Staff Creative Residency Summer 2024
Capturing the Stories of Yesterday, Today
As a child, my love for photography was born in the photo aisles of Walmart and Kmart, where my family and I would eagerly develop films from 35mm and Polaroid cameras that chronicled our lives. Whether it was my pink Kodak 35mm camera or a disposable one brought along on school trips, photography became my way of preserving cherished moments. My parents, avid photographers themselves, instilled in me the art of storytelling through images. My mom’s meticulously crafted scrapbooks were an endless source of inspiration, sparking my lifelong passion for visual storytelling.
Years later, this passion came full circle when I was encouraged to apply for a prestigious Staff Creative Residency. My vision was to create a photography project to transport viewers back to an era brimming with nostalgia, paying tribute to my parents and grandmother’s enduring love for documenting life’s most precious memories. Through this project, I sought to channel the complex emotions of loss and healing, particularly as I continue to navigate the grief of my grandmother’s passing.
Receiving the Staff Creative Residency Summer 2024 was a transformative experience. During the residency, I delved into the themes of relationships and the chaos of life, revisiting my family’s collection of photos alongside my own. This journey led me to Crawford, Mississippi, where I retraced the steps of my childhood, revisiting my grandmother’s home, the church that held her funeral, and her final resting place. These locations were not just places—they were memories etched in time that shaped my creative vision. By capturing these spaces as they are today, I honored my family’s legacy while preserving the beauty of what it once was.
This project became more than a nostalgic tribute; it began an ambitious endeavor to weave past and present into a tapestry of visual storytelling. Through this website, I aim to expand on this journey, merging film, photography, and digital storytelling to archive the people, places, and moments that shaped my world.
Explore my completed Staff Creative Residency and my ongoing film and photography work. Let’s embark on a shared journey into the art of storytelling—where every image tells a story, and every story connects us to something greater.
Images from my Summer 2024 Staff Creative Residency
Remembering My Grandmother
Driving to Crawford, Mississippi
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
Driving to Crawford, Mississippi
I drove to Crawford, Mississippi, and revisited where my grandmother lived. Seeing this sign evoked so many emotions. We spent many days driving from Water Valley, Mississippi to visit her. I always looked forward to being with her.
Crawford, MS
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
Driving to Crawford, Mississippi
As I drove into the Crawford, I immediately felt overwhelming emotion. So many days and nights were spent in this town. Additionally, I realized that I hadn't been to Crawford in a very long time. I didn’t visit the town when I last visited my grandmother’s grave. She relocated while I was growing up in Columbus, so it’s probably been over 20 years since I have been within the city limits of Crawford.
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
Recognizing the Post Office in Crawford, MS
The love she shared with all of us left a lasting impression on me. Despite Crawford being such a small town, I was shown big love and enjoyed unforgettable moments with my grandmother.
Recognizing the Post Office in Crawford, MS
Recognizing the Post Office in Crawford, MS
Recognizing the Post Office in Crawford, MS
Seeing the post office still in the same place, I thought about the many letters we wrote to her, the letters she wrote to us and to my parents. When my family and I arrived in Crawford, we always stopped at the post office to pick up her mail, since she didn’t have transportation. As I reflected on the many things we did to help my grandmother, I remember enjoying being able to do anything that she needed for her to do.
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
Recognizing the Post Office in Crawford, MS
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
The love she shared with all of us left a lasting impression on me. Despite Crawford being such a small town, I was shown big love and enjoyed unforgettable moments with my grandmother.
Lodge Street
Recognizing the Post Office in Crawford, MS
Remembering Crawford, Mississippi
For your years, we would turn right onto Lodge Street to visit my grandmother or turn left off of Lodge Street to return to Water Valley. Seeing this street sign, I remember the excitement I felt when I knew how close we were to visiting my grandmother. I also remember the tears we cried every time we had to leave. Ironically, when my older children would like my parents’ home, they cried, too. It’s truly a blessing to live so close to my family now.
My Grandmother's Home
Remembering the Church
My Grandmother's Home
Once I turned on Lodge Street, I felt anxious. Not knowing what to expect, I truly wanted to see what was left of my grandmother's land and home. When I arrived at the location where she lived. I could not believe that the area looks nothing like what I remember. Some of the land is trees and is overgrown. There is a home where yard once was. Nothing about the place now shows any homage to my grandmother. This was a stark reminder that she truly is gone.
Sadness Either Way
Remembering the Church
My Grandmother's Home
I took a photo of the street sign because either direction represented sadness and death for me. If I turned left, I would arrive at the grave site of my grandmother. If I turned right, I would arrive at the church where my grandmother was buried. Neither direction brings me joy.
Remembering the Church
Remembering the Church
Remembering the Church
This photo is of the church where my grandmother’s funeral was held. I remember standing near my silver Chevy Impala in the parking lot, reminiscing with my cousins, aunts, and other family. I could still hear one of the songs performed at her funeral. The song was Precious Lord. To this day, I hate hearing that song because it reminds me of the day that my grandmother was buried. That song reminds me of the reality that my grandmother is truly gone forever.
The Street
Viewing the Gravesite
Remembering the Church
My grandmother is burried on this street. Her grave is actually right across the street from this sign. The name, W. Lindsey Ferry, always reminds me of the fact that my grandmother was taken away from me, just like a ferry takes people away from a designated location.
Viewing the Gravesite
Viewing the Gravesite
Viewing the Gravesite
My grandmother’s final resting place is down the street from the church. Pulling up to her grave, my heart felt so empty. When I took this photo, the moment felt as painful as it did the day I watched her casket go into the ground and the dirt being thrown over it. I couldn’t help but cry. I would love to have had more time with her. She was such a strong person, and I would have loved to bathe more in her wisdom and knowledge.
My Aunt: Annie Lue
Viewing the Gravesite
Viewing the Gravesite
Next to my grandmother's grave is the grave of my Aunt Annie. I am named after her. She passed in 2005, just a few months after my first marriage and before my second child. I was very young when I would see her, but I do remember her kind smile. Her smile was so welcoming. My mom shared really great stories about her, and I love hearing them.
My Maternal Grandmother: Rev. Maggie T. Mosley
The Power of Photos and Words
The Polaroid camera was my grandmother’s favorite camera. Often, I would hold the blank canvas recently released by the Polaroid camera and await the quick transformation to the photo image that my grandmother took. Sometimes, we would fan them quickly, as if fanning helped the photo transform quicker. I don’t know if this made it work, but I loved feeling like it did.
The photo to the left was taken on Christmas Day. My grandmother always dressed nicely no matter where she went. Holidays were special and important to her. I particularly love this photo because the caption is written in her handwriting. She wrote a lot and took lots of photos. I still remember going to the store to purchase 70 ct tablets for her to record the happenings of the day or to write letters to her children and grandchildren. Her love for journaling and taking photos was passed down to me. My photo collection includes over 84,000 photos and 3,000 videos. I scrapbook often, too. I miss her so much.