The Dog Walking Artist: When a Passion Becomes a New Midlife Career

Margot Guralnick stumbled on her new midlife path in the most ordinary setting—while on her daily rounds with her dog, Enrique, in a leafy corner of the Bronx where she lives. Margot, the architecture and interiors editor at Remodelista.com, assembles elements of nature she finds along the way into beautiful, striking patterns and photographs them. Follow her on Instagram—@dogwalkdiarynyc—and private message her if you’d like to inquire about prints or cards

When and why did you start collecting pieces from nature and arranging them for photos?

I’ve been collecting things of all sorts since I was a kid: the usual sea glass and rocks, and also relics from flea markets, such as interesting old packaging and Fuller-Brush-man letter openers. I’m a treasure hunter (I actually own a metal detector!) and I’ve also always loved making arrangements of my things. More recently, on my daily outings with Enrique, I started gathering leaves and playing with them along the way. Holding the leash with one hand, I pull out my iPhone and take pictures with the other. The wind is blowing, the dog is barking, and I’m crouched down, completely engrossed.