I have been working on a series of images for a few years and realize that, although a few of the resulting images are posted here on the website, it is the stories behind these images that breathe life into them. The memories and stories are personal and necessary to understand this particular body of work, so I will be posting a few of those stories here on the blog. But before we get started on the series, I wanted you to “meet” Grandpa and encourage you to join me for the next few Wednesdays and read about the memories Grandpa left behind.

How the Project Began

This series of images began with the discovery of a stack of glass my Grandfather salvaged, stacked, and stored for some unknown project or purpose. Some twenty-odd years after his passing, a few of these panes of glass made their way to me, touched by time, and yet exactly as he had stored them. I began including the glass, either as a background surface for photographing subjects or as a texture on top of the image in post-production. However, as I began using the glass in my photography, the ways in which I used the glass evolved and became a challenge to give new life to the physical objects and memories Grandpa left behind. The progression of this project became an homage to my Grandfather and provided me with the gift of a personal connection to the man who saw the value and potential in some glass window panes.

Subjects hidden in plain sight are a common theme in much of my photographic work. Many of these same subjects also share elements of being overlooked, forgotten, and/or neglected. While the glass panes were certainly all of these descriptions, in some ways, so was the man who was my Grandfather. As I worked on this series, unpacking memories, I realized there were many ways he cared for us behind the scenes, neither seeking recognition nor thanks.

About the Process

Since this is a collection of personal memories, I intentionally created small square images to tell an intimate story. I want it to feel as though you could hold the memory in your hands. And, although the images are black-and-white, there is a hint of tan that is reminiscent of the khaki pants he wore - his Grandpa uniform as it were.

I have worked on many creative endeavors in my life, and yet, this may be the first time I can say, without hesitation, this was a labor of love. I began creating images for the series in 2017 and set about gathering photo props, researching, writing, and remembering. In 2019, I realized I was postponing the project’s completion. I think there is a part of me that still wants to hold on and find one more image that would be better, that would tell the story more clearly, to remember a little bit more…, but, the muses are restless and ready to move forward, so I am reluctantly, classifying the project complete and letting it stand on its own. While the resulting images rely heavily on childhood memories, as well as symbolism, to say what words cannot, my hope is that they might resonate with others in some way.

I hope you will join me on this journey of memories next Wednesday because Grandpa lived life to the brim and left some pretty good stories in his wake.