Consciousness · Creativity · Energy · Perry Portrait Art · Practice

Imagine It

For the scholars, teachers and parents staring a new year, one of my ‘oldies but goodies.’

‘Enjoy’ a bowl of soup in a different way to connect (and reconnect) with the calm inside.

This uses a visualization technique called imaginating, a great tool for managing and mellowing real life situations.

The key is to let your hearing, sense of touch, sense of smell and taste engage naturally as you ‘hold’ the warm spoon and marvelous chickeny goodness in hand.

Try it, play with it (!) and apply it in different situations to see it work for you!

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago natural light photographer interested in the illumination of the inner life. Contact her here.

Contact Dorothy here! 

A Certain Way · Consciousness · Creativity · Dorothy Perry · Perry Portrait Art · Practice · Vision

Generosity of Spirit

waving good luck cat maneki neko

There is a generosity of spirit I continually refer to in dealing with others.

The best way I can describe it is intent, creation, and maintenance of a state of mind

that is flexible, open eyed, and playfully creative.

It trains itself to see abundance in the environment,

experiences simple, present-moment emotions of happiness,

maintains a grounded, connection with internal wisdom (quickly when needed)

and surrounds itself with reminders

to look upward and inward for its answers.

A Certain Way · Consciousness · Creativity · Practice · Vision

Old Car, New Car

This is a little story of the application of abundant thought to creating a new auto. In short, this is how I made my new car happen!

I am a fan of the Volvo 240GL car – it is a very unique and beautiful car to me, and I have already owned four!

My current 240 was classic and beautiful, had deep sentimental value, and ran like a champ. But 3 years ago, a motorcycle hit and run damaged its side, and my energetic pleasure for this car decreased when I looked at it. The quotes for body work alone were more than it cost!

I was reading a new book for creating abundant situations in daily life, and chose to test their ideas with my car situation.

In meditation, I felt how I looked and thought about it in a continual state of dissatisfaction.

I did not want to feel this way about this car, which was great in every other way.

So I began to really love the heck out of this car just the way it was,

seeing memories of its dependability and protection in my mind,

memories of washing and cleaning it,

happy moments driving in the beauty of nature, and talking with loved ones,

saying that it would resolve itself in an even better way than I can imagine,

and most importantly, leaving it alone, and not dwelling in doubt that my desire would be granted in its own Divine order.

I blessed the situation with this confidence and abundance mindset for four months to see a change in the situation. It happened quickly and happily.

The Fourth of July saw a rash of gunfire in the area where I was visiting, and my car window was shot out by a stray bullet. No auto glass places, even the ones famous for older models, could find a window for it.

A terrific car for me – and now her new owner!

I lost my mind a little in the energy of ‘fixing it’ – activity that often makes things more expensive or worse! – searching want ads, frustrated at the communications with strangers, while dealing with the realities of errands without a car.

I forgot I had to speak what I desired into effect.

Now with sanity restored, I looked at the photographs of my car and thanked it for its’ years of dependable, safe operation, the memories driving loved ones, and its dependability, and wished its next owner years of pleasure and safety in driving it.

I then began to describe a beautiful auto of the same style that had been well cared for, and would be a stable, good running vehicle for myself and my family.

The change in the situation happened the next day. My searches led to a new auto website, and the details of a car lovingly cared for came on the market four days ago! Within a week this lovely gold 240 was mine!

The first night at home!

From stating my desire to seeing it in the energetic presence of a new car took about four months. It is exactly what I desired, and I enjoy owning it even more, knowing it came about in this manner.

I believe to send those you know and don’t know uplifted thoughts of love, acceptance, and abundance is a shift in mindset that assists that bringing about the good you desire.

Now the car is here, I have changed the statement that everyone who saw, heard, touched, or even briefly heard of my car and story would be blessed, enriched, and have doors opened for opportunity and abundance in their lives!

See you around Chicago!

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer specializing in custom family portraits, modern headshots, & personal branding for women and executives at home and on location.

Please contact her here for commissioned work.

Consciousness · Creativity · Photography · Practice · Vision

Head in the Clouds

A counter-intuitive inspiration for today:

Any energy you ‘fight’ you are actually feeding.

If you are pushing something away, you are actually inviting it to stay.

To get the wisdom of a lesson, practice allowing

emotionally charged or upsetting feelings to happen

and then continue to pass through you like clouds.

In time the feeling could be re-framed as your internal signal

to get into quiet or nature, or to pay attention to the part of yourself

calling to you for attention, compassion and healing.

Contact Dorothy for custom photography here.

Creativity · Photography · Vision

The Dance of Life

With all that changes, some things still remain the same:

A couple decides that their two will become one (and added little ones, too!)

And the energy of their precious private moment

becomes an artistic testament to their love.


Do the photographs in your home thrill you?

If they don’t, call me! I do my best to see you at your Best!

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer specializing in custom family portraits, modern headshots, & personal branding for women and executives.


Contact her for portrait photography here.

Creativity · Photography · Vision

Good Vibrations

One positive thought produces millions of positive vibrations.

John Coltrane

Send out a little ‘good vibration’ wherever you go!

Thoughts of your relaxed state, enjoying a beautiful song, enjoying nature, enjoying a cafe au lait in Paris,

feeling the air, sensing smells and sound until your body connects with the vision.

The key is increasing gradually the amount of time you can sit in this uplifted memory energy. Believe me, it feels great!

Can’t think of something right away? Get them all together and ready in one spot to go from one memory to the next.

Buy a special journal just for writing your good memories down

so that you are able to access your playlist of incredible whenever you need it!

This is specifically for memories that elicit feelings of love and happiness for you.

Some of mine are: My cat on my lap

Seeing rainbows during thunderstorms

Walking on the freshest green grass

Seeing a cardinal in a tree nearby

Seeing videos of my tiny granddaughter singing, etc…

This book is for your list of good memories; do not record ones that have tearful, regretful, or sad feelings.

Practice seeing the moments in your ‘mind’s eye’ until your body responds.

Whether or not it influences your environment immediately, you will be more awake and attuned.

The effects will emerge in awareness, improved experiences and a different quality of conversation.

Cheering for your success, Dorothy.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicagoan creating personal photographic portraits at home or on location. Contact her here for commissioned work.

Creativity · Photography · Vision

Loving Cup


With good will and applause,

I introduce my signed, special edition ceramic mug,

It beams out an artistic image of energy

to hold dark roast or Darjeeling.

I make it in single, a set of two,

and a set of four in which all have different energy designs.

Coffee is life. And energy.

I love making both.

Email perryportraitart@gmail.com for price.

These are a limited edition of eleven each.

Thank you for supporting a local artist.

Consciousness · Photography · Practice · Vision

Keep it Fuzzy

A valuable skill in our sensitive, seeing world

is relaxing the eyes’ focus (letting the eyes ‘go fuzzy’)

when waiting or resting.

It rests more than your eye muscles:

it also gives the ever-spinning wheels of mind a rest, too,

and lets your intuition come through

to show you how to see something new.


Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer specializing in custom family portraits, modern headshots, & personal branding for women and executives.

 Contact her studio for commissioned work.

Creativity · Photography · Practice · Vision

On the Easel

Today on The Easel, I have a contemplative photograph with subtle and elemental symbols that show something different each time you look at it. This ballet of shape and pattern occurred during a moment teaching photography on a snowy day on the far side of Chicago:



In the photo above, it is the photograph behind my head.

Bird on A Roof is 20″ x 30″ and made from fine watercolor paper with a deckle (torn) edge. Choose my neutral frame here, a different size, or an unframed version.

If you are interested in purchasing my art images for yourself or others, contact me for details. I love to see my photos in other people’s homes.


Dorothy Perry photographs for the joy of it as well as her professional work.

 Contact her for artwork or commissioned work here. 

Creativity · Photography · Vision

A Better Truth

Sometimes candids need to look a little less candid-y.

The photo is from a snow filled time in Chicago when my daughter had come from Seattle for a holiday visit. We went to The French Market, my favorite place in the city to have lunch at a place that had Freitkoten: a way of making french fries my son really liked.

It was a rare and precious meeting with my kids that I tried to record on my phone, but my photos had resulted in the ‘selfie stretch’, enlarging the head of the person on the outside. Not only was it enlarged, but tilted as well.

I looked at it every day on my fridge, but when I considered making it a little nicer…I looked at it like a project I was making for a client I wanted to thrill.

What could help improve it, while changing it as little as needed?

Just what is needed.

Perhaps you have photos that have a quirk or two that keep you from enjoying them fully. There is no harm at all in gentle changes to do what improves them for you.

The truth, made a little bit better (smile!)

I would love to hear if that is a current project for you as well. My video chat consultation is free: schedule a time to talk on my Contact Page.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer specializing in custom family portraits, modern headshots, & personal branding for women and executives.

 Contact her for commissioned work here. Thank you!