A narrative thread began weaving itself into my 35mm photography in the early 1980’s and in 1983 I filmed my first short on slumber parties in 16 mm B/W with the reflections of women as it being a rite of passage and fount of sexual knowledge (pre-internet). Other early films pursued self-reflection of women’s bodies in Mother Hula (1983) and women body builders in Diana and Acteon (1984).
I have spent many decades since recording the places and people I have visited, from Day of the Dead celebrations in various states in Mexico (Guanajuato, Queretero, Michoacan, CdMex and Oaxaca), casual interviews with artists and poets, a documentary on tattoo collecting by a Chicago area retiree, a portrait of the vendors at Maxwell Street in 1994 prior to their relocation and most recently a feature documentary portrait of Lee Godie, known as Chicago’s most collected artist. These are portraits of people I have known and personal experiences that have woven the view of the world I have experienced.
I have taught Chicago youth in a range of oral history and video poetry projects in Chicago Public Schools, as well as independently through city grants, the Chicago Children’s Museum, Chicago Park Districts and Gallery 37.
In 2025 I started working with my partner, Miguel Lopez Lemus, and the Centro Cultural Comunitario de Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico on an oral history project between youth and the seniors in their community in their native Zapotec. This is an ongoing community project that will be part of their permanent community archive.
I am currently working on my personal archives, painting and editing new portraits of places and people.