©2001 H.M.C.

Frustration sometimes leads to creation. Frustrations with the gallery scene I was experiencing led me into business for myself. I began ICEBOX and in the first year I exhibited "Home." This exhibit was my 2nd one person show aptly named "Home", as it was in my own gallery. This work of color-manipulated Cibachromes expressed my sadness and sense of loss over the changing landscape and abandonment of the American family farm. It was at this time that my manipulations on the original slide amounted to only the addition of color. The melting and cutting and gluing used in "Night Dance" and "Civilized Dreams" was replaced with images photographed with the color enhancements anticipated. Remember all of this was taking place just before the introduction of computer programs such as Photoshop. This body of work was created over a period of 4 years and many travels out into rural America. I spent many afternoons in crumbling abandoned farm houses reveling in the wonderful textures created when nature has its way with things we build. When in an abandoned home I have felt many strong emotions and at times the presence of spirits. I felt America in transition when making my photographs. Most of the sites I visited have since been burned in the name of progress or have crumbled away and now only a grove of trees stands as a reminder of a special place.