Horace & Agnes A Love Story was inspired by 2 masks, a horse and a squirrel, that for whatever reason, reminded me of a middle aged couple. I envisioned them embarking on a mid-century romance. As I continued to shoot, themes began to develop. Having recently concluded a more cerebral, darker body of work, I saw brightness in this couple. There was color. There was comfort in the nostalgia. There was hope. This project became an assemblage of feelings from the loss of passed loved ones, their possessions, and their stories. The masks became a vehicle for others to participate literally and figuratively. A litany of friends and some strangers joined our team to pose as characters and those participating as viewers could see themselves or their parents or their grandparents in these roles because the masks dismissed common features and biases. The images are mostly self-portraits and shot on location or in a set designed in our house. Props are carefully curated and usually meaningful to the character, the story, or the artist. The photo, Dandelion Field, features a giant vintage umbrella. This came from my American family that brought me to the states. During shooting, a woman stopped to thank me for making her day. She grew up with that umbrella. There are stories to most of the photos. They may mention people that have passed or a memorable scenario from childhood. It’s silly what you remember and what can hold meaning in one’s life. The search for connection is the viewer’s choice. I’ve been there, I’ve seen this, I’ve lost that. There is something for everyone. The devil is in the details and hope springs eternal.