All my life I’ve created images, but in different ways.I’ve always had a unique vision, an eye for beauty, and a passion for stories. Growing up in Tennessee I organized backyard shows with neighborhood kids which led to my being...
Read MoreAll my life I’ve created images, but in different ways.
I’ve always had a unique vision, an eye for beauty, and a passion for stories. Growing up in Tennessee I organized backyard shows with neighborhood kids which led to my being cast in numerous productions at Nashville’s Children’s Theater.
As I grew, my tastes did as well. When I was a teenager I gave my parents subscriptions to Esquire, Playboy, National Geographic, and Vogue — mainly so I could pore over the pictures. Besides a steady stream of books, movies, and magazines, I tried to attend as many museum exhibitions as possible. I remember as a student at Pratt Institute attending a controversial show of now-famous photographer Diane Arbus at MOMA. A woman standing beside me was so outraged by what she saw she spat on one of the prints. This event is seared into my mind as an example of how powerful images can be.
After school I worked as an art director and graphic designer, sometimes working with renowned photographers, for clients as varied as American Express, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Fiorucci. Later I became a filmmaker, focusing mainly on documentaries, which made me keenly aware of catching “the moment.”
All through this I took photographs, mainly for myself. Photography wasn’t my primary focus. Over the years, however, I had the opportunity to travel extensively, which led to more photographs. This made me take the art form more seriously. I now recognize how my passion has crystallized, going from a record of memories to an exploration of shape and color to an appreciation for the beauty of people and places. Photography has given me a way to understand the world around me.
My work is included in the permanent Special Collections of Swem Library at the College of William & Mary.
