Lace Curtain, Autumn

Salmon Arm, BC (Artist Statement)

Lace Curtain, Autumn: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada (2013) - Fine art abstract photograph showing a blurry mass of branches and  bright leaves behind a patterned lace curtain

This photo was made during one of my life's major transitions. My family, Fin at the tender age of 2, was moving between towns so I could begin a new job. We were in the midst of selling and buying houses, and I was studying for the exam that would be the capstone on the 10-year arch of required studies and articles to become a professional land surveyor.

I had begun the new job, and had sequestered myself for 3 weeks in a temporary rental – a room in a former seniors facility replete with a motorised staircase and only 1 other part-time resident. It was quiet like a crypt, but perfect for studying. I spent the weeks washed with anxiety and dread for the future, like only a man who is plunged into the deepest water can. It was cold, and I couldn't see the bottom, and I wasn't sure yet if I could swim.

It was early November, and the last of the bright leaves were falling under cold clouds that would soon be snow. Between study sessions, I would stare through this curtain from my single rocking chair watching these leaves quiver in the constant rain. It was comforting to know they were there.

This is one of the photographs that brings back the strongest feelings of nostalgia for me – the many threads, the wash of colour, the persistent blur of the unknown future. I can see my life in 2 planes, and I can feel the strong pull of many paths on the cool and tired soul of my former self.

— Lace Curtain, Autumn: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada (2013)

Share This Photo

© Mark Raymond Mason

Please properly cite all material you copy from MarkRaymondMason.com. Do not alter photographs, take photo tutorials out of context, or try to take credit for anything you find here. These photographs, and this website, are the product of many years of hard work.