CLIFF DIVING

It’s 2002 and I'm on the 28th floor. The artist in me feels wasted and constrained in my glassed-in corporate law firm help desk job near Faneuil Hall. 'It's ok. Do your art on the side. This job is temporary,' I tell myself. 'Do that project with Sidewalk Sam to show art in empty storefronts.'

4 years in, I am itching to get-the-fork-out.

8 years in, my energy levels are plummeting.

I want to dive into something new, but I don’t know exactly what.

Cue the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Tour in Boston. Have you ever seen a kayaker parachute down from a helicopter, in real life?

Exhilarating!

This is the feeling of excitement I want in my LIFE!

Cliff divers not only confront their fear of diving 90 feet down into the harbor near a sunken ship, they excel at making a scary jump feel fun! They refine it again and again and again. I photograph them from all different angles.

10 years in, I make a  High Diver painting to hang in my office as a reminder to make a career-changing high dive.

I want to get back to being a Professional Photographer, like Lou Jones, who  told me he climbs up a crane to  photograph construction workers at the Millennium Tower. Talk about exhilarating!

He's  negotiating with landlords and the city to display his large scale Ironclad Construction  portraits on the windows of empty storefronts  in Downtown Crossing. Lou Jones cares about this work deeply and is very persistent.  It pays off. 

12 years in, an attorney calls me into the conference room that looks out to the unfinished Millennium Tower. 'Hi Lou!' I say silently through the windows that don't open.

"What's up, Gerry? You want to watch the World Cup?" I’m assuming he needs me to fix the TV. But the TV is fine. Two voices greet me through the speaker- phone on the table. My boss and my boss's boss. Gerry  gestures for me to sit.

Of the surreal jumbled words coming from my bosses over the phone, all I hear is “Cobra Insurance” which triggers my inner voice to start freaking out. “Am I getting laid off?? Yesssss!! Thank God! I’m getting laid off!! I can go be a photographer!! Here I come, Lou!”

I give a big smile and two thumbs up to the attorney and walk out.

Exhilarating!

My colleagues meet me on the other side of the door, sobbing and confused at my elation.

“I love you guys but this job is not for me. SEEEE YAHHH!!! I'm going to watch the World Cup on the Jumbotron!" 

And that is how the universe will push you right off a cliff when you’re too far down the wrong path.

What do I dive into?

Giving gallery talks on contemporary art. Assisting curious museum goers. I even get to witness jurassic back hoes dip their claws into the harbor and pull apart carnage of the sunken ship, Stuyvesant. Clear waters for the next round of divers!

Photo assisting the amazingly talented Boston photographer, Liz Linder, who has taught so much about light and life.  

Producing The Visionary’s Journey Podcast about manifesting and diving into something new without knowing what you’re doing. Like designing...

... a billboard in Times Square with my In Her Words Diary photos on it. See if you recognize former VAs, or anyone else!

Every single project is a practice in refining my dive.

MANY THANKS

Many thanks to Shahin for your musings, and connecting me to our curator, Yolanda. Yolanda's genuine love for public art and her art friends echo my own. Thank you for bringing us all together in an empty store front in Downtown Crossing. Thank you to the interns! I admire your persistence, dedication, and team work! 

Friends, please extend your appreciation by supporting the interns and future group shows at the Behind VA Shadows Go Fund Me.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Emily Falcigno is a light worker. Caravaggio’s dramatic lighting wooed her first. Then Artemisia Gentileschi's. And then Carl Jung’s shadows. Emily loves to learn about our individual and collective shadows; what we repress; and how to shed light on a subject. Now she uses channeled drawings, intuitive readings, and vision workshops to out your deepest desires so you can manifest your big ass dreams.

Find her projects in the menu up top and Savvy Workshops at Falcigno.As.Me.

Life is an experiment. Embrace imperfections and learn as you go.

Artworks

Contact Emily at FalcignoFoto@ Gmail.com to purchase artwork. Thank you for your interest and support!

as seen at Behind VA Shadows's show, "via"

Across from Macy's

467 Washington Street, Boston, MA

June 1 - 17, 2022

M-Th 12 - 5 pm

F-Su 12 - 8 pm

Into The Blue

Acrylic on wood board

22 x 10 x 1"

2012

Diver 1

Acrylic on Wood Board

4 x 4 x 1"

Diver 2

Acrylic on Wood Board

4 x 4 x 1"