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A few years ago, a friend of mine sent me a number of family photos. She had seen some of the larger pieces that I was creating using vintage photos. She commented that no one in her family could identify anyone in her cache. and she was going to throw them away. 

It was a treasure trove of black and white photos from the 1930s to the 1970s.
After that, I was inspired to look for more photos of people, particularly in front
of buildings, structures or vehicles. 

Over the years, I've acquired hundreds of "snapshots" from around the country. Scouring bins in antique stores and perusing EBay, I have acquired enough
to keep me working for years. These photos are usually unmarked, but occasionally have cryptic handwritten notes or dates. Unfortunately,
most are undated and the subjects are unidentified.

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One of the aspects of creating this mixed media that I love is how much there
is to discover in these grainy images. As I begin to embroider in color, small figures sometimes appear in the background. The nostalgic feeling is so present in these pictures. Yet, when I apply large vines, water, smoke or flames, the images become ominous. I place the subjects in these images in dire peril,
or at least, uncomfortable situations caused by nature's dominance to overcome what we've done to our planet. But they continue to smile for
the camera.

I wonder what our nostalgia will look like in the decades ahead.
What will we miss that we take for granted now?

And is it too late, already?