URBAN BAMBINI. {PORTLAND}
Urban Bambini makes me want to enroll my 34-year-old-self in preschool. I would walk there every morning and spend three and a half-hours in the classroom, arranging flowers, buffing leather boots or talking about what my mom packed me for snack. I would be the tallest one in the class, but I would sit in a small chair anyway. For the past five years, I have lived vicariously through my children and their days at this Montessori pre-school: Indy went there of four years and graduated this past spring, and now Sawyer is a bambini, too. Every September, I have the privilege of taking school photos for UB and on picture day, I spend time in the classroom and watch as the kids: buff leather boots, slice bananas, grind coffee, sweep up bits of colored paper, string beads, polish small brass sailboats, play checkers, build with blocks, ring bells, bake muffins, read stories, sort buttons, stamp, sew, clean, and sing. Sometimes when I wander through the space, and all the kids are focused on napkin-folding or sewing little pillows, I imagine myself as a four-year-old, sitting on a small bench, stacking a tower of blocks to the sky.
*for more information about Urban Bambini, please contact amanda at urbanbambini@live.com
Oh Shelby! They are adorable!
i would be the happiest mom if these were my kids’ school photos! i think i’ll apply to that school myself, too. 🙂
I am lucky in that I AM a parent of one of these kiddos and we love these Shelbz!!!!! Beautiful and so remarkably soulful as always. These paint such a brilliant and expressive depiction of the collective energy at UB. Thank you so much.
Lovely glimpse into this amazing school.
What wonderful and gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing!
These are wonderful photos that capture a magical childhood space. So much light and good energy.
gorgeous photos and oh, what a space! I’ve always wanted to do further study in Montessori and this has inspired me to start looking into it! beautiful.
More amazing photos! So cheery… makes me want to be a child again!
This brings back so many memories for me, I went to West Seattle Montessori from age 2 through 6th grade…Seeing those beaded chains for counting, and the map puzzle is so cool! I LOVED my time there…Your bambinos are lucky to get to have such a great place to grow up!
Shelby – I’m visiting your blog tonight to see what’s new and oh wow – I sure wish we had a photographer momma like YOU to photograph my boys’ preschool. Lucky parents! These photos are lovely lovely.
So good.
Only just found this post and oh wow these pictures are truly stunning!! The colours and compositions are perfect!
Amanda,
I also just ran across your post. I just love your story, and will always remember taking you to your first day in school..
We cherish all those days you spent with us..
It is an honer to call you our grand daughter..
Love you forever,
Gm/Gp.