Strong & the In-between

Please consider donating to the women’s project. I will continue to photograph. I will continue to apply for funding.

Strong & In-between is a portrait project of women illuminating the space between all of their roles as mothers, daughters, partners, and community members, and to give them an opportunity to feel seen.

My official appeal started on November 6th, 2018, election day.

To make the portrait sessions, I use “Calendy” which allows for boundaries of time, self choice to participate, and a reminder system. Each woman is photographed by herself for her comfort.

I have photographed women that are 14 months to 75 years old. The participants are now recommending others who need to be seen.

The YWCA Walla Walla has commissioned Quiet Force: 52 Women as an extension of this project. They have also funded a wonderful Whitman College Fellow, Politics juniorJessie Brandt. She and I are in the process of application for an IRB at Whitman College.

YWCA Walla Walla is in partnership with Whitman College and the Walla Walla Valley community to nominate 52 women to be seen and heard. Our intention is to honor who they are now and how they got there through interviews, written narrative, and a studio portrait.

This is important to me on multiple levels. First, it brings peer review, and an academic value to my work. Learning the right way to collect and understand demographics, and consider what I am doing. I recently went to a conference that taught the value of equity. As this project is derived from an emotional space, there is work to be done to make it more considered.

When the women come for their visit, we begin in my very full studio, surrounded by my work, with sunlight, and a smaller background. When their comfort rises, I invite them into a smaller room, with bright lights and a larger background, which is more conducive to movement, and self revelations. Using my digital camera to document, we talk of life, self care, and breaking points.

I started the project because as a woman in my 40’s, I was not seen. To acknowledge, and to reverse this experience, I turned my eyes towards my community. This has created an educational exchange with a poignant response.

The portraits are 20 by 20 inches color pigment prints, on 24 by 25 inch Museo Silver Rag 300 gsm fine art paper creating a 2 inch top, and sides with a 3 inch bottom. The images are floated on a white conservation mat, in a deep set white frame, with museum glass.

There will be one image of each participant when the work is shown. Originally, I had promised a 5 x 5 portrait, in barter for their time. To honor the group, I am fundraising to continue the project, and publish a catalogue to hold all participants together. Although the project is about each encounter, I hope to give the book as their gift.