Forgotten Memories

From an early age, the macabre sparked intrigue. The idea of death, mortality, and the veil in between kept my attention, from this, love of spooky narratives quickly transpired. Antiquing, traversing through graveyards, and visiting museums from a young age instilled an obsession to giving old items a new life. Stumbling upon antique photos opened up a whole new world of haunting possibilities. 

The process of taking photos in the 1800s gave the world such a distinct expression, so lifeless yet jarring, that conveyed something so delightfully malleable. In the later years of cabinet cards, came “spirit photography,” the idea that one could catch the departed in one last photo. Even though it was found to be a hoax, it still carried the idea that ghosts are among us, whether it be the things that brought us love or brought us misery. 

Paying homage to old photography, only three colors are used: black, white, and sepia. Exclusively using ink to give different levels of transparency, as well as the ability to create thin layers, gives rich tones and opacity to each painting. A merciless medium, ink gives a sense of permanency, once a mark is made, it cannot be removed. Each mark adds a characteristic that will never be replicated. Utilizing layering and different mediums, such as isopropyl alcohol, different textures are created to replicate the effects of grain on past film and photography, transcribing the weathering from being well loved. 

Using these forgotten memories as an inspiration, new life is given to unknown subjects. Each artwork relays a story that only itself understands. The viewer is cordially invited to take a journey to the vaguely macabre.