Saturday, April 19, 2008

Traffic Zone Opening

The opening tonight went very well I think, it was a great turn out. I think a couple of the girls might have even sold some work.

I was exciting seeing my work up of the wall, I'm even more excited for our graduation show then I was before.

The show runs until the 25th at Traffic Zone Center the Visual Art. #250 3rd Ave N, Minneapolis

Feel free to visit.





Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The lighter side

It was nice to see that much of New Orleans held onto its heritage after the storm. A few historic homes made it through relevantly unscathed, and others great measures have been taken to bring back its protectoral integrity.

I was fascinating walking through the warehouse full of what to most people looks absolute junk but to the people of "Rebuild New Orleans Together" this was virtual gold mine. Even after everything these odd and ends of someone’s home had been thrown they still maintained more color in their withered pain then I've seen in most Minnesota suburban neighborhood.










Tuesday, April 1, 2008

No Place Like Home

Hello all,

So I finally landed in Minneapolis last night, 24 hours after I was originally scheduled to land, I was really hoping the snow would be gone by the time I got back, instead I was met with a blizzard. Well I guess I wouldn't have it any other way, it a true Minnesota welcome home.

I was a very long and horrible two days of cancellations, delays, and yet another hotel room. Long story short never ever fly American Airlines.

However the story did have a good ending. Jon proposed to me in the airport last night. Instantly everything that happened the last 30 some hours melted away.

I promise I'll get more picture up soon and hopefully some recorded interviews I took as well. I leave tomorrow for Vegas and will be gone for another week so it might take some time, be patient with me and you will be rewarded :)

-Beth

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Mean Streak

It's almost time to go home and I am super excited to see everyone. We just got back from the lower 9th Ward. Our shoot got called on a count of rain. I could've kept working but apparently some people think they're prone to melt : )

I've had a pretty mean streak of bad luck. Yesterday four of us went out for another casual shoot nothing planned we just went out to a spot that Rich wanted to see. There we found a house that has been untouched (as far as we can tell) since the storm. A lady named Nora was there showing her sister and family the same house. I started interviewing her and in the middle of it my ipod died. So I moved onto taking pictures of her and her kids and then this house. The hardest part was a little boy’s room. His bed, his clothes, his toys, all tossed on top of each other. Next to it was the parents room and there I found a rusted metal picture frame with the little boys picture still in it. Judging from the water lines I believe the water came up about 10 or so feet on this house. It is located less then a block from one of the leave breaks.

The sucky part came at dinner. I pulled out my camera to show Caitlin some of the photos only to find out that my card corrupted and all the images are probably gone. I'm taking the card home to Jon; hopefully he can work some of his magic and bring a couple of the images back. It sucks because I previewed the images on the back of the camera, so I can see them in my head, and I know they were some of my favorites from this trip. But now I can't get them from my head to paper.

To add insult to injury my ipod died again today in the middle of another interview. And so I couldn't use it later when a local man was telling us his experience to trying to help his and three other families escape the 9th Ward.

Sign.... such is life.

I did get some good stuff today that I'm working on right now. So, I'll talk to you all later. I should be home tomorrow sometime after 5ish. If the sun comes back out we might make one more trip to the 9th ward tomorrow bright and early.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Ipod trouble

I really do have more information on stories, names, etc. but my ipod is tweaking out today for some reason so I'll have to come back to that later.

Ms. Gibbs

We went to see some of the working being done by "Rebuild New Orleans". Basically they are a group that is reclaiming and restoring many of the older homes that historic value to them. The keep as much of the old home (wood work, doors window) as possible in attempt to preserve New Orleans rich architecture heritage.

We also met a couple of locals who are going to or just moved into their new home. These two people had both been through so much hell, and yet they had such positive attitudes, and they thanked God for everyday. they were some of the warmest people I've every met. Ms. Gibbs had just moved back into her new home yesterday. She was rescued by a boat from her perch on top of her kitchen sink (she will be turned 80 something next week). After my photo shoot with her I went to shake her hand and she pulled me into a big hug and said I love, which she said to everyone. after that I stepped outside and had to take a moment to regain my composure. How, how can things like this happen to people like that? How can they being so compassionate towards those of us who have never lost anything when they have lost everything. Of all the things I've seen this short little woman has touched me the most.

Mrs. Gibbs tells us about how after being recued she went to live with her son who then died a month later. She lost four sons, a husband and mother with in three years. For a woman who's seen so much grief she has such an up beat attitude.





Sydney is still living in a trailer in the yard behind his house. During the flood he escaped to his cousins house who lives next door, they then had to be rescued from his cousins attic.



This is from the warehouse where they keep part of old buildings, they clean them up and resell them to contractors.

The recording is of the kids from Hillel who gave up their spring break to come help build houses.


John works for Rebuild New Orleans Together. He was the one nice effect to show us around different work sites today.



Habitats for Humanity

We spent some time at Habitats for Humanity, photographing the the progress coming along in the musicians village. It a colorful lot of houses most of which belong to musicians who were displaced by the storm. Yesterday we followed around a group of high school kids all in a jazz band who gave up their spring break to help build houses. During their lunch break they also put on a performance of jazz music. It was excited to watch the older musicians come streaming in and jump into a jamming season with these kids. I don't know much about Jazz music but from the look on the kids faces I knew this was a big deal. I have some sound recording I want to post hopefully in the next couple days so stay toned.










Pearl is a local who recently moved back to New Orleans after being in Florida for the past two years, her mother is still stuck in Huston, for a large close family the hardest part of this is the separation.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

First Days of shooting

Hello all,

I wanted to blog last night, but after a long day of travel and a long night of hunting for buses I was exhausted and not looking forward to getting up early the next morning.

Today I have one blister (so far) a light sunburn and a handful of fantastic images. I think I could go home happy now, but I have a whole week left to work.

We started out this morning in the Holy Cross neighborhood shooting houses that are still damaged after the flood, Many people have started to come back, others are still working on their houses, and still others have not even start. Many of the houses still bare the tell tale signs of the x left by search crews. Many houses look good as new except for the spray panted light, I have to wonder if these marks are left intentionally, almost like a battle wound, telling the world "I lived, I fought, and I'm home".

In the evening we hung out in the French Quarter photographing people on the street as well as some beautiful architecture.




It's hard to see but on a small thumbnail, the marks above the house say there were three dead in this house. It was a strange feeling; this was the first and so far the only houses we've seen were victims were found inside. As we drive from site to sight, you can feel your eyes being pulled to my marks looking and hoping to see another spray painted zero. Thank God for the zeros.





In Holy Cross we met Ms. Stacy she told about the neighborhood the picture above is of the pilet house she mentions.



Friday, March 21, 2008

Portfolio Next Step

I have spent the last couple days at home packing, cleaning a mountain of laundry, and tying up loose ends before leaving on Monday, at 6 AM! yuck.

So last week with a LOT of help I got my portfolio narrowed down to the following order. It's not done, not by a long shot, but it is nice to watch my modest little book grow up into a true portfolio I can feel proud of.