Freelance Writer, Photographer & Journalist
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Writing
Pieces
Within the last two years I have had the opportunity to write and work with a multitude of organizations that share the same passion for community as I.
I have experience writing articles, newsletters, press releases, and magazines that have been digitally publish through publications and social media.
moafc.org
In opening the 2023 Annual Mask Exhibit and Fundraiser, I was asked by the board of the Museum of Art Fort Collins to deign, write, and edit their first attempt at a monthly magazine. I was given two weeks to organize the creation of the "Unmasked" magazine with a team of two writers.
While creating this piece, I learned how to navigate with a team towards a bigger goal, manage my time with other people's availability in mind, and find passion and pride in my work. This piece was the most difficult one yet, but with the team I had and the effort I put in, I am happy to consider myself a contributor to the magazine.
As a new addition to the 2023 Annual Mask Exhibition and Fundraiser the Museum of Art Fort Collins opened a new exhibit for CSU Photography and Journalism students to write/capture a story of one of the Mask Artists. I was fortunate enough to work with impressionistic figurative sculpts, Lorri Acott, where I used photography to capture her story and definition of community. In revieiwing my piece Acott proclaimed,
"Payton,
I am blown away by your story on me.
So impressed.
I have had a lot of articles written about me over the years. It’s always a bit of an emotional challenge to open myself up to allow someone a close up view and accepting that they will write whatever they do.
It’s an exercise in trust: Trust in myself that I’m not a complete fool (although we all feel that way at times), trust in the photographer/writer that they will see me and have the skill to help others do the same, and trust that even if I don’t like the outcome, it’s all ok.
After seeing what you have created, I am deeply touched and appreciative. I feel seen and understood. The photographs were artistic, interesting and varied, and your writing was engaging and authentic.
Thanks for sharing your perspective so beautifully.
Warmly,
Lorri"
When first starting with the Museum of Art Fort Collins, I was writing newsletters on events they held with local artists. This piece in particular was during the "A Culture Preserved: In the Black Experience" exhibit, where CSU photojournalism students were taken to the museum to practice documenting art in a meaningful manner, but also to discuss the importance of documenting culture with diverse perspectives in mind.
For this article, I observed the student's perspectives and comments on the exhibit, then tied in the differences in perspectives and importance of revisiting art after hearing other's perspectives.
This was another article written for the Museum of Art Fort Collins newsletter where I documented a community event named, "Freedom of Expression." For this event, Fort Collins local, Wayne Gipson, shared his work with spray paint and explained how art helped him process his emotions. The main incentive to this event was to encourage younger generations to find ways to process their emotions and project them in a healthy manner.
Community members were given a variey of painting materials and asked to do whatever they pleased. Gipson stayed active in the community, helping the younger children with new techniques.
The main objective of my piece is to encourage people to be involved in community and take the time to learn more about those they share the city with. There were so many perspectives and skill levels at this event, people of all ages, and it was truly beautiful to see community come together in a way that I feel is slowly disappearing.
For the month of July 2022, I visited Italy, spending most of my time in Rome. While there, I was asked to create a blog post discussing the most impactful part of the trip. Of course, if you know me, you would know I love pasta. So, I decided to dedicate my blog post to pasta.
Now, my post was more than pasta, despite it's name. This post discussed the beauty I found in the way Italian culture values food and eating in community. This piece highlights the cultural narratives in Italian culture, pertaining to food, which I value and want to see more in my life.
"L'Appetito Vien Mangiando! Let'sTalk Pasta" (2023)
Work with Me
Address
Denver, CO.
Phone
(970) 825-8303
paytonleedonahue@gmail.com