What I Care About

Creative Visions

Talk about humble beginnings! In 1998, Amy, then aged 22, helped me launch Creative Visions in the second bedroom of our small West Hollywood condo. Fueled by a grant from my parents, Russell and Louise Knapp, the idea for the foundation was based on a vision (yes, really) that I had in 1990 about an organization that would “use the power of media to help people achieve their potential, for themselves and the planet,”  Amy and I spent most of our time working on books and films, which meant the foundation floundered until the arrival of a recent USC grad, Alison Fast, and a fleet of interns (fueled by lentils, chocolate chips and endless cups of tea) who helped us grow.

Some 21 years later, we are still realizing our dream—but with a team of professionals (and fleets of interns) based at the stunning Dan Eldon Center for Creative Activism, located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Malibu. We have welcomed thousands of artists and writers, filmmakers and composers, industry leaders and kids through its doors, and I’m always delighted when visitors feel instantly embraced by a very special energy, which we believe is Dan’s “noisy spirit.” Dan’s art and photography bring alive his journey, and his sayings, including, “seek solutions, not problems,” “Safari as a Way of Life,” and “the Journey is the Destination” reflect his philosophy.

I would love to hear how Creative Visions  may have touched your life- whether through our programs and productions, or through books, films or exhibits about Dan’s life.

Please sign up for our newsletter and get involved with an organization that includes a wondrous selection of diverse, activated souls!  Learn more here: www.creativevisions.org

Kathy’s Suggestions

In the heart of life - Kathy Eldon
In the Heart of Life: A Memoir

by Kathy Eldon

In 1997, Kathy Eldon moved with her husband and two children from England to Kenya, where she found freedom as she had never known it before and was ready to push back from her old, restrictive life.  Diving into this tumultuous new world as a journalist and writer, she embraced the energy and creativity of Kenyans, both black and white. But her world collapsed when her twenty-two-year-old son, Dan – an artist and photojournalist on assignment for Reuters – was stoned to death by an angry mob in Somalia, killed by the very people he was trying to help.  Kathy’s journey through this tragic loss was deeply spiritual as she discovered that, in many ways, Dan was still ever – present in her life. This gripping international saga includes a passionate love, a dangerous coup in Kenya, and a compelling glimpse into a woman on the brink of self-discovery. After her son’s murder, Kathy began to publish his art, which gained popularity worldwide and – together with her daughter, Amy – launched a global foundation celebrating Dan’s work as a creative activist.  Throughout Kathy’s exploration of profound tragedy, we find the secrets to not only surviving, but being truly, gloriously alive.

Love Catcher - Kathy Eldon
Love Catcher: Inviting Love Into Your Life

by Chronicle Books LLC Staff, Kathy Eldon and Amy Eldon

This journal is designed to help you examine the way you approach love and romantic relationships.  Guided prompts discuss topics ranging from characteristics your past partners have shared, to dreams you have for you and your partner.

Soul Catcher - Kathy Eldon
Soul Catcher: A Journal to Help You Become Who You Really Are

by Kathy Eldon & Amy Eldon, Illustrations by Michelle Barnes

Soul Catcher takes you on a self-guided journey along a spiritual path forged from the realization of your own dreams and wishes, and the utilization of the wisdom of your own inner voice.  This beautiful journal will help you find ways to break through the barriers that stand in your way and offer support as you shape and define your true values and goals so you can live life to its fullest.

Angel Catcher - Kathy Eldon
Angel Catcher: A Journal of Loss and Remembrance

by Kathy Eldon & Amy Eldon Turteltaub

Over the past decade, this classic work has helped thousands find meaningful ways to overcome the despair of losing a loved one.  Now, Angel Catcher has been revised and updated to convey its powerful message of hope to a new audience.  Featuring brand new illustrations and a fresh updated look, the tasteful pages of this journal guide the user through the process of mourning and onward to a lasting sense of peace in the face of loss.

Dan Eldon - The Art of life
Dan Eldon: The Art of Life

by Jennifer New & Kathy Eldon

Only 22 when he lost his life on assignment in Somalia, photojournalist Dan Eldon left behind much more than the journals that became the basis for Chronicle’s best-seller The Journey is the Destination.  He left a lifetime of adventures that continue to inspire.  Raised in Kenya, he took numerous expeditions across Africa that helped him to understand and love the continent.  Through his safaris and benevolent crusades – and with interludes of study and work in the US and London, and trips around the world – he crafted a philosophy of curiosity, creativity, adventure and charity.  Intensely visual, like the life it describes, Dan Eldon: The Art of Life is more than a biography.  It is an exploration of one man’s will to take in everything life has to offer; an example of a life lived for and art experienced as life.”

Safari as a Way of Life

by Jennifer New

Photojournalist Dan Eldon left behind much more than the astonishing illustrated journals that would form The Journey is the Destination when he lost his life at age twenty-two while on assignment in Somalia.  He also bequeathed a life story that has inspired students, teachers, artists and creative activists – as well as a forthcoming film, an apparel line and the Spring 2011 collection from Tom’s Shoes.  Raised in Kenya, Dan grew up with a unique outlook on life. Through adventurous safaris and benevolent crusades around the world, he crafted a philosophy of curiosity, creativity and charity. This unique visual biography showcases previously unpublished artwork from Dan’s acclaimed journals, letters and snapshots that take readers on a journey through Dan’s life and beyond, exploring the impact made by this remarkable artist on everyone who has encountered his story.

The Journey is the Destination: The Journals of Dan Eldon

by Dan Eldon & Kathy Eldon

The best-selling and critically acclaimed book The Journey is the Destination features a selection of over 200 pages from the journals of photojournalist Dan Eldon.  It is a legacy of a young artist killed just as his creative powers were beginning to be recognized by himself and others.  Already an international inspiration for a documentary, feature film, a clothing line, and the Spring 2011 collection of Tom’s Shoes.  Dan’s life sets an admirable example of how to be young, human and alive and will continue to inspire future generations as it has for the past decade.

Eating Out in Kenya: Kathy Eldon’s Guide to 300 Hotels, Restaurants, Snack Bars, Take Away Cafes

by Kathy Eldon

Kitchens and Cooking

by Mike Eldon & Kathy Eldon

Specialities of the House from Kenya’s Finest Restaurants

by Kathy Eldon

Epicurean Delights: Tastes of Kenya

by Kathy Eldon & Eamon Mullan

TEDxTeen
Safari as a way of life:

Safari as a way of life: Amy Eldon Turteltaub & Kathy Eldon