In December of 2019, the kids got a trampoline for Christmas. Thank goodness because we all know what happened in 2020. The trampoline saved our lives that year. All of the kids in the neighborhood would come to our house and play for hours on the trampoline. Through a very difficult time, an unprecedented time, the trampoline saved us all. If you had told me that my pictures of the kids on the trampoline would be a story of how we survived a global pandemic, I’m not sure I would have believed you.
Though life seems to be back to normal, the trampoline has continued to be a source of joy for our kids. My daughter uses it to practice gymnastics and it has helped her improve tremendously over the past year. My son, who needs high sensory input, goes to the trampoline when he needs regulation. I didn’t intentionally set out to create a series of trampoline images, but it demonstrates our lives as well as my development as a photographer.
Creating a series is a way that artists can tell stories through their visual work. Putting together themes allows an artist to review patterns in our lives and decide how to communicate what is meaningful to us. So often, I am quick to dismiss aspects of myself that seem unimportant, but upon reflection, I realize how much of an impact it made. The trampoline has been an integral part of my kids childhood, and a tool to help us during times that were unexpected. My self portraitself portrait series started out as a way for me to practice taking pictures and it has turned into a way to learn to accept my body as it ages. All of the pictures I have taken of my grandmother tell a story of my kids lives AND mine. I can see her presence with them as she was present with me.
There are many ways to begin creating a series, but the easiest way for me was to start looking at my images over the years and choose the ones that seemed to be similar. Once we see those themes in our lives, we can begin to search for ways to create a series and build upon one. It’s a challenging aspect of being a visual artist, but one that brings depth to our voice.
