Today we’d like to introduce you to Teri Webb.
Hi, Teri. Having you on the platform is an honor. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
In my 40s, I had two critical factors in getting started. A friend, who lit the match, introduced me to Ernest Hemingway’s challenge to do a story in just six words. He came up with, “For sale, baby shoes, never worn,” And I ran with it like wildfire. I turned everything into a six-word story (SWS), sentences, songs, and emotions. It became a passion.
Then, a couple of years later, another friend put a camera in my hand and took me to the beach to take pictures. The beach is one of my favorite places to be. This camera was the real deal with an adjustable lens, lighting, and shutter speed. However, I kept it on the automatic setting. This was all a little terrifying for me.
I believe, a little background is needed. In high school, we would have trips and events, plus we would even have camera days. This was at a time when you could only see how they turned out once you developed them. You only knew how they would look once it was too late. Inevitably, most of my pictures would be blurry. I would push too hard on the shutter button, forcing the camera downwards and creating a blurry picture. It was quite disappointing.
So, back to putting a camera in my hand. I thought, this was a crazy idea, but, at the very least, I wouldn’t be wasting any film. She gave me some tips, and off we went. For the entire day, I shot pictures. What a fantastic day. My soul was alive with all I saw and the angles I was capturing. I had no idea what vision I could have through the backend of a camera lens; by sunset, I was sitting at the beach, on the sand, at the edge of the water, writing. This day, I had put the words back at the end of my figure tips; as I was putting them onto paper, I almost couldn’t keep up with my thoughts.
Next, I started a blog: writing-in-a-webb-of-wisdom (also, a SWS). My Last name is Webb, but my mother’s maiden name is Wisdom. I took my mother’s maiden name for my writing and artwork: TLWisdom. Cover’ Two-Sided Coin of Life: Laughing with a Broken Heart. This blog is when I started putting together my photos with my poems (I call those: “Sometimes, it takes more than six”) and SWSs. Also, during this time, with my personal Facebook, I would do a “Six Word Story of the Day.”
A group of friends from high school, we call ourselves COSA (Circle of Smart Asses), believed in my work and encouraged me to start my business: Visions of Wisdom (VOW). They paid for my business license and bought me business cards.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Although I have taken some steps with Visions of Wisdom, it has been slow-moving. I have published a book: “A Story in Just Six Words” Volume One. It is a book of my earlier SWS photos. I plan to do other volumes with the rest of my SWSs. The publishing format I chose back then was a “do it yourself” program, which I loved doing! However, with this publisher company, the book is pricey. So, with not having much of a following or a real means of advertising, the price of a $50-$60 hardback art book could have gone better. I have sold a few, but never with any profit. My twin sister has a copy of my book in the lobby of her work, and occasionally, someone picks it up and goes through it. They usually love it and sometimes have bought a book or two for themselves and a gift for someone. Another direction I took was offering SWS magnets. The same friend who introduced me to Hemingway’s six-word story found a website where I could order 3″ x3″ magnets and put my SWS photos on them. These would be a cute, simple, low-cost addition to my product options. I was so excited by these that I ended up starting #WisdomTravels with them instead. So, now, they would be accessible to those who would join me with this project.
Until now, I have not been able to give Visions of Wisdom the time and energy it deserves. I was laid off from work for the fourth time in the last 10 years. And, this time, it took its toll on me financially and emotionally! I ended up having to sell my house after 18 years of going through my other lay-offs, a divorce, and a housing market crash. I raised my son there, and it was the longest time I ever lived in one place. Growing up, it was usually only 6 months to a year. So, after all of that, I was pretty attached to this home, and I was heartbroken over the loss. During this time, I decided it was time for me to put the time and energy into what I love and want to be doing. Instead of all the other businesses, I devoted my time and energy just to get laid off again. So, against most people’s opinions, I will do what I can with Visions of Wisdom. At least, if it doesn’t succeed, I know I at least gave it a real shot. And now, for my next challenge, I keep reminding myself, ‘Your fear will tell you lies.’
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Visions of Wisdom is art with words and digitally filtered photos of love, hope, and inspiration, and, sometimes, even leans on the deeper side of emotions, of pain. The two are meant to enhance one another. Sometimes, a picture will inspire a SWS, or I will go looking for a photo to go with a SWS I want to do. Also, I do save SWSs and images for a match later. And, occasionally, someone will send me a picture or a SWS so I can do something with it. We all have different sides of our stories. in each moment, we can feel or relate to or need one of these SWSs. They can even mean different things to different people, or the meaning can change when a person is in a different place in their life. Several people have given me different thoughts on the same SWS than someone else or even different from my own thoughts and feelings when I created the SWS. The same thing can be said about a poem. Once I decided to run with the #WisdomTravels project, it was, and still is, two-fold: one, designed to help promote my VOW art and, two, my favorite part, to inspire and put a little hope out into the world, to remind someone they are not alone in the way they are feeling, to be an answer to a prayer, to be a perfectly-timed message, to give hope, to give guidance and to show love.
With #WisdomTravels, we have many WisdomTravelers who leave WTs magnets all over the United States and worldwide: Australia, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, and more. I say “We” now, because four others love the WTs project so much, they helped me put the magnets together and mail them out for me. They live in different cities in California, and one lives in Montana. Initially, when I got the SWS magnet made, I just had to put the stickers on the back, letting people who found them know what to do. But, they went out of business. Amy did some digging and figured out how to assemble our own magnets with prints and adhesive magnets. So, we were off and running again.
We ride motorcycles, too, so are planning a motorcycle ride with the four women who help me and with other motorcycle-riding friends who support #WTs. The event is from the end of June through the middle of July. (2024). We will invite other motorcycle riders to join us for some or all of the ride or even join us for a meal and get some #WTs magnets for themselves. We are doing this to promote #WisdomTravels and Visions of Wisdom.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As a teen, I used to write in my journals and poems with my deepest thoughts and emotions. Putting them on paper was safer and more comfortable than sharing them with anyone. We moved around a lot, so I became shy and introverted. It was my safe place. Then, life and “adulting” and, eventually, college took its place. Although, I did do some writing for my English classes. Growing up and as a young adult, I never considered myself the creative type, especially with photography and the history I had with cameras! As a kid, I loved math; as an adult and business major, my love was and is a spreadsheet. So, as my spark was lit, I was brought back to life by the two who reintroduced me to my words and a camera. Thank you! And with the love and support of my Family and Friends, who saw what I could not always see in me. I thank you, truly!
Pricing:
- Prints, merchandise, and special orders are available.
- Every year since 2016, I also do a WisdomTravels Calendar from the WTs magnets posted for the following year’s calendar.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.visionsofwisdom.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visions_of_wisdom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TLWisdom/
- Other: https://writing-in-a-webb-of-wisdom.blogspot.com/?m=0
