Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/118258
play in your free time Artist's Corner: Angela Johnson A local photographer discovers the quick rewards of slowing down By Karin Wolf How does meditation enhance the photographic process? I believe a meditative practice opens up one's overall awareness, elevates energy channels to a higher vibration, and allows a person to be aware of and notice things they may otherwise walk right by. How did your meditation retreat in southern India change you as an artist and teacher? Journeying to India really opened my eyes to the importance of incorporating daily meditation into my life, and in making slowing down a priority. Meditation makes me a more reflective and compassionate teacher and a more conscious artist. How did your trip to Cuba inspire you? My dad and I traveled around Havana … on this humanitarian photography trip. I met some of the kindest and most giving people … they had so little material wealth and their basic needs were not being met, yet they were very generous and rich in terms of their soul. Their essence and spirit really shine though in the portraits I took on this trip. ••• To see more of Johnson's work visit ajmeditativephotography.com. Book Club: Get swept a world away with these whimsical reads Hemingway's Girl By Erika Robuck In this historical novel rich with realistic details, renowned writer Ernest Hemingway and his wife face a hurricane approaching Key West and an even bigger threat: the consequences of their extravagant lifestyle. Published by NAL/Penguin, $11. 72 BRAVA Magazine City of Dark Magic By Magnus Flyte A magical mix of romance and suspense, this supernatural romp follows a young girl who discovers the mysterious corners of Prague are more sinister than she ever imagined. Published by Penguin Books, $11. April 2013 The Grand Tour: Around the World With the Queen of Mystery By Agatha Christie A compilation of personal letters and photographs, this entertaining tome chronicles Christie's 1922 world voyage that inspired many of her famous stories. Published by HarperCollins Publishers, $15. Booked for Murder is located at 2701 University Ave., Madison; bookedformurder.com. Photo by Bobbi Petersen At first glance, taking photographs and practicing meditation might seem like two vastly unrelated activities. After all, photography looks at the visual world through the camera's eye, while meditation focuses inward. But Angela Johnson, a local award-winning artist, incorporates both into her art and at her job as the arts coordinator for the Madison Children's Museum. Johnson's introspective photographic method blossomed through experiences she had in 2012. First, as part of a research project she did at UW-Madison's Institute for Discovery, she used an electron microscope to photograph intricate patterns on butterfly wings. The powerful equipment allowed Johnson to zoom in to microscopic levels and view them in enlightening detail impossible to see with the naked eye. Later, she travelled to both Cuba and India to further develop her photography and meditation practices. She also brought her philosophy to others by putting out a call to the community for art supplies she brought to children in the host countries.