Moments of Solitude

Other than having internal conversations with our muses, Artists and writers live in solitude, and without it, our creative voices would suffocate and lie dormant until there is an opportunity to meet again with our muses and an important part of ourselves. To me, this is a good kind of solitude, one that feeds me, and I thrive on it. A good day of creative work by myself can feel enormously satisfying and I have little need for company, and I can feed off this for days.

But there is another kind of solitude. Everyone is born and dies alone, and in the meantime, there can be plenty of alone time. Some can feel good, but often, if we are feeling the lack of company, or FOMO (fear of missing out), not so much. When what fills our lives is unbalanced, with that alone time becoming too large, the world can feel like a very sad and empty place. This is more than a post-pandemic disconnect from the world. In many ways, I think Baby Boomers have forgotten how to be friends in the way that we were as kids. 

Once when I was maybe eight or nine and accompanying my mother to the grocery store, I noticed an old woman in the next checkout line, buying a few items to undoubtedly, eat in her tiny dark kitchen by herself. Suddenly, I realized that this could be my mother’s future, or possibly mine and I cried, already feeling lonely for what the future could hold. I could never have dreamed of the pandemic. But, we have emerged and I realize that yes, there are days that feel as dreary and lonely as that, but there are plenty of happy times, filled with companionship. And yet, images of contemplation and solitude, have always spoken to me. I have been shooting photos of people alone for years. Profiles in Solitude is a group of digitally created images taken from these photos, where I have observed people in their moments of aloneness. Perhaps these images will speak to you as well.

They can be ordered as prints, offered in my shop at 18 x 24, mounted on Gator Board and ready to hang, with other sizes and framing options available by request.