Why DEEP HEART EARTH®?
Deep Heart Earth was born from something real — and honestly, from a place I never expected.
It’s not just a blog, website or a brand. It’s me. My heart, my work, my story. It’s the part of me that isn’t shaped by algorithms or trends. Just truth.
Vulnerable and real, the good and bad, the complexities and depth and layers- the parts of me… of who I am.
When I started sharing my photography and writing with family and friends many years ago, they kept saying the same words:
“It’s so deep… it’s earthy… it’s honest. Just like you”
That stuck with me. It felt like they saw my work the way I felt it —grounded, emotional, raw.
But Deep Heart Earth didn’t really come alive until I got Covid in Antarctica although I dreamed of many things to do with my photography and art and also use my degree but I was confused on how I could fit them altogether.
I was alone for days, standing out on the freezing balcony, staring into that massive silence.
No distractions. No noise. Just time — and a very loud soul.
And I remember thinking:
I don’t just want to do photography. I want to give back. I want to help others feel. Heal. Be seen.
Also to help places and people I meet on my travels. To protect beautiful places- their people and our wildlife.
This space is personal. It always will be.
My beautiful mum before she passed away used to call me an earth angel — and I think she saw something in me before I ever did.
This blog, this project, this whole thing… it’s a way of honouring her. And that part she truly saw and believed in.
I held off launching Deep Heart Earth® until my trademark was registered, yes it took over almost a year for the process because I wanted to protect this thing I am building with so much love.
Not for clout — but because it matters. Because it’s mine. And because the world copies fast, and I’d rather go slow and stay true to who I am and what I believe in..
Everything here — every photo, every word — comes from somewhere real.
It’s not perfect. It’s not polished for the internet.
It’s heartfelt, humble, and down to earth.
This isn’t just for me. It’s for the genuine artists out there no matter what field photography, art, music, dance, poetry...
The ones who feel like they don’t fit the mould.
The ones creating from soul, not for the algorithm.
I see you.
You belong here.
I also want this space to inspire people to be themselves.
Not me. Not anyone else. Just… them.
You don’t need to copy. You don’t need to fit in.
You’re not here to follow — you’re here to find yourself.
If Deep Heart Earth® helps even one person do that, then it’s doing what it’s meant to.
There’s more coming — slowly, quietly, with a purpose.
Some of it I’m keeping close for now. But trust me, it’s growing.
For now, you’ll find stories, images, and reflections —
not to impress, but to connect.
This is my art. It’s also my offering.
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Welcome to Deep Heart Earth®.
A place to land , a place to feel.
And the deep stories we carry across landscapes.
See you out there shooting
Toni xx
Copyright © 2024 Antoinette Kouts. All Rights Reserved. Trademarked Deep Heart Earth®