Marisa Matluck Photo Blog

Once when I was a little girl, I was stung by a Jellyfish. I was walking along the shore of the beach, picking up seashells, when I suddenly got stung by a Jellyfish. Some really smart person decided to bury said Jellyfish and place a beautiful shell on its grave to mark it. Little did they know that an innocent little girl would pass by, love the seashell, and pick it up while simultaneously getting stung.

When we see these creatures, we swim away as fast as we can. They sting. They sting and itch and it sucks. Jellyfish are weird, creepy, and they sting. However, when they wash up on the shore, there is something oddly beautiful about them. Even when they are not on shore, they float through the water so gracefully. Too bad they sting.

I came across a very blue Jellyfish while at the beach recently and pulled out my camera. I had never really gotten so close to such a creature as to where I was able to “study” it with my camera. I found the colors of the fish to be extremely rich and beautiful. In some instances, I almost felt sorry for the Jellyfish. The poor thing was washed on the shore, and slowly dying (if not dead already), while life just walked by it. It was quite a serene photoshoot.

Enjoy these photos, but please do not touch Jellyfish

The Greynolds Park Love-In is a celebration of the 1960s with music, vintage clothing and memorabilia. This year, I attended on a mission for photos. I went last year and came out with lots of Peace and Love!

Some people never left the 60′s. Normally when I go to local events, I am surrounded by young, vibrant, inebriated, energetic people. This time I was surrounded by the typical “Flower Child” and hippie of the 60′s. The vibe was carefree and everywhere I looked I was flashed (the Peace sign). It was nice to see so many people outdoors enjoying Greynolds Park. I grew up in the area so I am very familiar with the park. It is a nice escape from the rest of North Miami Beach. It adds a flair of wildlife and outdoors that one doesn’t get unless they are hitting the beach.

Second Saturday is something I look forward to at the beginning of every month. For me it is a time of rejuvenating my creative expression. This month I started off on my own, just me and the camera, in my friend Karina’s art gallery. I was actually super impressed with this months exhibition (as well as all her past exhibitions). Her gallery featured instillation art by Yucef Merhi entitled “Words”. It was a myriad of lights and screens and projectors all used to evoke emotion in “Words”. Truly brilliant. It also made interesting photos for me as it was different to the other Tungsten lit galleries.

After roaming the streets and going from gallery to gallery, I was joined by a first time gallery walker. I love it when people are “devirginized” to the Wynwood gallery world. It is a great thing to do on a Saturday night and there is always something cool to see!

I hope you enjoy viewing the photos from Artwalk. If you would like to see more, you can check out my weekly photo gallery on NBC Miami. (woooohooooo!!)

I have to mention one last thing… While stepping into Butter Gallery, I noticed the bartender had a nice sign on his bar that said “Women of Wynwood.” Now, while driving to the studio on many a morning, I have noticed women wearing bright pink uniforms that dawn the logo “WOW”. So I asked said bartender what it was and he explained to me that it was a way to get women out of the homeless shelter and give them jobs taking care of the Wynwood neighborhood that so many love. I found it to be a great initiative and I look forward to lending my services to this cause. If you would like to help or for more information, please visit their website by clicking here.

On Friday I had the honor of volunteering with the Humane Society to photograph their yearly event, Bark in the Park. During this annual event, Marlins fans are allowed to bring their furry friends to Sun Life (formerly Dolphin, formerly Lanshark, formerly…) Stadium. I got the gig via a Shoot Miami member looking for volunteers.

It was so much fun! I got there way before the game started and got a sneak peak of the other team training. I ran up and down the empty stadium seats as well… just because I could. There are certain situations one is meant to take advantage of and this was one of them.

When sports fans (and dog lovers) began arriving, I was in full photography mode. I could not help but rub the heads of the über cute pooches dressed in swanky Marlins gear. There were a few cheaters who dressed their doggies in Dolphins and ‘Canes gear but hey, any South Florida team will do!

Here are some photos of the pups I found to be extra cute…