The name Mak Polny is Polish for “field poppy.” 

My mother left Poland in her twenties with a heart full of hope and a desire for adventure and headed for the US where she met my father. She left this earth when I was nine. One of my earliest memories was her handing me a wind-up disposable camera and saying, “here ya go kid, go to town!” So, at just five or six I started taking pictures – mostly of my parents. I’d tell my dad, “kiss mom on the cheek,” or direct them to pose on top of a mountain, or sit in front of a pretty fountain (a pro in the making!). They never missed a chance to take me into nature, and I always had a camera in hand. 
 
Change was pretty much the only constant in the aftermath of losing my mom. My dad tried to fill the void by introducing me to a multitude of hobbies...at his wallet’s expense. Guitar, drums, painting, jewelry making, tie-dying, sports lessons, and the like, but none of them lasted longer than a roll of film! That is, until I set my sights on this shiny digital camera, which by then, my fed-up, financially spent father told me I’d have to buy myself (life lessons, right?). I saved up for years until finally I got that camera. I started taking pictures again and, somehow, I felt like I was right back in the mountains as a little kid. A sense of joy washed over me. Being behind the camera became my happy place where life’s difficulties were suspended in time and I could be fully present in the moment. 
 
I know, what the heck does this have to do with field poppies? Well, just after high school I decided to go to Poland to explore my heritage, to feel closer to my mom, to find adventure like she did. I couch surfed, met family, learned the language, got citizenship, and took a TON of pictures. One image, however, was forever embedded in my mind – that of a single bright red poppy growing tall amid a sea of thousands of yellow flowers. It grew out of the edge of some concrete, forcing itself into existence, as if it knew it was meant to stand out. I felt like I understood that resilient little poppy that had grown through adversity, longing to be out in the world, only different.    
 
So, when I decided to leave the confines of my studio job and pursue photography as a unique artist, the image of that poppy came to mind, and I knew Mak Polny was the perfect name. It honors my mom, keeps her close, and represents the utter strength and beauty in standing out. Mak Polny Photo is about being the wild red poppy in a field of daffodils.