Q & A
Talk about your background in Photography and how this experience informs the work you do with At-risk kids.
I spent over ten years based out of New York City working with renown photographers, producing photography shoots around the world and managing careers. I have always worked in the Arts, first as a freelance special events coordinator for various Arts organizations. I then became Director of Development for a small non-profit in Opera and Ballet in New York.
Whether I was trying to fill Carnegie Hall for a benefit concert, or coordinating an H.B.O. shoot with the cast from “Sex in the City,” I brought a vision for success to the group or individual, coupled with a tireless work ethic that focused on achieving the desired outcome. I have always acted as a coach of sorts, supporting and devising platforms for the talent to grow and excel in their field.
What I bring from my years in the Photography world is a finely honed aesthetic, the tools to make it come alive and the gumption to help my “students’ stick with it until they achieve personal success.
What similarities are there between working with top photographers and the kids?
There are actually many similarities between professional photographers and the kids whom I work with. With no disrespect to the pro shooters, most “artists” are fairly insecure about themselves and their ability to aptly express their vision or version of the world. It takes great sensitivity, and a deep drive for greatness in your “students” to do this work well.
I eat and breathe what I do and have for many, many years. Working with the kids has only enhanced my passion and the drive for excellence has taken on new meaning. Instead of aiming for commercial acceptance, I ask my charges to reach deep within themselves to find their true voice, and to feel free to express themselves in their own unique manner. The difference is that there is no editor, art director or client to please, which is liberating. Now they only have to release their inner critic and shoot, shoot, shoot!
Explain how this program is unique or different from other programs of its kind?
Unlike other “cameras for kids” programs, my intentions go beyond introducing the camera as a means of capturing a place or even telling a story, though I do this too. The work begins with the intention of building self-esteem and fostering a sense of discovery through multi-disciplinary learning methods.
My M.S. in Counseling Psychology really comes to bear when working with kids who are behaviorally, emotionally and learning challenged. I combine an innate sensitivity with an acute awareness of the specific strengths and deficits of each person. Underlying all of my specific methods is the belief that these kids have so much to offer, to share and to give. I hold them to a high standard and help them to achieve it!
What have the kids shown you?
The kids have shown me great talent, great heart, and have ushered in a new era in my own development by revealing themselves and their precious vision of their world, through their photographs and writings. I am grateful to them for this and consider myself very fortunate to be doing something I am so committed and passionate about.
Why did you want to work with children at- risk?
Working with this population came about by “accident.” as I happened upon the St. Vincent’s School for Boys campus last summer. Discovering that there was a school for boys who were challenged emotionally, physically and behaviorally, coincided with my need to find an internship in order to complete my Master’s in Psychology.
I was struck by the contrast in the pure beauty of the setting of the school and the raw needs of these kids. The fact that they had never had photography classes before made the light bulb go off in my head. I was inspired to create a class that would serve to merge the artistic arena of photography with the sensitivity and awareness of psychology.
I was lucky enough to get the chance to put my vision into practice in a matter of a month. Thus began my efforts at creating a curriculum, obtaining donations of cameras, film and materials, and teaching my first 15-session class.
This class was born in order to develop and support the hearts and minds of the boys of the Timothy Murphy School through photography.
What kinds of challenges do these kids have?
Most of these kids have suffered neglect or abuse of some sort, whether emotional, physical, or sexual . In many cases, the abuses occurred at key developmental times physiologically, thus impairing normal development and influencing behavior.
Motor skills are often compromised, and though these kids are actually quite intelligent, they may not have great writing skills or verbal abilities. However, the sensory perceptions are frequently more pronounced and by offering a visual palette for them to express themselves, with the added stamp of “reality” that photography brings to bear, there is a powerful force available to bring about self-perception and change.
What have been some of the results?
In every case the kids grow in their ability to make good pictures. No one can walk out of my class and not be a much better photographer, both technically and aesthetically driven toward a new vision in their minds eye.
Other results include marked behavioral improvements, and an ability to express joy, even if only in my classroom at first. There is a sense of accomplishment and achievement through positive feedback from myself, their teachers, peers and families, through sharing their work in a photography exhibit for all to see.
What can you do one-on-one? What kind of problems can you work with?
One-on-one work is often the most effective, especially with people who are learning-challenged with disabilities ranging from Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyslexia, Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder and Reactive Attachment Disorder.
The greatest benefit can come from one-on-one work in many ways, because I can tune into the particular needs and strengths of the individual I am working with, and customize the work toward achieving attainable goals.