Some believe that objects possess souls—or at the very least, that they absorb energy and exude a presence that can be felt. I am irresistibly drawn to the lost and the broken. Inspired by my mother’s passion, I often spend hours in second-hand shops, uncovering fascinating relics. I love capturing these unintentional still lifes and crafting narratives around them.

In October 2022, while in Shreveport, Louisiana for an SPE conference, I was invited to contribute to a local photography competition called The Golden Lens, which required creating images on site. With only a few hours to spare, I ventured into a local thrift store and selected a few quirky figures—a set of clown figures and a doll—to serve as my models around town.

I enjoyed the project so much that I began collecting new figures in every town I visit. I often photograph each figure in the environment where it was discovered, though many still await their moment to be captured. What started as a spontaneous experiment has evolved into a playful exploration—a chance to assemble odd, quirky characters into unexpected narratives. Although I continue to cherish the straightforward charm of thrift store still lifes, photographing these objects in their natural settings—and layering the images with handwritten text and rich textures—allows me to create work that is both expressive and poetic.

The concept behind Adventures of the Discarded delves into themes of rejection and transformation. At its core, the project is about the hidden potential within things that have been cast aside. Each figure, once deemed unworthy or forgotten, carries the weight of its past yet holds the promise of renewal. In embracing what society discards, these objects find new life, purpose, and a home—a metaphor for the resilience and rebirth that can follow even the deepest rejection. This work celebrates the journey from abandonment to rediscovery, suggesting that what is overlooked or cast off may, in fact, be brimming with untold stories and unrecognized beauty.