MEMORIES – 14 x 22 framed canvas on sale for $185

This image is a fitting place to begin highlighting some of the signposts of my journey. It was taken in March 2010, in Rivington, Quebec. We knew we would be moving soon and had to get rid of a lot of stuff. I dragged out boxes of my old lesson plans, things I’d been saving since my retirement from teaching in 2005.  It was time, I knew it, but still, there was a bittersweet taste as I let go of so many fond memories. As the flames disappeared, the smoke began to billow out and surround what remained.  I reached down to touch the edge of a paper, and it crumbled instantly.  It was only ash, but curiously, it still held the shape, the memory of the paper it once was. How like my memories of teaching. For no reason l I looked up and took a picture of the bare branches of the tree over my head. Then I created a double exposure in the camera. This new image felt far more complete: tree to paper to ash, one great circle. In the lower left corner, there was a bit of writing still clinging to the ashes of the paper. Perhaps it said: “Everything passes”. High school teaching came and went, and my days as a professional photographer doing 8 shows a year are also over. But everything we love and lose comes around in another form, and the second image I’ll post the story of is a powerful reminder of that.

The sale has now begun. If there is an image I post that you would like to purchase, please message or email me @ reeniemarxphotography@gmail.com