Host Lorraine Toth speaks with Mary Jo Hoffman about the unlikely path from aerospace research scientist to artist photographer, and how a simple daily habit turned into a long-running body of work, a bestselling coffee table book, workshops, brand collaborations, and a more attentive way of living. They also discuss happiness, seasonality, and why it is not too late to begin something new later in life.

In this episode: Mary Jo shares how she spent 20 years in aerospace engineering before shifting into art and photography in her mid-40s She explains the origins of her daily project, Still, where she photographs one found natural object each day She breaks down why daily practice works by focusing on “not breaking the chain”.

The conversation covers how minimalism, attention, and mindfulness show up in her creative process Mary Jo describes how her project led to a Martha Stewart Living feature and later to her book Still: The Art of Noticing.

She talks about the role of nature, flow, and active engagement in happiness Lorraine and Mary Jo discuss how life changes, including fertility struggles and a house fire, shaped the arc of her work.

Mary Jo explains how her practice travels with her and how it deepened her experience in places like southern France and Florida. She outlines the different ways people can work with her through workshops, talks, and her daily image practice. She shares recent collaborations, including work with Target, West Elm, and wall coverings.

Key takeaways:

• The transformative power of daily creative habits
• How mindfulness and attention enhance life
• The role of nature in happiness and flow
• Balancing career, family, and personal growth in midlife
• The impact of small, consistent actions on well-being

Mary Jo's Blog Mary Jo's Book

Mary Jo's Instagram

Steve's (her husband) Book

Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction and waiting six months for the interview (00:39) Mary Jo introduces her path from aerospace science to art photography (01:34) The Still project and the success of Still: The Art of Noticing (02:07) How a simple blog and good design helped attract Martha Stewart Living (03:04) Twelve and a half years of daily photos and the house fire interruption (04:02) Why minimalism is harder than it looks (05:29) Why dailiness matters more than talent or complexity (06:26) The power of “not breaking the chain” (07:25) How the daily practice reduces perfectionism and overthinking (08:57) The practice as a mindfulness habit that changes how she moves through the world (10:08) Why engineering felt like the path of least resistance (11:37) Fertility struggles, role reversal, and choosing to become a hands-on parent (13:25) Building a creative career that can continue indefinitely (14:04) Why the practice must be portable and travel-friendly (15:02) How Still shaped her experience in southern France (16:25) A philosopher’s idea of happiness as active engagement in projects of worth (19:25) Why nature is the fastest on-ramp to flow and happiness (21:59) The 72 micro-seasons of the north and the metaphor of seasonal change (23:09) How to work with Mary Jo through blog, workshops, and talks (25:16) Collaborations with Target, West Elm, and wallpaper/wall covering projects (26:39) Why it is not too late to start something new later in life (28:03) Autumn in Minnesota and the intensity of capturing seasonal change Notable Quotes: “All I have to do is find one thing and literally I can step outside my front door and pick up a handful of grass and I've not broken the chain.” “Active engagement in projects of worth.” “It’s both easy and hard, like minimalism.”