I Had Been Young
In my series, "I Had Been Young," I felt compelled to delve into my personal narrative spanning the past few years using self-portraiture, herons that symbolize messengers of change and transformation, quilts to portray nurture and caring, and one very peculiar tree. Situated in the rear parking lot of the neighboring business where I lived upon moving to Akron, this distinctive tree captured my fascination. It really should not have been there, and has since been removed. I find it interesting that I chose to memorialize this strange thing, located in a hidden area and probably seen as an annoyance to most people. But I watched it grow and change over the seasons and always thought it was so unique and beautiful. And now I can also look back to how I have grown and changed over the seasons as well.