Tempest in the Glass

In times of social upheaval such as what we experienced in 2020, I retreat to my garden where I construct and photograph still lifes on a glass table. After taking a hiatus from the still lifes, I returned to the theme of the glass table late in the Fall of 2024 when I understood our country was descending into another crisis. The glass table has always been a place where I can respond to events that pop up on our daily news. The distorted scenes mirror the complex relationships of the events in the larger world. As I set objects on the table I am noting how light changes the reflections and colors on the glass as the sun cycles through the day and seasons. I fill the table with transparent containers, dying flowers, decaying produce, toy pests and on occasion an aggressive fish. I choose to use the glass surface as a backdrop because I love how glass distorts the ground beneath the table with the reflection of the ever changing sky. It is through reflections and shadows on my table that I am able to set a tone for the image I am photographing. My pictures are a looking glass that reflect the worries, anger and anxiety I feel when I consider the events that happen beyond my garden.