Joyous Memories Open Edition

The genesis of "Where Memory Softly Falls" emerged in the late autumn of 2023, during a breathtaking drive down the Columbia River Gorge with my younger sister Toren on a radiant autumn evening, just days after our final visit with our sister Cheryl, who would soon depart from us. The vibrant landscape mirrored the raw, unresolved emotions of impending loss, becoming the visual echo of a profound personal transition.

This series explores the experience of grasping at slipping memories and the shock of absence when a beloved sibling, deeply connected to the Great Mystery of art and the wild, moves between worlds. In these dreamlike compositions, I feel her spirit ascend even as her journey ends and a new one begins for those of us left behind.

Through composite photographs—layering images to reflect fragmented memories and evolving perspectives—I recreate the brilliant abundance of nature, often incorporating symbolic figures and elements. These pieces evoke the veil between living and departed realms, exploring themes of spirit and lingering presence.

"Where Memory Softly Falls" is an evolving series, a contemplative journey shaped by the ebb and flow of dream and memory. In remembrance of Cheryl and her passion for the light of spirit, a portion of each sale from this series will be donated to the Manna Fund in her name.