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Artist Statement: the stages of restoration More often than not, we do not know the stories behind the family pictures we find in our attics, leaving us to project our own meaning and history. For me, the use of these vintage images connects the past as an important part of our present. Alongside projections, habits and psychological patterns are passed from one generation to the next. When self-defeating habits rise to our consciousness, and more important when we act on changing these routines, we can break free from what confines us. The cut-out silhouettes imply the loss of a person who suffers from these blind spots. These silhouettes are the play of photography framing the repeated habits of people in new environments; it is a frame within a frame. Though we don't see the people whose bodies are removed, we see their gestures and absences. Not only do we naturally perform those gestures, we learn them. Meanwhile, these newly isolated figures reenter the contemporary world in search of new contexts. These remote figures have accomplished a journey through their dark nights of the soul and now have the capacity to reveal their deeper, truer selves. Once we fully release our past and other collective memories, we can create a stronger sense of place. Dedicating oneself to venture through a vulnerable, lonely path leads to shedding light on the subconscious and conscious voices in our minds. Commitment -- to personal growth and healing -- is ultimate freedom.