ONCE I WAS
An artistic project focusing on childhood and memory
There is something remarkable about having a portrait of a person you once were but cannot remember being.
In my early years as a portrait artist, I photographed many of the newborns who shaped my work and my style. They arrived tiny, sleepy and completely unaware of the people they would become.
Now, nearly a decade later, I’m inviting some of those children back to the studio.
Who Were You Before You Could Remember?
For Once I Was, I’ll photograph each child as they are today: a portrait that is simple yet capturing their authentic personalities.
I’ll also sit with them for a short conversation about their newborn portrait.
What do they see when they look at that baby?
Does that baby feel like them?
Who do they think they were then?
Who do they believe they are now?
Their newborn portrait, their present-day portrait and a few of their own words will become part of an online collection exploring childhood, memory, identity and the quiet passage of time.
Who Can Participate?
This project is being offered to children I photographed as newborns between 2015 and 2019.
Because this is a curated artistic project, space will be limited and submitting an application does not guarantee participation.
If your child was one of those babies, I would love to hear from you!