Limitation inspires creativity. Months ago, I bought an antique-looking, ornate gold frame from Meredith Frame Shop. Who knows how many paintings or photographs it held over years? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A few years ago, I started experimenting with projections in my work. I don’t think I expected this frame to merge with that line of exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This March, when the coronavirus hit, businesses everywhere had to close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had a workshop scheduled in London for April with other work there. Everything got cancelled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I shut my main studio and set up a small studio in the loft office in my home. I had been working on my documentary project, \u2018Social Distancing: Images of a Small Town’\u201d. Then the governor issued an order to stay home, except for essential errands. I felt I should find a way to do even more from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Businesses and artists are looking at various teleconferencing technologies as resources. Though I am not bothered by technology, I do not love it all by itself. I love hand-painted drops. I love to study old-school photographic methods like wet plate techniques, daguerrotypes, and pin-hole cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the things I love about historical photographs is that they look less \u201ccrisp,\u201d less controlled than modern high-resolution digital images. To the contemporary eye, they often look more like paintings than photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So here I am in my house, using Zoom to meet with the Plymouth area Women\u2019s Caucus for Art members, and to connect with friends. I decided to put all of this together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have been arranging virtual photo sessions with people from around the world. Just like in regular photo sessions, I direct people in terms of lighting, styling, and posing. I also help them as needed with their camera and the software. The important thing is that it be easy and fun. I project them into frames that I have arranged in my home office, arranged like a gallery with other art, and then I photograph them with my camera as I would in my studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My hope is that these portraits will serve as beautiful mementos in this strange time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n