poorworm

Last weekend it was a tiny bone hand, yesterday three mystery shoes. My dear friend Todd J. witnessed the entirety of The Shoe Story, so if this sounds like the ramblings of a loon, you can verify with him. The first one appeared at my middle school. Just a little lonely green shoe, stuck outside a locker. Waiting, wanting, curious perhaps. I saw it on the floor as we walked down the music hallway. We came to school on saturday to get a few things from my classroom. I am leaving my teaching position in middle school to move to a high school in the fall. I thought the shoe was poignant and a little sad.

After clearing out a car load of things (and there will be more sessions for clearing out, but not until early July) we headed over to Belltown to the Form/Space Atelier run by Paul Pauper. He gave us a tour of the show and then we visited The Underground, a fabulous venue for The Punk Rock Flea Market and various other shows. It was there that I saw this little blue shoe hanging from the latch to the back door. Odd, lovely still life, and it’s curious visual similarity to the first shoe, left me wandering, is this a sign?

Then a bit later, we’re in Georgetown for Art Attack, the super-great 2nd Saturday Art Walk in the heart of the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. Now, the third shoe was even more mysterious. When I saw it, I knew this had to be about something. Three little lonely shoes in one day? This one was high up on a pole, on a nail, that pierced a book onto a phone pole. A little black Converse, hanging in the air. Todd lifted me onto his shoulders to snap the photo. What could all the shoes mean?

all images taken with my cellphone.

I found this tiny bone hand in my driveway yesterday. Some friends were outside working and I spotted it in the dirt. At first it scared me and I didn’t want to touch it. One friend dug it out, as he released it from the soil I stuck out my hand to take it and then I knew it was sign. So many hands have helped me, so many connections, like tiny bones we are forever linked. I know it must seem morbid…but I think it’s beautiful too.

Ambrotype wet-plate photo by Daniel Carrillo

Tomorrow Night. Look for a one-night only exhibit at the Gallery 40 mobile space on the corner of Prefontaine, Yesler, and S. Washington. Photographer Todd Jannaucsh will be showing new photographs and musician Caleb Thompson will be accompanying with live music. Todd was recently awarded an Individual Artists’ Project grant from 4Culture to fund the Gallery 40 installation. He’ll be using the funds to help support and showcase artists throughout the Summer and into part of the Fall. Read more about Gallery 40 at their website Gallery40.com.

Walking around Seattle with his Hasselblad, Todd takes long exposures of what he sees and perhaps what many of us don’t see. He calls the show “Welcome to Fold City,” to view more of his work go to his website: toddjanausch.com