Dark Windows
Without direction or forethought, I was drawn to photograph physically and emotionally dark images. They do not connect to each other by time or place, but rather by emotional timbre.
When I began my second career as a photographer in my sixties, I studied with many wonderful teachers who encouraged me to be more open to my surroundings and my inner self. Without direction or forethought, I was drawn to scenes that were dark in tone and evociative.
The question so often asked of me was “Where do these photos come from.” It eventually struck me that, like so many, my rather dark childhood experiences had imprinted me indelibly. I grew up in a troubled Jewish family during the fifties in the middle of the Iowa corn belt, a recipe for isolation and loneliness. No matter how wonderful one’s life can be, we all have times of despair, emptiness, and loss. These images are difficult to show, especially for a medium that is more suited to uplifting images that look good on the wall. Perhaps the difficult times we have all experienced in the last several years will make the images relatable.
