Time Travel

Photo Essay

Ellyna Spyker (top), 92, and Jane Szalobryt (bottom), 86, enjoy looking at Summerfield's fish before supper. Ellyna and Jane have been friends for over 50 years and moved to the retirement home together earlier this year. Though they do not have much family left, these two have gotten a lot of friends since they moved to Summerfield and try to remain active with the activities provided for them.

Residents of Summerfield Estates sit at their tables as they await for supper to begin. Laurel Parish (front left) and Hazel Grove (front right) converse as the managers come around with the coffee.

The hands of old age reveal the wrinkles of experience.

GG Holberton, formerly a model in her young age, laughs with her friends during dinner.

Ginny Parker and her friend, Cece Love, have an intriguing conversation during the dinner service.

Rosemary Close enjoys a game of bingo after supper. Every week, the residents of Summerfield Estates gather to play games. Bingo is one of their favorites. Each participant puts in one dollar and the winners are given a share of how much money was collected, usually about two to three dollars. They play a little over 10 games in one sitting. They alternate between normal bingo rules and other shapes with the bingo chips. They could play Wine Glass or X Marks the Spot or Postage Stamp. The very last game, however, is a blackout, and the winner of that gets the $11 that Summerfield contributes to each bingo game.

A resident walks toward the doors leading out of Summerfield Estates. For some residents, the Estates are their last stop. But others must leave their friends in independent living and move to assisted before they make their final departure.

Artist's Statement

My artwork expresses the way that I see the world and my perceptions to that world. While black-and-white film photography is preferable, I have been experimenting with the digital works of photoshop. I tend to fall on the more abstract side of photography and enjoy nature shots. While playing with different topics, I have found that I rather fancy snapshots of hands. There is a lot that a hand can demonstrate, whether it be emotion or movement. When I think of my photography, I think of a painting. I do not photograph events in time, but a still life created with the flash of the camera. I use photography to get a different angle on reality. Seeing an ordinary object through the lens of a camera offers a completely new perspective. I am inspired by the photos of others and by my own artwork. I hope to continue to embrace photography and to progress in my skill.

Mosaic

Exquisite Corpse

The exquisite corpse was made in a form of musical chairs. As each student moved to a different seat, they added their own photo and edited and transformed what was left from the last.

Flower Power

Multiple Exposure