Artist Statement

 

I began making photographs in the late 60s trying to capture some of the feel of the social movements taking place at the time.  As a street photographer I wanted to document those critical and seemingly small moments of social action that expressed the sentiment of a much larger time period, one that was continually evolving and affecting the course of history and society.

My political perspective has pretty much guided my artwork all my adult life.  Whether the subject matter is people or landscapes, my focus is on drawing attention to something that, on the surface, may seem like a “pretty picture”, but which may also have an underlying negative consequence (social or economic injustice, environmental degradation).  By drawing attention to contradictory messages in an image, I hope my photographs will touch an emotional chord in the viewer, help to challenge the status quo, and raise questions about the kind of society we have and the kind of society we want.

My photographs have been exhibited in local galleries of central NY and northern California and they have been published in magazines, calendars and textbooks. I was editor and a contributor to “The Women’s Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice” (Temple Univ. Press, 1987),  a collection of photographs and narratives from the women who attended the first summer’s peace encampment in Seneca Falls, NY.   My photographs are included in several private and institutional collections.