The Spaces I Walked 

Memories swirl in and out of focus as I explore the places that I once walked. Some memories depict laughter, some a beaming face of youth, all are snapshots that capture the image of a younger self that I once belonged to. Reversing in time, I am reminded of the steps I once walked and how these spaces have become imprinted in my mind.  When reviewing these layered experiences, I wondered do these places remember me? Did I leave an imprint like these places left on me?

Cataloging my memories, I am reminded of difficult times that stained my happy memories. How abuse and strife can color an image and a mind. These stains are shown in the layers, coloring the memories that I hold. As I further confront my past, I am reminded that in the midst of strife, hope is always found. The girl that stares back, is a ghost of my former self. She is strong, brave, and kind heartened. She does not balk at these stains, but instead stares through them. Looking out at these places and images toward the future, she asks the viewer to see the good within the tarnished edges of the space she inhabits.

I am reminded how time slips through us all, and how this time becomes memories we keep. Time heals wounds and has healed mine. Time has also colored my memories of once was. In this series I ask you to explore how perseverance is seen in smiling faces and unknown places. I hope you feel the love of a young girl that looked for a way out and persevered amidst the layers of pain and came out a stronger woman in the end.