87° 3′ W x 41° 39′ N Ephemeral

While creating installations on a road trip along Lake Michigan, I saw the treads of my shoes in the sand and snapped a photo with my iPhone. I attempt to leave little trace on a site when I’m out working, leaving a mark is inevitable, though usually not as distinct as what I left in the sand. The wind was blowing hard that day, so I knew the strong waves would eventually wash away the remnants of my presence. Since this photo was a quick snapshot I didn’t spend time composing it, and my shadow inadvertently ended up in the picture. I put my phone back in my pocket, forgetting about the image, and continued with the installation I was working on at the time.

When I was contacted to participate in [self]PORTRAIT a few months later, I remembered this snapshot and thought it serendipitous that I had captured the image with my shadow. The exhibit invitation encouraged us to think beyond the traditional self portrait for our pieces, which was perfect since I don’t normally do figurative work.

I ponder a lot about the ephemeral nature of existence. The marks we leave are washed away. Once solid structures become dilapidated, deteriorate, and fall down. The ephemeral installations I create in my practice never last for long, and in the big scheme of things in our universe, none of us do, nor do the things we build last for long. (I’ve experienced sites that have been around for thousands of years that while still standing, are not impervious to the effects of time.) I’ve learned to be at peace with that, and to know that the elements that compose me exist throughout the universe. I’m okay with not having all the answers of “how” or “why” when it comes to the cosmos or my existence, and I’m okay with my work leaving lots of questions for those who view it. I don’t have all the answers either.

My image along with a few pieces in [self]PORTRAIT installed at Clay PaperScissors Gallery in Cheyenne, Wyoming, September 1 – mid-October. The exhibit was first shown at Mystery Print Gallery in Pinedale and will travel to Jackson and Casper.