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The road trip that never ended
After grad school, I decided it was time to fulfill a long-held dream: buy an RV and travel the country. I did the research and bought a Scamp, a 13-foot wonder perfectly sized for one traveler and her pup. I named her Sadie. Sadie eventually gave way to something slightly bigger, because apparently I needed more room for photography gear and National Parks obsessions.
What I'm building now
After years of working solo, I'm in the deeply uncomfortable, deeply rewarding process of building something bigger than myself.
Luminental is the nonprofit I'm forming to house two major projects:
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Desert Luz, a bilingual arts and culture journal for southern Arizona, with a celebratory and illuminating editorial voice
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Heliograph, an initiative supporting artists and writers through residency and creative programming
I'm also on the board of Arts South Dakota, give out an annual AAUW Fine Arts Scholarship in South Dakota, and sponsor two annual apprenticeships at The Feminist Press.
Life is short. Don't wait.
That line isn’t just a motto, it’s how I've accidentally lived my whole life, and it's led me down some fascinating roads. Thanks for being here.
I'm Deonne Kahler - writer, award-winning photographer, and founder of Luminental, a nonprofit I'm building in southern Arizona to support and amplify creative voices. I also write Life on the High Wire, a Substack about living a bold life, creative momentum, and what happens when a lone wolf (that's me) tries to become a leader.
How I got here
I was barely a year old when I took my first road trip, from Winner, South Dakota to Los Angeles. I let my parents do the driving for that one, and though I now wear something other than just a diaper when I travel - it was hot, okay? - the love of the road remains.
I've had a few different careers. Professional musician: singer, performer, band, CD, songs for film and television. Writer: features, profiles, columns, creative nonfiction. Teacher: entrepreneurship for women and creatives, plus creative writing to undergrads. (That last part came after I moved to New York for two years to get my MFA in creative writing, because apparently I love a late-in-the-game plot twist.) Plus two different successful businesses - one as rent-a-CFO, the other teaching creatives how to manage their small businesses.
I got into professional photography even later in the game. A friend convinced me to enter a travel photography contest with AAA Magazine in 2015. I was gobsmacked when I placed third. More awards followed, plus group shows from L.A. to New York. The camera turned out to be the great love of my life.
What I'm making now
On the creative front, I'm developing a photography project about my paternal grandmother, Toots, who towed a trailer with my grandfather to many of the Western National Parks long before I did. The project uses archival images, rephotography, and prose to explore what I'm calling "genetic memory in landscape" - the way we inherit not just our grandmothers' love of jewelry and road-trip habits, but their longing and their light. It also involves the vanishing roadside table, because some things deserve to be remembered.
The long game
I didn’t have children by choice. These projects - Luminental, Desert Luz, Heliograph, and my writing and photography - they're my legacy. I have a 20-year plan for Luminental, after which I intend to hand it off to my successors and watch it become something I can't even imagine yet.
My spirit animal is the fox. I'm still learning how to be a founder instead of just a lone wolf. Some days it's exhilarating. Some days I want to hide out with a book and a strong beverage. Either way, I keep going.
So, thank you for reading. If you want to stay in touch, sign up for the email list or find me online (links are at the bottom of the page). I'd love to hear from you.
Those words up top - Life is short. Don't wait. - they've never steered me wrong. I hope they do the same for you.
Favorite Quotes
"I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks." - Daniel Boone
"What is it you plan to do with this one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver
"There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen
"I was a fantastic student until I was ten, and then my mind began to wander." - Grace Paley
"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." - Catherine Aird