As the daughter of Christy Turlington, one of the ’90s biggest supermodels, Grace Burns is certainly no stranger to the industry. As a self-proclaimed aspiring writer, photographer and model, Burns is making a legacy of her own.
Launching her modeling career by collaborating with smaller indie magazines like Pop Magazine, The Perfect Magazine, Muse and Homme Girls, Burns was able to make her mark on the fashion industry at just 19.
Now she’s modeling for Vogue, walking in shows during fashion week for designers like Connor Ives and Kallmeyer and participating in ad campaigns for companies like Marc Jacobs, Frankie’s Bikinis and Asta Resort.
Despite her obvious talent at it, modeling isn’t the only thing she focuses her creative energy on.
Burns is a writer and a poet. “Derived from Us,” published in March of last year, is a book of poetry exploring the essence of life and love as it has paused, and then passed through her. The thoughtful diction her writing showcases holds more weight and consequence than you’ll realize during your first read-through.
Having heard her speak about the influence Patti Smith’s work has often had on her, and being a huge Patti Smith fan myself, I can see why I connect with her work so much. Both artists’ work is open and honest.
Burns’ ability to refine the craft of poetry as her own isn’t the only thing the book puts a spotlight on, her photography also sporadically takes over the book’s pages.
While the photos in her book are all of outstretched branches and black and white tree bark, Burns has just recently published her third volume of “By Grace,” a magazine dedicated to sharing her photography series, and written pieces crafted by friends and other various collaborators.
Her most recent volume houses a few photo series in both color and black and white, my favorite being the series that stars Meadow Walker. Burns’ way of photographing her subjects often feels raw and vulnerable, as does her writing.
Her photography can also be viewed and purchased on her website, along with her poetry and magazine publication endeavors. For the images sold that are associated with non-profit organizations, Burns donates 50% of the proceeds directly to the initiative it is connected to and provides ways for customers to donate and learn more themselves.
She also often updates her Instagram biography to include a link to a cause of her choosing. The one she is currently advocating for is the International Rescue Committee, an organization that provides medical care and other critical support to those residing in Gaza, though past initiatives she has linked have also included her mother’s organization, Every Mother Counts.
Every shoot she has participated in, word she has written, show she has walked in, picture she has taken, cause she has spoken up for and emotion she has personified, I hold dearly to my heart. Her genuine gratitude towards having the ability to create, collaborate and help others and the amount of kindness she puts out into the world speaks high praise to her character.
In my eyes, she is sunshine itself.