Friends
2024 - ongoing
As a photographer and storyteller, I research the history of specific places, seeking connections between past and present. Much of my work draws from stories I was told or things I found in the home I grew up in. When my mother passed away several years ago, I went through boxes filled with family detritus - scrapbooks, journals, letters and photographs. Much of it centered around my grandfather’s side of the family, Quakers living in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the 1800’s.
The Quakers, officially known as the Religious Society of Friends, is a Christian denomination with a distinctive approach to worship, community and social justice. From stories myk mother shared and from the letters and journals I read, it’s clear that my family’s foundation was deeply rooted in the faith.
In the summer of 2024, I discovered a Quaker meeting house from 1814 while driving through Cisco, Maine. I pulled over, and to my surprise, the door was unlocked. Stepping into the small simple room felt as if stepping back in time. Photographing this meeting house was a peaceful, contemplative experience and let me to research several generation of my ancestors and the faith that was a cornerstone to their family life.
The images in this series are printed on handmade Kozo Gampi paper, reminiscent of the letters and pages from the many Bibles I found, belonging to my Quaker ancestors.
