my way! 



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Welcome to our new site!

Thank you for visiting our new website! We are excited about the launch. We could not have done it without the help of our designer Trevor Borden. Trevor is a singer/songwriter who recently added web disign to his creative life.  Along with the new site we have a new blog. To get stared we wanted to bring over a few old blogs from Lavender Lemonade that featured The Hatton House or happenings around the homestead.  Below if the first blog post as began this journey from December 2013

Re-Invent or Re-Store, sometimes they look alike

We’ve all heard the saying about life being a journey, going through different seasons, taking different paths., reaching different crossroads. At this stage in my life the seasons seem to change quickly and the crossroads are many. As many of my friends are taking the “ I have to re-invent myself” road, I think I am taking more the “It’s time to Re-Store an old self” road.

 

Years ago (too many to count, but let’s say a long time) I would buy and read books on growing and using herbs, and gardening. Lavender was and still is one of my favorites. Years before I heard anyone talk about lavender farms in Texas, I was dreaming of walking through those amazing purple fields in France. I scoured magazines such as“Country Living”, Southern Living, Food and Wine. Reading and keeping articles and pictures of old farm houses, Bed & Breakfast sites, and recipes of homegrown and beautiful food. At the time I really didn’t think about photogenic these all were. I didn’t think of creating these images, I just wanted to live in them.

 

Photography is still my profession and will always be however it is looking a bit different these days. As I approached one of those crossroads in life I decided to restore an old dream instead of re-inventing a new one.

 

My husband and I own a wonderful old rock house built somewhere around 1857. We have always dreamed of restoring it for a guest house or B&B. My other dream was to walk through lavender fields in France. Life has always taken us down other paths. Oh, they have been wonderful paths just different than these dreams.  But time has come to follow those dreams.

We haven't made it to France, instead I planted my own lavender field.

I spent the last year loving over that small field, fighting to keep the horses from pulling up the tiny plants. Worried about the drought and then about too much rain,  the Sweet lavender was the only variety to bloom the first year and with that we had lavender ice-cream and gallons of Lavender Lemonade all through the summer.

 

At the same time we began work on our little rock house, slowly restoring and working it into shape to welcome guest. Although there is more we want to do we are excited to say we have officially opened The Hatton House B&B at the Creek Road Homestead, and ready for you to come stay!

 

WOW, that is a little scary to say out load.

When you have dreamed of something and then the reality is here, and what if it’s not what you think is going to be? Oh well, here we go!

 

 

As of now, we have the downstairs open and plan to open the upstairs room in May or June. You can get more information and book a stay here www.creekroadhomestead.com or you can just email me! If you want to come just walk through the lavender that is fine to.

So you may have noticed I changed the name of my blog to Lavender Lemonade.

When I started my blog, I shared stories about my life, I wrote and shared stories about my clients and a few stories from the streets. At first it was a lot about my photography business, a bit of self-promotion! There will still be a touch of that since I often get my stories and images from my clients but my hope is for it to be more. As I find and share these stories I want them go deeper. I hope they will be inspirational. I hope they tell a story of following ones dreams and stories of hope. I also plan to write, photograph and share more stories about food, about culture and travel. (more later on why I think food is so important)  Lavender Lemonade represents that to me, it reminds me of dreaming, of hard work, of hope, of cultivating a life , of the beauty of a sweetand sometimes sour life. So I plan and hope to write more in this new year to come, along this new adventure of adding an inn-keeper hat to my collection. I also hope you will join me on occasion, laugh, dream and share the ride, I would love to hear about your dreams as well.

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