I HAVE A LOVE FOR RETRO PROJECTORS.
THEY FASCINATED ME IN SCHOOL.
EVERY CHANCE I GOT IN BETWEEN LESSONS
I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO DRAW ON THEM.
I RECENTLY NEEDED ONE FOR MY RESIDENCY AT
BASIN ARTS IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE, LA,
SO I PUT AN APB OUT TO MY TEACHER FRIENDS.
MY NEWEST BESTIE ANSWERED THE CALL RIGHT AWAY.
"I HAVE A KEY" SAID THE VETERAN EDUCATOR.
WE VENTURED INTO A DIMLY LIT HIGH SCHOOL
AFTER HOURS.
DINGY OLD LOCKERS LINED THE HALLS
AND ABOVE THEM, THE COOLEST RETRO CLOCK COLLECTING IMPRESSIVE DUST.
THERE WERE THREE DINOSAURS ON THE FLOOR IN A STORAGE ROOM
JUST WAITING FOR ME.
PLUGGED ONE IN.
LIGHT WORKS.
YESSSSSSSSS.
AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES OF USAGE, THE FAN GETS SUPER LOUD,
WHICH EXPLAINS THE WHOLE PROMETHEAN BOARD THING.
I OPENED IT UP TO INVESTIGATE AND DISCOVERED A HUGE MIRROR INSIDE.
I DON'T THINK I EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS OF A PROJECTOR.
I ALWAYS JUST MARVELED AT WHAT IT DID.
I WAS MESMERIZED BY THE LIGHT AND AMPLIFICATION OF ITS DISPLAY
WHEN BIG KNOBS WERE TURNED.
THAT SAME TEACHER FRIEND/LONG LOST COUSIN
HAS BEEN A DAILY SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR OF DIVORCE TURMOIL.
WHEN IT WAS FINALLY FINALIZED AND I HAD THE PAPERS IN MY POSSESSION,
IT WAS CAUSE FOR SOME SORT OF CELEBRATION / CLOSURE / DOCUMENTATION.
THE ENDING OF A TWENTY YEAR RELATIONSHIP IS A HUGE DEAL.
I WAS GRIEVING SO MANY THINGS.
BURNING WEDDING DRESSES AND PETTY DISPLAYS AREN'T MY STYLE.
SHE FACILITATED A PORTRAIT SESSION WITH A LOCAL TREASURE
KRISTIE CORNELL, WHO DID A TIN TYPE PHOTOGRAPH.
I HAD TO STARE INTO THE LENS WITHOUT BLINKING FOR LIKE FOURTEEN SECONDS!
SHE BROUGHT A BUNDLE OF DRIED LOTUSES FOR ME TO HOLD
SINCE SHE KNOWS HOW DEEPLY OBSESSED I AM WITH THE FLOWER.
IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER'S 107 BIRTHDAY.
STELLA LOVED LEMON CAKE.
THIS WOMAN INSISTED ON TELLING EVERY WAITER IT WAS HER BIRTHDAY
E V E R Y SINGLE TIME WE WENT OUT TO EAT
JUST SO SHE COULD GET COMPLIMENTARY CAKE.
WE WERE ALL FORCED TO SING TO HER,
IN PUBLIC, LYING THROUGH OUR TEETH.
WE ALL LAUGHED AS I SHARED MY MEMORIES WITH THEM
SLOWLY SWAPPING OUT PROPS.
I BROUGHT HER FAN THAT MY FAVORITE AUNT GIFTED ME ON MY WEDDING DAY.
I WORE MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHERS DIAMOND EARRINGS.
THE GORGEOUS THRIFTED VINTAGE PIN THAT ADORNED MY WEDDING DRESS WAS PRESENT
AND A TINY CROWN THAT BELONGS TO MY DAUGHTER.
I NEEDED VISUALS OF ALL THESE STRONG WOMEN THAT HOLD ME UP INSIDE.
PLAYING DRESS UP WITH MEANINGFUL TALISMANS AND DOCUMENTING
THIS HUGE REBIRTH IN MY LIFE
WAS THE MOST HEALING THING I COULD'VE DONE FOR MYSELF.
MY FRIENDS HELPED ME AMPLIFY MY INTERNAL MIRRORS
KIND OF LIKE THAT HUMMING PROJECTOR.
THIS DIGITAL COLLAGE FEATURES THE PROJECTOR
THE DRIED LOTUS BUNDLE
AND A BADASS VINTAGE MIRROR I FOUND UNPRICED ON THE FLOOR
OF A FLEA MARKET..
HOW MUCH IS THIS T-BOY?
$2
STELLA WOULD BE PROUD.
10" X 10" SATIN PRINT
SIGNED WITH HANDWRITTEN POEM
ON THE BACK :
COMPLEX FLEETING BEAUTY
FRINGES OF OURSELVES REVEALED
BY HIDDEN BEVELED REFLECTORS
INTO EXPIRING ANALOG SHADOWS
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