Exhibition: Tell Me A Story

A huge thank you to @HenryHorenstein for selecting two of my images for the upcoming exhibition at the Atlanta Photography Group Gallery exhibition, Tell Me A Story. Join us at the opening reception and juror talk next Thursday, September 15, from 6pm-9pm. Mr. Horenstein will also be speaking about his work, and signing books and select prints on Saturday, September 17th, from 4pm-7pm.

Full Moon Over La Vida Llena

This month the Kinship Photography Collective I belong to is exploring the theme, Planet, which is inspired by a collection of essays and poems published by the Center for Humans and Nature. Some members are using a homemade pinhole camera to track the path of the sun. There was also a discussion about setting the camera out to create an image of the first full moon after the summer solstice on July 13th. Since I was in New Mexico visiting my dad at the time and did not have my pinhole camera, I opted to capture the event with my digital camera. From the parking lot of the retirement community where my dad lives, I watched the supermoon rise over the Sandia Mountains and slowly emerge from an embankment of clouds. I was mesmerized. If any of the residents saw me in the parking lot with my camera pointed toward the sky over the course of that hour, they may have wondered what the heck I was doing out there, and that perhaps, I had escaped from the memory care unit.

Rambler’s Barbershop

Rambler’s Barbershop in Decatur has a motto, “Come a stranger, leave a friend.” It’s the only barbershop I know of (okay, my experience is limited) where the client is offered a beer along with a haircut. One can multitask while sitting in the chair and not only drink, but also text while being barbered. 

Chalk Artists

Five chalk artists were featured at the Decatur Arts Festival last weekend. These artists are from Georgia, Florida, Texas, and California yet they have become friends and tend to create art together at various festivals across the country. I was fascinated by the empahsis on the gaze and eyes on all these works of art.

Susie

I’m out of practice asking strangers whether I can take their portrait, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. When I complimented Susie on her sunglasses, her face lit up and she agreed to let me take her picture. It turns out that she had been a model and felt right at home in front of the camera. Susie had been vacationing at Tybee Island for about 48 years. She started coming with her kids, then her grandkids, and now, with her great-grandchildren. Susie asked me where I was from, and when I told her Decatur, she jumped up and down and hugged me. Susie is practically a neighbor and lives in a community not too far away from me. We are all connected, whether we know it or not. This interaction and picture are a nice reminder of my last evening at Tybee Island.

Dog on Electric Skateboard

While photographing pigeons on the pier, look what whizzed by.

Dee the Barber

Last night I took Ellie, our pup, for a walk through McKoy Park, just down the street from our home. Under the picnic pavillion I noticed a barber cutting hair. I had seen him before, and although I had been curious about him, I had not stopped before to engage, not wanting to interrupt his work. Yesterday, I took a chance to speak up, and was rewarded with a beautiful interaction that made me realize how much I have missed meeting and photographing people on the streets. I learned that Dee had received his first clippers at the age of 14, the same year his mother died. He started to cut his own hair and when his firends at school admired his cut, he began cutting their hair. That was 37 years ago. When the pandemic hit, the shop he worked at closed, so Dee began to cut his client’s hair outside. Now he has a thriving business and travels all around town and beyond to cut hair. He is booked weeks in advance. The gentleman sitting in the chair said that he has known Dee for 20 years, and that Dee now cuts his son’s hair. “Dee is an artist. I would never let anyone else cut my hair.”

Update for Family in Need

Jessica and Jennifer share photos of their mother from many years ago. These precious memories help to ease their grief as they mourn the recent loss on thier mom.

I want to extend a huge thank you to all of you who have donated to the Aguilar Family GoFundMe campaign. In one week we have raised $3,860. Jessica and Jennifer are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support.

As you might recall, the Aguilar family lost their mother on January 5, 2022. Jessica, who is 23 was thrust into the role of head of household. Jessica is now responsible for caring for her sister, Jennifer, who is 19, and her brother, Christopher, who is 16 and autistic.

Since I started this fundraiser, Mark Caceres DMD, a friend of mine who is a dentist, took x-rays and performed a dental evaluation for Jessica and Jennifer at no cost to them. He developed a treatment plan for both and what is needed is extensive. Jennifer has been in pain for a while and needs two root canals. The total cost for treating both young women comes to $6,036 and that is with a 50% discount. The treatment costs are only for restorative work due to decay.

Mark is retiring in four weeks and will not be able to perform all the needed dental work on the girls unless we are able to raise another $2,180. Given that he is providing a 50% discount, the cost would be prohibitive if another dentist were to complete the treatment. 
 
If you have not had the chance to donate yet, please make a donation today at the Go Fund Me Campaign. Our priority is to ensure that Jessica and Jennifer can complete their dental treatments within the next four weeks before Mark retires. I would also appreciate it if you could share the fundraiser link that is posted on the Go Fund Me campaign website on social media and with others, you know. The more eyes on the fundraiser, the better!

A special thank you to Mark Caceres for his generosity. He is also a terrific photographer. To view his work visit his website or follow him on IG @markcaceresphotos.

Go Fund Me For Aguliar Family

Greetings Friends,

I am fundraising for the Aguilar family who is grieving and struggling financially after the death of their mother. In February, I read their story entitled, ”A daughter mourns her mom’s COVID death and tries to fill her shoes”  in the local paper. The daughter is Jessica Aguilar, who is 23 years old. After her mother’s death on January 5, 2022, Jessica was thrust into the role of head of household. Jessica is now responsible for caring for her sister, Jennifer, who is 19, and her brother, Christopher, who is 16 and autistic.

As a mother and caregiver to a daughter with autism, I understand the emotional and financial challenges that all caregivers face in caring for a child with a disability. In the best of circumstances, it is difficult. When I read the story about the Aguilar family, I knew that this young family would need lots of support and the needed resources to ensure that the family remains healthy and intact. 

Although both Jessica and Jennifer are employed, they are not able to meet all of the family’s monthly expenses. I am proposing that assistance from this fundraiser cover immediate medical care and support for a period of six months to allow the family to stabilize and develop a sustainable plan for their future. Donated funds will be available to the family immediately. 

Please consider making a donation today to this Go Fund Me Campaign. It would mean the world to me. By providing even a small donation, you can be part of the effort to instill hope and ease the way for a family that is coping as best they can in the face of a tragedy. I would also appreciate it if you could share my fundraiser link that is posted on the Go Fund Me campaign website on social media and with others you know. The more eyes on my fundraiser, the better!

With Gratitude,

Beate

A huge thank you to Virginie Kippelen  for creating the video about the Aguilar Family, and to Jessica, Jennifer, and Chris Aguilar for inviting us into your home and sharing your story.

Living the Life

We were thrilled to see the Dayton Flyers play a tournament in Nashville this weekend. My son graduated from college in December and promptly landed a job as an assistant coach at the University of Dayton. It is so great to see him so happy and living the life he loves, baseball 24/7.