The Smooch! Project

Calling All Smooch! Project Heroes!

2011-10-17T13:15:00.008-05:00

Good food. Good company. Good cause.It's time to celebrate The Smooch! Project Heroes -- the generous people who have volunteered and helped move this project forward since its beginning in April 2006. I am sooooo thankful for all the assistance I've received over the years. I'm very happy to host a new and oh-so-smoochy annual event, appropriately named The Smooch! Project Gratitude

Smooch! photos at work in the world

2011-10-03T19:47:00.014-05:00

Last month, I went to the hospital. Specifically, I went to the Emergency Room of Children's Hospitals And Clinics of Minnesota - Minneapolis. No, I did not have an emergency health need. I was there to collect photographs. Photos like this one: Children's Hospital recently purchased 22 photographs from The Smooch! Project Archive for the express purpose of

Smooches! California, here we ARE!

2011-08-13T15:50:00.011-05:00

Whew. What a trip, in more ways than one. The invite to bring The Smooch! Project to Coronado/San Diego has been such a great gift, for which I am truly grateful. Actually accomplishing this had been my primary challenge for the last few months. This was our first Smooch! Away Mission (SAM) where we would travel by airplane. Figuring out how to "fly the Smooch!" turned out to be both fun and

To Smooch! or SMOOCH? That is the question.

2011-07-07T12:50:00.005-05:00

I'll be frank: My life seems to be turning into something pretty darn incredible. Sure, I'm as broke as the rest of you but, from a gifts-from-the-universe viewpoint, I am so wealthy it simply takes my breath away. By way of example, let me tell you about one of the more amazing miracles in my life:This is Dawn Mikkelson (along with hidden-at-the-moment shoot assistant Heidi Tugseth). Obviously

Loving the entire world: A Smooch! Project Hero

2011-05-15T21:21:00.006-05:00

I think Lori Yang literally loves the world. Every bit of it, large and small. You can certainly see how much she cares for her daughter Harper, so beautifully captured in the archive pic shown here. I will confirm that Lori brought this same enthusiasm to her work as a Smooch! Project Hero when she helped manage a recent busy Smooch! shoot. (You'll find her Heroic profile

A special Smooch! shoot for Amazing Gracie

2011-05-06T09:50:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow (May 7) is a big day for a little girl named Gracie and her family. Her parents and the community who loves and supports them are coming together to help her win the fight of her life. Amazing Gracie was born last November with Down Syndrome and an unbalanced heart. She's already undergone two corrective surgeries. Later this month, Gracie and her family will be facing her third.I met

Coming full circle: The 100th Smooch! shoot

2011-04-28T10:25:00.006-05:00

April 29, 2006 is a very important date in Smooch! Project history. That day, I held the first ever public Smooch! shoot in the party room of the apartment building I lived in at the time. Well, it was semi-public. The shoot was only open to the tenants of the Cosmopolitan Building, a downtown St. Paul Lowertown former warehouse renovated into 255 lofted apartments. I put up a small sign in the

Party with the Smooch! for 1/2 price!

2011-04-23T13:02:00.011-05:00

Only one more week before our 5-year Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, April 30, 2011, we've cut the ticket price in half. Whoo Hoo! Come party with The Smooch! Project for only $50 per person! We'll be celebrating the phenomenal growth of The Smooch! Project since it's humble beginnings PLUS we've collected an incredible array of amazing items for our guests to peruse and bid on during our

Viva and Jerry SPEAK for the Smooch!

2011-04-11T20:47:00.013-05:00

A Smooch! Project volunteer came up with the BRILLIANT idea of creating a short video of our 5-year Anniversary dinner hosts, Jerry & Viva Beck (of local cable TV fame for the 20-year run of Viva & Jerry's Country Music Videos), speaking on behalf of The Smooch! Project. (Thanks, Rebecca L.!) I thought I would give it a try with my little Flip video camera. Below is the hilarious result. Have a

Viva & Jerry Beck are gonna front for the Smooch!

2011-04-04T18:43:00.006-05:00

OMG! OMG! OMG! I asked and they said, "Yes!" I just LOVE these two! Viva and Jerry Beck are extremely well-known hereabouts in Minnesota. They should be! They just finished taping episode #936 of their very own Viva & Jerry's Country Music Videos, a silly, hokey, entirely enchanting television romp that ranges from slapstick corny humor to poignant country music videos. It's amazing, I don't even

Just in time for Mother's (& Father's) Day!

2011-04-04T15:40:00.005-05:00

For the first time in it's five-year history, The Smooch! Project is now offering hand-signed 5x7-inch prints. These are PERFECT gifts for your sweetie, your mom, your dad. Especially designed for whomever you love and those who love you.Every print is corner-mounted on an acid-free foamcore backing and framed by a quality white core acid-free matboard in your choice of black or white. Protected

Two HUGE Smooch! Project Milestone Events

2011-03-09T07:25:00.021-06:00

TWO BIG DAYS. TWO BIG EVENTS. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Please plan to join us as we celebrate the 5-year anniversary of The Smooch! Project. SUPER EXCITING EVENT #1:Please join us for an internationally-themed anniversary celebration dinner. The future of The Smooch! Project is world-wide and to kick-off our new vision for the future, we're teaming up with the Midtown Global Market to offer an

Yum! Yum! Yum! Smooch! Project chocolates!

2011-01-31T10:02:00.012-06:00

Talk about GREAT timing! When chocolatier Mary Leonard, owner of Twin Cities-based Chocolat Celeste, approached me a few weeks ago to inquire whether I would consider partnering with her to offer customized Smooch! chocolates, I was immediately interested. Mary has a well-deserved reputation for creating incredibly delectable delicacies for the chocolate connoisseur. The long-term possibilities

Healing Old Wounds, Creating New Relationships

2011-01-23T00:04:00.016-06:00

This Smooch! Archive photo, Mary luvs Oshea, illustrates a major theme underlying The Smooch! Project effort: That amazing human ability to generate forgiveness and reconciliation. The story of Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel is a hugely compelling one, but there is no need for me to tell it here. You can hear it for yourself by checking out the intro trailer for the new film about The Smooch!

Dreaming with The Smooch! Project

2011-01-08T00:51:00.005-06:00

In 2010, 15 amazing people made an ongoing commitment to contribute time and energy to The Smooch! Project. This was The Smooch! Project Dream Team, a remarkable group of individuals who shared the dream of collecting 10,000 images from around the world. Dreamer Joanne McGibbon, shown above being smooched by her son, Brian, was on the team in 2010. You can read her Smooch! Project Hero story

Smooches for the Playing for Change band . . . and you too!

2010-12-24T19:55:00.016-06:00

We were totally thrilled to schedule a private Smooch! shoot with the internationally-known Playing for Change (PFC) band while they were here in Minneapolis last month. Their musical vision: to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world -- a mission The Smooch! Project whole-heartily shares. PFC has developed a huge international following for good reason: A beautiful message beautifully

An editor, a supporter, a much appreciated boost

2010-06-14T07:51:00.008-05:00

Scott Nichols loves art, especially photography. At least, that's what I recall him telling me almost four years ago when he called me to talk about The Smooch! Project. Scott is also the News Editor for the Eastside Review, a weekly community newspaper covering a Saint Paul, Minnesota neighborhood. At the time, I was living in the downtown neighborhood called Lowertown, which was included in

My friend, the murderer, the mom

2010-05-08T18:55:00.014-05:00

Almost four years ago, a terrible thing happened. A child died a month after her Smooch! shoot with her family. Her death was painful and unnecessary, the sad result of extremely poor decisions made by the two adults entrusted with her care. Both of these people are now in prison. They are going to be there a very long time. One of them has since become my friend. With her knowledge and

Still slogging on, but brighter days ahead!

2010-04-05T21:38:00.011-05:00

Some days it can seem like accomplishing even the smallest thing takes a huge amount of effort. Then I consider the self-assigned task I have placed before me: Collect 10,000 images of the affectionately-inclined from around the world. Whew. That's a bit of a mindbender. Especially when the effort also includes editing 1,000+ archive images gathered over the past four years and preparing them for

Life marches on, despite the loss of a friend

2010-02-26T20:57:00.004-06:00

January 2010 was tough. Really tough. Harder even than December, when I was part of a support team helping a friend who was dying. Renie was gone at the end of December. No more hanging out, reading together. No more flashes of happiness amidst the pain. Just the dreary aftermath following a person's death: the photo display prep, the memorial gathering, the sadness mixed with laughter. For me,

Housekeeping at The Smooch! Project

2009-12-11T08:50:00.008-06:00

The Minnesota Smooch! shoots have now ended. It's time to both look to the future as well as the past. In addition to preparing to get the project 'out of town' in 2010, I am busy working my way through all the historical images collected for the project over the last four years. The goal is to prepare all archive images for upload to the website. What a trip down memory lane! The photo here,

Love heals. Cheese helps too.

2009-11-24T15:34:00.013-06:00

Annie, the beautiful Golden Retriever shown above, doesn't like peanut butter. Or, more likely, she didn't like me. I could clearly see she would have much rather been anywhere else then sitting on top a small table with big lights pointing at her. Peanut butter is an indispensable tool used to create an enticing target on an accommodating pet owner's face. Usually their dog will happily lick

Endings + New Beginnings

2009-11-19T14:08:00.005-06:00

November 2009 may be recalled in the history of The Smooch! Project as the month of endings as well as new beginnings. For example, the Smooch! Ellen gallery has now been removed from public view on the project website (No worries! There are several ideas being reviewed as to their future display.) My Flat Ellen cutout is officially retired. The silly thing sits on my desk, propped up against the

The Smooch! Ellen shoots are over . . . and now the fun begins!

2009-11-03T08:49:00.007-06:00

The wild toboggan ride to collect images of silly people smooching a goofy cutout of Ellen Degeneres is almost over: Three solid weeks of M-F, 7am-3pm Smooch! Ellen shoots plus a few weekend shoots through the month of October have been completed. The cutout of Ellen is officially retired. There is still work to be done to prepare the latest collection of photos. The last set of official Smooch!

The Smooch! Ellen effort: Week 2

2009-10-19T12:41:00.013-05:00

We're on a roll! Week two of the Smooch! Ellen photo shoots, held at Maria's Cafe in South Minneapolis, was a resounding success -- despite the fact that I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED (Argghhh!) the photos of my fabulous friends, Jerry and Viva Beck. Luckily, this gracious couple was kind enough to return for a re-take shoot so I could include them in the Smooch! Ellen effort, as evidenced in the photo

The Smooch! Ellen effort: Week 1

2009-10-09T22:20:00.015-05:00

Wow! We just completed the first week in the four-week run of back-to-back Smooch! Ellen photo shoots. (For more info on what the Smooch! Ellen photo shoots are and why I am doing them, please see the Sept.30 entry below.) It was completely hilarious. Fifty people walked into the shoot at Day by Day Cafe and happily demonstrated their affection for Ellen. Among them was young superstar (in my

A Beautiful Day by Day Smooch! Ellen shoot

2009-10-06T08:38:00.008-05:00

What fun I am having, holding a Smooch! Ellen photo shoot at Day by Day Cafe. A new Smooch! friend, Josie, heard about it via the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper and pedaled right over. She became the very first participant at this Saint Paul shoot. Way to go, Josie! This hilarious effort to attract the attention of Ellen Degeneres has already garnered some great additional media coverage so far

Tattoos plus Ellen Degeneres: An Amazing Smooch! Project combo

2009-09-30T10:48:00.009-05:00

There are two topics -- past and future -- to share with readers of this post, both of which are beautifully combined in the above photo, Laura Lou luvs Ellen. The Past: A Shoot in an Interesting SettingA few weeks ago, I held a Smooch! shoot at the Minneapolis Tattoo Arts Convention. Wow. The Smooch! Project really stuck out (no pun intended) in that crowd of decorated and pierced bodies! I was

The Drama of the Llama

2009-08-22T05:20:00.006-05:00

It began innocently enough. I had noticed a photograph in a local newspaper of a woman craning her neck upward, lips pursed, as an interested llama sniffed at her face. I am always on the lookout for unique Smooch! photo opps. The possibility of adding a llama to my collection was intriguing. I called Kathy, the sheepherder farmer who owned Chiquita, the llama, to describe my project and ask if

I look like Jabba the Hutt . . .

2009-07-31T07:33:00.014-05:00

. . . and I'm really OK with that! As a photographer of literally thousands of other people, I am simply not accustomed to being positioned in front of the camera instead of behind it. When the opportunity arose to appear on the local television weekly show, Twin Cities Live, I happily accepted the invitation to speak about my work on The Smooch! Project. If you would like to see the July 13,

Bummer! No smooching Klingons!

2009-07-06T22:13:00.020-05:00

A few days ago, I had the privilege of photographing more than 125 people during an annual science fiction / science fantasy convention held here in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I collected almost 1,300 images. The sorting, editing and prepping for upload part of the job has just begun (tasks collectively referred to as "The Smooch! Shoot Aftermath") so there are no photos to display here as yet. I

The most experienced Smoocher ever

2009-04-30T20:21:00.019-05:00

When Kathe introduced her mother to me at a recent Smooch! shoot, I remember looking into Elsie's beautiful timeworn face and seeing her eyes sparkle with calm interest. "I am SO glad to meet you!" I said impulsively. And I really was. Elsie's been around for a long time. Kathe tells me she will reach 100 years of age this coming December. Her body may be failing but I could see there was a

Irrepressible optimism can be a very good thing

2009-03-16T05:33:00.022-05:00

I will admit it: I get tired sometimes. Life can often be hard. The last couple of months have been challenging for me health-wise (a cold that just would NOT go away) and emotionally (the recent loss of an elderly family Matriarch). Even my enthusiasm for The Smooch! Project seemed a bit stale. That is definitely NOT a good thing! What's a photographer to do? Well, I decided to review the images

Dog Kisses at the Walker Art Center

2009-03-06T18:43:00.014-06:00

Five-year-old Augie started it. He would not, could not simply smooch his big sister, Helena, on the cheek. While he mugged for the camera, I asked him if he would please, please, pretty please not make a face for just one photo, as a gift for his mom. He paused, gave the idea some serious thought and said, “I don’t know how to do that.” I totally believed him. So when he proceeded to stick his

A Momentary Meltdown

2009-02-07T05:25:00.005-06:00

Today I will be photographing at The Walker Art Center, the most prestigious setting for The Smooch! Project ever. With me will be my two most trusted Smooch! shoot veterans: Barb Collette & Vanessa Wilson. All the details have been finalized and the preparations are complete. We need only get the equipment over there, setup, do our thing and leave. So why do I feel a bit like little Olivia

"I love you back!"

2009-01-19T12:31:00.021-06:00

What wonderful words to hear from our president-elect, Barack Obama. I actually found myself believing he meant exactly what he said, something I can't often say when listening to professional politicians. A great weight is lifting and a remarkable day is dawning in history. It seemed the appropriate moment to post one of the most unique images found in The Smooch! Project Archive: Sarah found

Preview the new Smooch! Project website

2009-01-06T06:29:00.014-06:00

Whew! 2009 has finally arrived. Lots of work yet to do to move The Smooch! Project closer to its goal of collecting 10,000 archive images. But when you look out over the past, it’s really amazing to see how much has already been accomplished. The evidence is now visible on the new Smooch! Project website: www.thesmoochproject.comOnly a fraction of the almost 700 archive pics already collected for

Tonight, we bowl!

2008-12-26T17:56:00.006-06:00

A classic wintry Minnesota Smooch! pic was collected during the Holiday on 44th Celebration, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 6, 2008. Now found in the Smooch! Project Archive category Together: Young Love (1-4 years) Amy luvs Todd captures this engaged couple outfitted in true Northern Minnesota outdoor regalia. Special mention must be made of Amy's beautiful black knit cap with red

Time to kiss this year goodbye!

2008-12-16T06:15:00.011-06:00

Only 10 more days left in 2008. No more Smooch! shoots this year. What photo should be used to commemorate this point in time? After careful review, the final selection shown was drawn from the Smooch! Project Archive category All in the Family: Siblings, entitled Molly luvs Lee-Lee. During shoot # 43, held at the Nov. 7, 2008 Seward Arts Festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 12-year-old twin

Make that a triple Smooch!

2008-12-07T20:50:00.014-06:00

This Smooch! three-shoot weekend is now at an end. Smoochers abound! Well, truthfully, it was a bit slow at least some of the time. A nice, welcome change of pace for the project. The official stats will be updated in a week or so. Too soon to yet say how many people were photographed or calculate how many archive images were gathered. But the total number of photos captured over the weekend:

Whoo Hoo! The Smooch! Project gets a blog

2008-11-30T06:06:00.031-06:00

Finally. The first entry on the new Smooch! blog. Here's where those interested in the project can find the latest info regarding this project, including a calendar for upcoming Smooch! shoots, current stats on how far we've come in reaching the goal of 10,000 archive images, and more. In early January, this blog will probably have a new look when it is linked to the brand-spankin' new Smooch!