drowning is

These images were shot on 35mm color film and were originally hand printed in the darkroom. They are a study of color, underwater distortion, movement, and stillness. A couple years prior to creating this work, one of my best friends had an accident in water and lost his life. We then saw them take his body out and place it on a stretcher, on television, as the news channels were immediately on the scene. The horror, the lack of humanity, and the hunger for news, is something I remember vividly. With this series, water and emotions are explored while creating beauty out of tragedy. It also marks the beginning of my photographic vision being sent inward. Until this time, and for a few years to follow, the focus was more on documenting external situations and expressing my pain through suffering that I could see in other people on the street. For the first time in my practice, creative direction came from my inner vision. At this point, I was far from considering myself an artist. After a disappointing year spent in the psychology department, realizing how much of a business it was, I transferred to the art department. Being completely new to the art world brought on a sense of excitement and fear that turned on something inside of me. Since then, creation has been part of my daily life.