- The Portrait
Portraits. The ever constant project and growing archive.
I can't quite put to words what portraits are to me. To try my best, I'd say that they are emotional connections. I feel like some might view, "emotional," in the wrong way though. So I think (yes, I think) one way is aesthetically. When a composition comes together for a beautiful portrait, I feel like a kid in a candy store. The second, is a personal experience and/or connection to the individual being portrayed. Whether it be stranger or friend. I'm a strong believer about each and every one of us being artists, just by living life...and I feel that every portrait taken holds some sort of value.
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Casey
One word to sum up his artistic abilities: gifted. The guy can work wonders in the music world, do amazing things with design and graphics, and work the ink pens on paper like no other. He's also one of those people you can spend a weekend with, not say anything all, and just laugh the entire time you are around him. His humor is unmatched. Checkout his music if you're interested at all, specifically his albums, "Hope Against Hope," and, "Thank You." A lot of synth, pop, dance, techno like stuff going on throughout all of his work. Big listener.
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Casey
One word to sum up his artistic abilities: gifted. The guy can work wonders in the music world, do amazing things with design and graphics, and work the ink pens on paper like no other. He's also one of those people you can spend a weekend with, not say anything all, and just laugh the entire time you are around him. His humor is unmatched. Checkout his music if you're interested at all, specifically his albums, "Hope Against Hope," and, "Thank You." A lot of synth, pop, dance, techno like stuff going on throughout all of his work. Big listener.
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Anna
Wow. Where to start. First off, our relationship has been nothing short of extraordinary. Truly. For everything to happen the way it did, complete strangers, growing into what we are today, is just beyond me. It's amazing what can happen when you just take a chance. I worked at a bagel shop, and during my last few weeks of working there, had run into this woman, and from first site she blew me away. I couldn't not give her a compliment...not until I debated about it for a few hours, and finally left work, only to sit in my car for 15 minutes and walk back into work to spill out what I had to say to her. Long story short: Days went by, weeks went by, months, and a year come March. To this day I still think I am the luckiest guy ever.
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Colin
I'm going on 10 years of knowing, Colin. There is no one else that has known me for that long, and has been in touch for as long as we have. He's the closest person I have to call, "a childhood friend." He also deserves a gold star for putting up with who I am and how my stubborn social habits, or, lack thereof. He's always there, even if it is impossible to get me to do things...and that needs to change. It's hard, but I really need to find to get together, and more often.
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E.V.
E.V. and I met in the summer of 2010 while she was rooming with Sherri. The rapid growth of our friendship from that time on always boggles me. I've never been very good at the whole meet and great thing, and being able to get away with hanging out again afterwards without feeling some kind of tenseness in the air. Some weird kind of social anxiety/habit I have that I can't quite figure out. Surprisingly though, after a month after meeting we were hanging out and going on photo adventures and lunch runs every other day. It wasn't until shortly after that month we were planning a road trip out west during the Summer of 2011. To make sure we kept in touch and were prepared for the trip, we went out to lunch and explored with our cameras every week on Thursday's. The trip was a success. You can see some of the stuff in the, "Travels", category.
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Mom
I can't explain the love I have for my mom. When she was 17, I was born. She is one of the hardest working people I know, and for me to turn out as well as I did (I'm not saying I'm the best egg out there however), I'm eternally grateful for it all. I wouldn't trade her for the world.
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Yoahn
I attended SAIC in Chicago for the Spring semester of 2009. Not being the outgoing kind of guy I am today, I didn't make many friends. I'm fortunate to have actually met Yoahn, and come as far as we have in our friendship. Upon our arrival to the school we were split into groups for orientation, he was among the many in my group. Taking a seat by him and a group of others in Argo Tea, we had started to converse about our artwork and what we were there for. He had slides to show me, and I had nothing but a website for future reference. Once orientation was over, we were living in different dorms. Months went by and we ran into each other during a lunchtime one Saturday afternoon. Long story short, we continued to get together, hang out, create art, and are close friends to this day, despite the states apart.
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Chester
It's been 3 years since I've met this man, and only once have I met him. I sat for two hours talking to him about his life as a teenager in the city, being emancipated, how he came to own a pair of Elvis Presley's pants (yeah, I know), his life morals, why he is where he's at in life. Interesting guy with some worldly knowledge.
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Nappy
We've had kind of a funky friendship. I can only define it as, "inconsistent." I think everything adds up to 1 or 2 times a year for hanging out. I'm sure that could change if I actually made an effort (I've never been good at that). Regardless, during my 21st birthday I wasn't hanging out with much of anyone, and she got in touch with me and asked if I'd like to do anything with the day. That right there is awesome. I would have been sitting at home passing out at 8pm and waiting to go back to work in the early graveyard hours.
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Sebastian
My little brother. He's growing up fast. I sometimes forget his age (like right now), and when I find out, am always surprised by how old he is. For a little brother that thinks the world of me, I couldn't as for more.
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Sherri
6 years ago: stranger at a local concert venue. Present: now a fellow friend and photographer. There are some years of garbled history that add up to where we are now, but that would get to be quite extensive, and that's a little more than I would like to get out there.
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Steve
This guy has been my photo guru for a while. Working at the local camera store, he cleans my sensor, lets me play with the newest toys, all that good stuff.
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Anna
My dear, Cousin. We've had over a decade of family get togethers and being bored in churches and cafeterias while everything goes on. We see each other about once or twice a year for art shows, but every time is better than the last.
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Lynn
One fateful night in August, on my way to the Glacier Park in Montana, I had dozed at the wheel, woke up, overcorrected, and rolled my car 5 times 1/4 of a mile into a field, and ended up in the hospital for 4 days. It was the closest to death I had ever been in my life. This is, Lynn. She took care of me during my recovery time. She helped move me, drug me, feed me, check in on me, comfort me...everything anyone could ever as for during that period of time. My only regret is not being able to thank her more than I already have. For her to know how grateful I am for her care, and everyone else that helped during that time as well.
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Kitty
Yes, kitties need love too. They capture the hearts of billions each day via youtube and stumbleupon, so of course there is emotional connections here.
