Meghan Crandall
10 months of pandemic >>> 10 photographs. In chronological order. An evolution? Words began to appear in the middle months. Went to almost all botanical towards end of year... what does it mean?
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This assemblage series is a natural continuation of my Joshua Tree collection. It was a compelling way to create photographs close to home, while helping to calm my nervous energy during a year of sadness, turmoil and Stay Home/Stay Healthy orders. Seattle's eclectic neighborhoods and Washington's wide open wilderness were my salvation. I continued to gather flora + flotsam on my walks and hikes, creating a series of Close-to-Home compositions. These photographs are especially reflective of the seasons, as they helped me mark the passage of time, while I dreamed of brighter days ahead. Wherever my wanderlust takes me, I'm always on the lookout for unloved treasure. I'm drawn to how the simple pieces we may find on a daily walk speak volumes about our culture and environment. Discarded human-made objects encroaching and inevitably integrating with the graceful creations of nature. I focus on harmoniously combining these artifacts to paint an honest portrait of our landscapes today. My hope is that these photographs will encourage people to contemplate the enormous importance of maintaining balance in all areas of life.
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"I try to imbue my assemblage photographs with a scientific aesthetic, like vintage specimen plates pulled from an old wooden flat file or an oversized book with yellowed pages and a crumbling spine."