In this series I set out to capture the juxtaposition of the natural versus the mechanical with images of random construction materials hoisted by large cranes against the a backdrop of sky and clouds. Eventually I became stuck on the notion of “backdrop” and began to construct alternative backdrops. Against the Backdrop is a series of portraits of construction materials against unlikely backdrops with organic qualities.

The women in these images represent four generations of Evanston women whose lives collectively span over 100 years. This series is dedicated to Avis Lewis Davis to whom I owe a great deal…whether it be by virtue of genetics, by example or both…she was my grandmother, my friend and I loved her very much.

Rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport that combines various elements of gymnastics, ballet, dance and apparatus handling (ball, hoop, ribbon, clubs and rope). It requires balance, flexibility, strength, and excellent eye-hand coordination. Gymnasts compete individually or as a group of five.  The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, which enacts a code of points that regulates all aspects of the sport.  Competitive rhythmic gymnastics originated in the Soviet Union during the 1940s.  The first World Championships was held in 1963 in Budapest.  The sport was added to the Olympics in 1984.  The sport has been dominated by Russia and other former Soviet countries since the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.  

Only 20 gymnasts can qualify to compete in the Olympics (limit 2 per country) Since 1996, the United States has only qualified one rhythmic gymnast to the Olympics. The U.S. has never had a group team qualify other than by wildcard. In 2013, the U.S. had unprecedented success at the World Championships in Ukraine.  Two U.S. gymnasts advanced to the all-around finals (top 24).  Their success bodes well for having an American gymnast qualify to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.  

This project will follow these and other U.S. hopefuls for the 2014 Youth Olympiad and the 2016 Olympics. The gymnasts who are the subject of these images are elite gymnasts, some of whom who have relocated thousands of miles for the opportunity to train together in the hopes of representing the U.S. in international competitions, including World Cup, Grand Prix, World Championships and even the Youth Olympiad and Olympics.  

A condolence letter written to the daughter of a childhood friend and fellow Civil War soldier reveals as much about the character of the author as it does about the deceased.  A beautifully penned letter after a chance meeting starts a long distance courtship lasting 8 years.  A small child writes to an absent sick mother instinctively knowing that she must be “a good girl.”

When my mother died she left me several boxes containing letters and memorabilia dating back to the late 1700s.  At first I simply lacked the patience to wade through the “illegible” correspondence, but my curiosity won out.  This series is an opportunity to share a look into the character of those who came before me.

“A letter always seemed to me like immortality because it is the mind alone without corporeal friend.” 
― Emily Dickinson

In recent years digital photography has significantly changed how we make images. Though I am deeply grateful for the many conveniences of Photoshop and my digital camera, I still yearn for both the hands-on experience of making art and the magic of the reveal. With the help of a UV exposure unit I transfer images to a steel backed plate and then ink and print them using an etching press. In the darkroom the magic occurs as the image slowly appears in the developer. For printmakers, it is the moment one pulls the print away from the plate. The process is slow, laborious, and hands on.

Anxious to once again retreat into my basement printmaking studio I chose to revisit an old subject that I hoped would produce some lovely photopolymer gravure prints. Still life of natural subjects has been a favorite subject of my since I first picked up a camera. The images in this series include both “portraits” as well as objects “in situ.” The intent is to simply milk the inherit beauty of the natural.