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Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson was laughing up a storm in the snap she shared, but not everyone thought it was funny. See the photo — and the debate under it — here.

Jessica Simpson isn’t afraid to pee in nature — or let the world know. The 42-year-old singer and actress took to her Instagram on Feb. 10 with a photo of herself crouching down to go to the bathroom during a photoshoot for her Jessica Simpson Collection. “When you gotta go, you gotta go,” she lightheartedly captioned the photo, in which she was visibly laughing. “Set life #BTS,” she added. The mother of three wore a white top and beige mid-calve boots during her bathroom break, and styled her bleach blonde waves down.

Although Jessica seemed to think her makeshift bathroom was hilarious, not everyone agreed. “I get this is normal…. But taking a photo of it and posting it online….. weird,” one Instagram user commented under the photo. “You don’t have to post everything you do online lady ..” a second added, with dozens of others writing similar notes. A third unamused person wrote, “Why even take a pic? Yes we’ve all been there.”

However, several fans also came to Jessica’s defense. “Your human, thanks for sharing … and ignore the haters,” one person commented. “Dude. These comments do not pass the vibe check,” another supporter slammed. “It’s funny. You can’t see anything. She’s always been goofy. Y’all are just looking for reasons to judge and hate. Get a better hobby.”

The head-turning post followed a stunning image of Jessica posing with her husband of eight years, Eric Johnson. She rocked a pretty black maxi dress that she accessorized with a chunky gold belt and brown cowgirl-style boots from the Jessica Simpson Collection.

The “Forbidden Fruit” singer recently made headlines for sharing a shocking story about her past which involved her being a hookup for someone she did not realize was in a relationship. She recalled the sketchy situation in a short essay for Amazon called Movie Star: They Always Say They’re Single that was released on Feb. 1. Near the beginning of the story, she revealed that sparks flew instantly when she and the mystery A-list “movie star” met. “This megastar, who I grew up thinking was so hot, eyeballed me up and down. Like he was undressing me with his eyes,” she remembered of their first interaction.

They eventually got together after her four-year marriage to Nick Lachey ended, but Jessica sensed something was off when the actor made her sneak in through the back entrance of his hotel and up the fire exit when he was filming a movie. “I didn’t care if he was my teenage fantasy come to life, this was not a choice that same girl, my younger self, would be proud of,” she wrote, explaining why she decided to leave the man’s hotel room without warning him.

After the juicy story was published, a source for Us Weekly claimed that her husband already knew about the affair. “Jessica has been opening up about really everything. ​She still had some secrets and she wanted to get them off her chest,” the insider added.

BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is offering some new and exciting programs for families.

Currently, they are offering internships for college students, a celebration of owls and the opportunity for kids ages 8-16 to become a junior animal keeper.

Internships

The center is accepting applications for its astronomy and space science education internship and its wildlife internship now through Feb. 28.

The internships offer college students the opportunity to gain unique experiences in the fields of astronomy, education and wildlife, according to Morgan Paskert, marketing coordinator.

“Our internship program helps to develop academic and career pursuits of college students, and forwards the professional field by widening the number of students pursuing careers in wildlife and astronomy,” Paskert said.

Owl Prowl

The center will host its annual Owl Prowl from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 24. This family-friendly evening celebrates owls of all colors and sizes, notes Paskert.

Visitors will enjoy up-close encounters with the center’s resident owls, experience nocturnal sights and sounds in the planetarium, follow clues to solve the mystery word on an owl scavenger hunt and head outdoors on a hike in hopes of spotting or hearing wild owls in the surrounding forest.

Cost is $15 per person (children 6 months and younger admitted free).

“Owl Prowl is a fun program that the center has hosted for several years,” Paskert said. “Visitors can expect to see the center’s resident owls, including great horned owls, barred owls and eastern screech owls.

“They will also take a nature hike along the Bunny Trail of Huntington Reservation to look and listen for a local pair of barred owls.”

Junior Keepers

The Junior Keeper program, for ages 8 to 16 accompanied by one adult, offers a unique opportunity to work alongside the center’s wildlife staff and experience first-hand how they care for their resident animals.

Behind the scenes, Paskert noted, visitors will learn about native and domestic animals while providing food, clean housing and training. There will be plenty of photo opportunities and close encounters with the animals.

“We are excited to offer more Junior Keeper dates in summer 2023,” said Paskert. “This program is incredibly popular and provides a personalized experience for those interested in how the center cares for its resident animals.

“Junior Keeper is also a great way for parents or grandparents to enjoy quality time with their children while learning together about native wildlife.”

The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is located at 28728 Wolf Road in Bay Village. For more information, visit https://www.lensc.org/ or call 440-871-2900.

Read more from the West Shore Sun.

Arturo Vera, 70, has been a part of the Stockton photography and art scene for more than 20 years and is something of a photographic renaissance man.

Born in Guanajuato, Mexico, he and his family moved to the Bay Area when he was 17. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1968. He first became interested in photography after buying his first camera while on tour. After being honorably discharged from the military, he enrolled in photography classes at the Academy of Art in San Francisco in 1973, and it became his passion.

After he graduated in 1977, Vera’s first photo job was in a photo lab for a San Francisco company called Chartermasters shooting commercial photography. Not wanting to limit himself to just one genre of photography, he tried to excel in every aspect of it.

Eventually, he switched to fashion photography for Barbizon Modeling and Acting School. In the late 70s, he became a photographer for the Golden State Warriors. In the early 80s, he opened his own studio and added weddings to his commercial photography business.

He married his wife Ana in 1987 and they became a photography and video team in the wedding side of his business. They moved to Stockton in 2000. For a long time he shot portraits, and now he’s moved on to photographing nature. He particularly likes photographing flowers these days.

Of his own photography, Vera says, “I am simply telling a story the way I see it.”

After moving to Stockton he became associated with the former Tidewater Gallery and its artists. When the gallery shutdown, he became the founder and director of the Art Expressions of San Joaquin artists collaborative now in its 10th year.

In 2009, Vera was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease after a colleague noticed irregularities with his handwriting. A few years ago, he underwent surgery to implant a deep brain stimulator. The procedure helps to control the affliction’s tremors but the disease still affects his balance and speech. He gets around with help of a walker or mobility scooter, and he’s still able to pick up a camera and shoot. He says, “that passion and skill is internalized forever.”

Story continues

For any young up and coming photographer, Vera says to develop a love and passion for their own art. Simple advice, but it has been a successful strategy for Vera’s long and successful career.

Record photographer Clifford Oto has photographed Stockton and San Joaquin County for more than 38 years. He can be reached at [email protected]. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Arturo Vera of Stockton: His storied life, career in photography

ST. GEORGE — The tradition of creating art and sharing it with the public in Zion National Park reaches back to the 1800s. The yearly Artist-in-Residence program begins this month.

“We are excited to welcome three new artists to Zion National Park through the Artist-in-Residence program. In partnership with the Zion Forever project, we believe these artists will add to the vibrancy, culture, and history of the park,” Ally O’Rullian, Zion National Park spokesperson, said. “Their work provides enjoyment and inspiration to park visitors and contributes to the ongoing conversation about the value of wild places and nature.”

More than 50 residency programs across the country feature artists inspired by the landscape and nature of America’s national parks. Beginning in February, the first artist will be Kathy Hodge from Rhode Island. Hodge is an award-winning artist with many exhibitions and shows and has served as the Artist in Residence at many U.S. national parks.

Zion National Park partners with the nonprofit Zion Forever Project and will host two other artists for the 2023 Artist-in-Residence program. Since the program’s beginning, there have been poets, dancers, musicians, painters, photographers, and other artists from across the United States.

In 2023, Zion National Park will host the following:

The Zion Forever Project Stephani Lyon, Director of Philanthropy, said they are excited for the new artists to participate.

“Original art has played a critical role in our National Parks even before the park service was formed,” Lyon said. “For decades, the Zion Forever Project has supported art programs and events in Zion, including donating the famed ‘Zion Canyon’ painting by Frederick Dellenbaugh. We know this year’s group will carry the tradition of those masterworks.”

The first artist, Kathy Hodge, said she always wanted to return to Zion National Park after visiting for a few days on a previous vacation.

“I have been very fortunate to have been Artist-in-Residence in over a dozen National Parks and Forests, several on the Colorado Plateau,” Hodge told St. George News. “But those few days were enough to convince me that Zion is, in my opinion, the most beautiful for the color and immensity of the canyon walls and grand vistas. I have applied for this residency almost every year since 2013, which is why I was so thrilled to finally be chosen as Artist in Residence in 2023.”

Hodge works primarily in oil on canvas but also creates in egg tempera, charcoal drawing, and printmaking. Being an artist can be a challenge, she said. 

“A working artist usually has a choice between two things, time to work or money to support oneself,” Hodge said. “Lately, the artist is also responsible for the marketing of their work, as the gallery model has shifted responsibility to the artist.”

Until recently, she worked full-time but never gave up painting outside work hours. Hodge said it left her little time for other things, but now she is a full-time artist.

“I really appreciate the foundation I have built in my steady decades of work,” Hodge said.

She is also grateful for the residency in the park.

“I’d like to express my gratitude to the National Park Service and Zion National Park for these amazing opportunities and their work to protect and preserve the incredible landscapes of our country for all of us to marvel at and learn from,” Hodge said.

She advises those who want to create art may still need a day job to support their work. But this will give one the advantage of doing the art one feels drawn to without the compromise of working for the market. 

“If it sells, great! But keep your direction pure. And make every effort not to let that day job or other obligations cause you to put your work on the shelf until you ‘have time,’” Hodge said. “Of course, life can put many barriers in the way of your work, but if you can keep a thread going, the continuity will be immensely valuable to your work. And draw, draw, draw!”

The program includes housing for one month provided by the park. The Resident artist will:

• Present two public programs tailored to their medium, interest, experience, and audience.
• Host periodic, open studio hours to interact with visitors.
• Submit an original piece of work within six months of leaving Zion.

The artist’s works may be added to the park’s permanent museum and interpretive collections. Also, the Zion National Park Forever Project may have the artwork help to support the Artist in Residence Program financially.

According to a news release from the National Park Service, “This art helps visitors understand and appreciate Zion and reflects the National Park Service’s mission to conserve the park’s landscapes, plants, animals, and history.”

To learn more about the selection process and see past artists’ work on Zion National Park’s website, visit past artists’ work online.

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