Father Daughter, From the series Testament, 16”x20”, Pigment Ink on Fiber Rag, 2014
The subjects in this photograph are my Pastor and his young daughter. The experience of making the image was enlightening for all of us, and truly enveloped the meaning of this work. The sculpture in this image was made using silk and white wool repeatedly dipped in beeswax. The forms were extremely heavy, and were physically exhausting to support. To create the image, each object was attached to the body one by one, creating a fragile, oppressive mass. The room felt very charged, and eerily still. Once the photograph was finally made and the weight was released, a true release was felt by everyone. It was a physical illustration of what it is to take on weight little by little, not realizing how heavy a burden has actually become. When that weight was lifted all at once, the sense of immediate relief was astonishing.