When and why did you start your creative venture?

Ari: I’ve been a shutterbug since I was in high school, but I became a professional photographer 10 years ago, when I realized that I needed a creative outlet that also allowed me to travel the world and meet people from different walks of life.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Ari: I find inspiration in people and their life stories. I find that, if we just stop and get to know each other beyond the superficial "hello" gesture of niceness, we will discover that each person we encounter has their own unique contribution to our growth as human beings-- spiritually, emotionally, mentally and creatively-- and we do the same for them. I find beauty in people's narratives of how and why they got to be where they are and what led them to cross my path.

If you were a dessert what would you be and why?

Ari: If I were a dessert, I'd be a chocolate chip cookie because, first, chocolate is LIFE and second, I like how versatile it is -- you can have it soft and chewy, crunchy, flat, plump with lots of chips, etc.-- but however you choose to have it, it will not fail to bring you joy! Just don't dunk me into milk, because I'm lactose-intolerant. Haha! 😂

Describe your perfect day...

Ari: The perfect day is sunshine with blue skies. My boys enveloping me in giant hugs and kisses and eating all the desserts I want without gaining an ounce of weight. Also, the perfect day would be not reading about one more horrible thing that happened to anyone anywhere in this world, sigh.

What do you love about what you do?

Ari: I love that I get to bring people joy by giving them something they'll remember moments of their lives by. I love that people will have the photos I take of them and their loved ones, even long after people have lived and are gone.

Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?

Ari: I went to school to become a doctor, but gave that up because I didn't want to miss out on my kids while they're growing up. I am an unapologetic foodie who loves to cook, eat, and collect cookbooks. I love creating other art besides photography and once made a Christmas tree out of several hundred candy canes, that is still the most blogged about candy cane Christmas tree on the internet. My recent/ongoing projects include creative self-portraits with various world landmarks, as well as dressing kids up and photographing them as characters in beloved storybooks. My husband, four sons, and I are 5th generation owners of a farm in Chattaroy we now call "Four Brothers Farm," where we raise poultry and grow produce. We sell our eggs and fruits/veggies to our neighbors, friends, and at farmers' markets throughout the year.