"Color"
The color of your skin does not define you. We are all just people.
"Forgotten Faces"
Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that starts slowly and progresses over time. The cause of the disease is still undetermined, but is believed to be genetic. There are currently no treatments to improve or stop the progression. I have been affected by Alzheimer’s with family members and family friends who have the disease; my interest in the disease progresses as more people I know become affected.
Statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association state that one in 10 Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s dementia. By the year 2050 this number could be as high as 16 million. Almost two thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.
Sheila, a family friend has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Over the last three years her dementia has worsened dramatically. I was interested in understanding what Sheila remembered and didn’t remember during my visit with her. I was told when her symptoms first started showing she would get very frustrated and angry when she couldn’t remember something, acting out with a tantrum. Now, after she has faced a couple other strokes, she is more at bay with not remembering details of her life.
She has no recollection or slow recollection of her birthdate, birth place, husband, childhood, siblings, and children. Only a few times would she close her eyes and lay her head back, as if frustrated or trying to remember. More times, she would smile with resignation and look at her daughter, who was with us the entire time, for the answer. I found it endearing to see her surprise when she would hear the answer to who was in a picture, or the name of her children.
She is now in a memory care facility where her family visits her every day. Her room is plastered with labeled pictures and memorabilia. She is with many other patients and has found a best girl friend that she spends time with, holding hands. She was happy to have us there and felt special getting her picture taken. I thought it would be an interesting perspective to have her and her daughter study their facial similarities in a mirror together. In my opinion, I thought she was very fascinated by the act.
As this disease is affecting more people every day, I hope to raise awareness as to how families are affected and to the care and attention that the patients need.
"TWIGGY"
Lesley Lawson was a famous model in the 1960’s, better known as “Twiggy” because of her small body, boyish hair and big eyes. Twiggy was named “The Face of 1966” and voted British Woman of the Year. I chose to represent Twiggy because of her iconic look. I created similar hair and makeup as well as used colors and poses that Twiggy had in her famous images. My interest in fashion photography is what drew me to Twiggy. She was photographed by famous photographers, such as Richard Avedon, Jean-Claude Sauer, Jeanloup Sieff, Bert Stern, Terry O’Neill, and Francesco Scavullo. Each photograph of Twiggy is stunning in its own unique way, which is what I represented in my own images.
Street Photography - Las Vegas
Less than a week after the tragic shooting, I decided to go to Las Vegas and capture the strength and resiliency of the city and the people that visit the city. Even when something so devastating happens, among the tokens of a mass memorial, the world continues to go on and we all move forward.
Access To Excess
America is one of the most developed industrial countries in the world. Everyday there are hundreds of semi trucks delivering consumer goods right to our doors. We spend hours every day shopping online or in stores, spending our money on unnecessary items, which we believe will make us happier. Instead, we may just be trying to fill a void. The more we have, the happier we think we will be, which is a mindset of many Americans. I believe we do this to build self-aggrandizing, confidence, and gratification. I created this body of work to represent the amount of “stuff” Americans have, while expressing dissatisfaction on their faces to show that the items they have are not enhancing their happiness; but simply filling their void.
Uno de 50 Jewelry, provided by Touché Gifts, located in Bountiful. Pearls, provided by Tom Obray of Diamond Connections, located in bountiful. Thank you to Associated Foods for allowing me to complete this project at their North Ogden distribution Center.
