When I think of how much I used to draw, photograph and anything else creative, I think back to that time. I think of all the things involved. Where I was at in school, where I was living, what was going on in my life at that time and I conclude that my life has changed drastically since that time.

Three years ago, I was in my second year of photography. I was, at that point, getting all of my assignments together and getting ready to finish up for Christmas. One night while trying to get an essay written, I got a call from my Mom. We chatted for a few minutes and then she told me my father was sick, he was in the hospital she told me. Well, I went home early for Christmas. Three weeks later, my Dad passed away. It was really hard but after a very extended Christmas vacation, I came back to Fredericton to finish up my photography diploma.

After I came back, things were the same as they were before I left. Except that I had an abundance of creativity. Before I had left PEI I took all kinds of black & white photographs of the home my parents shared together and the things that were just as Dad left them. Over the next two years at school I would work with these photographs. Developing them, sorting them and arranging them into the story of my father and how he is no longer here. This is called, "In my Father's Absence".

At the same time as I was working with photographs, I was also illustrating memories of my Dad. I later compiled these illustrations into a book for Graphics called, "Life with my Dad". I hope to publish it someday.

Essentially, the two projects above are about life and death. I didn't mean for it to happen that way but life and death are very perplexing issues.

You see... even writing this blog is helping my cause. Just realizing that neither of those two things are done. I think I have to finish them before I can ever get seriously into what I have been lacking. I am going to try and work on those two things instead of trying to drum up new stuff.


*Above there is a an old photograph of my Dad with his brother and sisters. It is about 1945, he is in the top left. This is part of the series that I had been compiling.*