Still: The Art of Noticing—A Deep Dive into Mary Jo Hoffman’s Daily Nature Practice
Everyday treasures emerge when you pause to observe, fostering a deeper sense of wonder.
Still: The Art of Noticing—A Journey into Daily Nature and Creative Practice
What transforms when you commit to assembling and photographing found bits of nature, every single day, for over twelve years? This is the question at the heart of Mary Jo Hoffman’s project, blog, and bestselling book, Still: The Art of Noticing. Crafted with scientific precision and artistic curiosity, the endeavor invites readers and viewers to slow down, cultivate attention, and reimagine the ordinariness of the world outside their door.
Table of Contents
- About Mary Jo Hoffman: From Engineering to Art
- Origins of ‘Still’: A Daily Creative Commitment
- The Philosophy of Noticing: Art as Mindful Attention
- Celebrating Seasonality: Micro-Seasons and Their Subtlety
- Behind the Lens: Tools, Techniques, and the Daily Process
- Composition, Imperfection, and Artistic Growth
- Reflections on Dailiness: Ritual, Respite, and A Life in Observance
- Legacy, Influence, and the Wider World
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About Mary Jo Hoffman: From Engineering to Art
Mary Jo Hoffman’s life is a compelling fusion of analytical rigor and creative curiosity. Before embarking on her artistic journey, Hoffman spent nearly two decades as an aeronautical and astronautical engineer. Trained at Stanford University, she brings an engineer’s eye for structure, repetition, and functional logic to her later passion for the natural world.
This scientific background permeates her art—her photographs evoke the quiet logic of “solved equations,” offering satisfying completeness in the form of a feather, a sprig, or an arrangement of seeds. The transition from aerospace to art was not a rejection, but an evolution: the qualities valued in science—observation, patience, discernment—are now at the heart of her daily creative practice.
Origins of ‘Still’: A Daily Creative Commitment
The roots of Still were not in earth-shattering ambition, but in humble practicality. Hoffman sought a creative project she could sustain while raising young children after leaving her aerospace career. Her goals were specific and manageable:
- Establish a daily creative practice
- Engage with art communities online
- Improve her photographic skills and self-discipline
- Spend more intentional time in nature
On January 1, 2012, she committed to taking one photograph a day of a found natural object, posting the result to her blog. What began as a single-year experiment became, in her words, “like my daily yoga.”
Twelve years later, Hoffman has never missed a day—proving that dedication to process can lead to meaningful, unexpected results. The timeline below summarizes key milestones in her journey:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Launches ‘Still’ as a yearlong practice |
| 2013-2020 | Expands audience via blog and Instagram; featured in Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens |
| 2023 | Publishes Still: The Art of Noticing with Phaidon Press |
| 2024 | Book becomes a bestseller, practice continues daily |
The Philosophy of Noticing: Art as Mindful Attention
At its core, Still is more than a portfolio—it is an invitation to embrace attentive living. Hoffman describes her art as “a respite from the enervating buzz of contemporary life,” explaining:
- Seeking a daily subject keeps her in a “heightened state of awareness.”
- The process cultivates gratitude and happiness, rooted in the “infraordinary”—the small, overlooked moments of daily life.
- Art is used as an anchor for mindfulness, grounding the artist in present-tense observation.
Hoffman’s practice resonates with the idea that process matters more than product. As she puts it, “Committing to make something daily… lowers the stakes—the process is more sacred than the results.” This liberates creativity from perfectionism, encouraging ongoing discovery.
Celebrating Seasonality: Micro-Seasons and Their Subtlety
A unique feature of the Still project—and now the book—is its sensitivity to the passage of time as measured by nature’s subtle changes. Hoffman explores the concept of 72 micro-seasons, rooted in ancient East Asian calendars. Whereas modern Western cultures recognize four seasons, these micro-seasons break the year into short intervals, each marked by minute shifts: the budding of a particular flower, the migration of a bird, or the first appearance of frost.
- Hoffman’s art documents the evolving signature of each micro-season.
- This approach fosters a deeper intimacy with the local landscape and cultivates patience and appreciation for gradual transformation.
By tuning into these micro-seasons, Hoffman’s work trains both artist and audience in the art of noticing—teaching us to mark and celebrate the often-unseen transitions all around us.
Behind the Lens: Tools, Techniques, and the Daily Process
Despite the poetry of the work, Hoffman’s approach is grounded in accessibility and routine. Her primary tools are unassuming:
- An entry-level Canon Rebel camera (rarely upgraded)
- A well-used tripod
- Basic lighting and white or black backgrounds
The behind-the-scenes process for a typical day includes:
- Going for a walk in woods, fields, or along lakeshores, often with her dog
- Hunting for a subject—leaf, feather, pod, insect—that piques curiosity
- Photographing the subject in isolation, creating a sense of reverence and focus
- Editing, organizing, and posting the image to her blog and Instagram
Her practice champions minimalism and improvisation. As she notes, the best camera is the one you use every day. The discipline lies not in seeking technological perfection but in showing up—and in doing so, discovering the unpredictable joys of consistency.
Composition, Imperfection, and Artistic Growth
When Hoffman began Still, she hoped primarily to strengthen her skills in composition. Ironically, after more than a decade, she claims to have grown technically proficient in many ways—but finds composition to remain the most elusive and challenging element.
She shares practical compositional strategies employed in her work, such as:
- “Hip bump” method: After arranging objects with geometric order, she introduces a gentle disruption—a nudge or offset—to create energy and tension.
- Embrace of surprise: Allowing randomness and imperfection to play a role, resulting in more authentic images.
- Editing for simplicity: Removing distractions, letting the subject breathe within the white space.
She notes that while her technical capacity has grown, the evolution that matters most is learning to trust her instincts, and to accept the “daily discipline of imperfection.”
Reflections on Dailiness: Ritual, Respite, and A Life in Observance
Still is a love letter to the power of ordinary ritual. By turning daily repetition into an art form, Hoffman proves that creative transformation does not require grand gestures—just steady presence and genuine curiosity.
- The daily practice “lowers the stakes” and transforms productivity into meditation.
- Each day becomes an act of renewal—an opportunity to sharpen one’s attention and savor simple wonders.
- For Hoffman, the project is “too life-enhancing to stop,” a daily anchor that enhances well-being and joy.
This ethos is reflected in her engagement with her followers—her images inspire others to find beauty in their own backyards and to cultivate mindful observation in everyday routines.
Legacy, Influence, and the Wider World
Hoffman’s work has struck a cultural chord, resulting in:
- Widespread acclaim: Featured by media such as Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes & Gardens.
- Collaborations: Partnerships with West Elm, Target, the United States Botanic Garden, and others.
- Bestselling book: Still: The Art of Noticing has become a highlight of Phaidon Press’s catalogue, praised for its accessible wisdom and visual poetry.
- Global resonance: Practitioners, educators, and artists use her approach in teaching, therapy, and ecological awareness programs.
Ultimately, Still is not just a chronicle of found objects, but a quiet manifesto: a call to recognize the extraordinary embedded in the ordinary, and to celebrate the act of noticing as a path to both self-discovery and connection with the wider world.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How did Mary Jo Hoffman transition from engineering to art?
A: After a 17-year engineering career, she sought a creative project during her time as a stay-at-home parent. Her interest in structure and patterns in nature made the transition organic, blending her analytical perspective with her curiosity about the world’s subtle details.
Q: Does she really create and post an image every day?
A: Yes. Since January 1, 2012, Hoffman has not missed a single day—upholding her promise to create, photograph, and post daily, regardless of circumstance.
Q: What camera and setup does she use?
A: Her equipment is modest—an entry-level Canon Rebel camera and a simple tripod. Her photographs derive their strength from vision, composition, and consistency, not from technical gadgetry.
Q: What advice does she give to aspiring artists or daily practitioners?
A: Hoffman recommends lowering expectations about outcomes and focusing deliberately on the process. She encourages embracing imperfection, celebrating daily rituals, and being attentive to the small, unseen moments that give richness to ordinary life.
Q: How can readers experience or participate in the ‘Still’ practice themselves?
A: Start by dedicating a small amount of time each day to observing and documenting something in your environment, whether through photos, writing, or drawing. The key is consistency and an open, curious attitude toward the world around you.
Related Reading and Inspiration
- Goodbye, Gunnera: Hello, House of Herbaria
- Object of Desire: Botanical Patterns from Boråstapeter, Sweden’s Oldest Wallpaper Company
- Required Reading: The Modern Flower Press
All art and photographs in the ‘Still’ project are courtesy of Mary Jo Hoffman and Phaidon Press. For daily inspiration and updates, visit the Still blog or follow @maryjohoffman on Instagram.
References
- https://voyageminnesota.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-mary-jo-hoffman/
- https://www.gardenista.com/posts/still-book-mary-jo-hoffman-phaidon-press/
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practicing-retirement-still-mary-jo-hoffman/id1360304023?i=1000657661972
- https://www.fibreartstaketwo.com/articles/hoffman
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICZp_Dow4k0
- https://stillblog.net/about/
- https://www.cultivatingplace.org/post/summer-solstice-special-still-with-mary-jo-hoffman
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