Love Letter
During the evolution of my life as an artist, I can mark moments in time that clearly define the path I am being led down today. Art making, collaborations, missteps and successes are now swirling around the foundation of what I know to be my life’s work. It is work that compiles many fragmented moments of my experience. It is work that harnesses the power I have discovered within myself and my role here in Rochester over these past eight years. It is work that is forging its own path and through this act of writing, I hope to better understand where I am headed.
“Her Voice Carries” is an art project featuring the unique stories of five women who are working and living in varying communities in Rochester, NY. Each woman will be photographed, interviewed and a drawing will be created in her image. This project will culminate in a final series of murals located throughout the five quadrants of the city. My intention is to create a network of murals that weave a collective story laced with individual truths. Further, this series of murals will not only illuminate the segregation that persists within Rochester, but will also emphasize the commonalities of our human experience through the leadership of empowered women.
Much of this project was born from my individual desire for connection and understanding. We so easily fall into the same routines and the same circles of acquaintances and friends. Constantly hearing our own voices echoed and validated by those surrounding us, it is easy to lean into the ease of the familiar. As I am led by a multitude of inspirational voices, I am simultaneously analyzing and understanding my own.
This blog will bear witness to my journey and I invite you to join along. After interviewing nine women thus far, it has become increasingly evident that this is merely the beginning. While my mural project will ultimately center around the experiences of five women, this blog will feature each voice I have had the opportunity of hearing along the way. I am honored that my talented friend Hannah Betts will be accompanying me in this process as she photographs each of the women we encounter.
The seeds of “Her Voice Carries” are planted here in Rochester, a city that has deeply impacted my growth as a young artist and a young woman, a city that has allowed me the space and support to flourish within, and a city that continues to transform around me as I transform within it. This project is my love letter to Rochester, the only place I have ever claimed as my own and no matter where this life leads me, a place I will always call home.