Sunday, September 13, 2009

Preserving history

I'm developing a name for myself as "the wallpaper lady" around the area where my summer house is. Someone knows someone who knows me and the news of another house being renovated brings me to a new doorstep. Sometimes I'm expected/invited and sometimes I have to knock and own up to my rather odd interest. I've gotten questioning stares, but I've always left the house with a part of its history in my camera.

Ever since 2006 I've been photographing the layers of history in torn wallpaper. In a way I feel like I am preserving the history of these houses which have been sold to people who are renovating them for summer homes. Even though my Remnants series formed a solo show last May, it seems my love affair has not ended with the creation of this body of work. This summer I was introduced to the King house in Dunfield, Trinity Bay. Here are some of what I like to think of as "natural compositions":









5 comments:

Poetic Artist said...

These are beautiful.. I also love old wall paper.. When I see a old house and they are tearing it down. I stop and ask can I have a piece of the wall paper..I always get strange looks but they always share.

Mary Buek said...

What a great project. Love the wallpaper pictures.

TSL said...

You could do a fab coffee table book with your photos if you have info on the houses they were taken from!

I can totally identify. I get all emotional when it comes to old homes. If they have been abandoned and have wallpaper peeling from the walls my heart skips a beat. I think upon what all went on in the rooms and how many eyes gazed upon the paper, how many hands touched it. (sigh)

HeartFire said...

I just love old wallpaper and old houses, I think of all the stories they have absorbed. Your photo compositions are lovely!

ArtPropelled said...

Oh these are so beautiful!