Anita DeMatteo Sanborn, My Maternal Grandmother Was Born
"Nanny, Kitty, and the Kaiser, 1950" 20 x 20 inches on composite board. All photos are clickable to enlarge.
1905 portrait of my grandmother, her father and stepmother. I like to think that this portrait experience ignited my grandmother's love of photography, as she would start taking impromptu portraits just ten years later. She left a secret "stash" of more than 1,000 negatives when she died, many of which I am using in my own art.
"Mother's Love, 1921," approximately 17 x 20 inches on vintage clapboards.
A Selection of Portraits shot by my grandmother, 1920-1950
This is a black-and-white photo I colorized.
Under the pergola
Playful couple
By the planter
Along the shore
Jack Reese, Hartford 1946
For ten more photos, click on "Read More"
After work, relaxing
Friends forever, Stony Creek
Under the pergola, 2
Backyard stone wall landscape
Morning light
Lace curtains in the window
No one's looking
In from the garden
Cook and boat
Owner of a summer hotel, proud of his home-grown potatoes.
I love her photos, Casey. Have you ever thought about doing a books of them? All you need is another project, right? They really are quite good.
ReplyDeleteI sure have. I don't think an entire book, but I've thought of using them throughout my illustrated memoir. And i'll donate the negatives to the Library of Congress at some point. They really capture a moment in time.
ReplyDeleteI STILL LIKE THE GHOST LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW. I WISH I KNEW HOW TO COLOR PICTURES LIKE THESE. LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE FUN.
ReplyDeleteJUST FINISH WATCHING MY TV CHURCH SERVICE THEN WENT TO ROSS' BLOG, NOW YOURS. THE FIRST TWO BLOGS I CHECK IN THE MORNINGS. NOW ON TO NEW ADVENTURES. HAVE FUN TODAY AND MAKE SOMEONE SMILE.THE BEDTIME STORY REALLY PUT ME TO SLEEP LAST NIGHT. I DIDN'T EVEN WAKE UP UNTIL SIX. YAY.AP ANYMORE GOOD ONES THAT YOU CAN TELL?
GRANNY
Amazing pictures -- especially like the one of Jack Reese -- do you know who he was? Relative? Family friend? Interesting subject? Your grandma was a very talented photographer.
ReplyDeleteI like Annie's idea of a book -- maybe in your spare time -- ha,ha!
Paul, NYC
I love old b&w photos like these.
ReplyDeleteWoof at Jack Reese!!
Double woof!!!
ReplyDeletePlus there is a whole story in that one photo... love the 'public telephone' sign... don't see those much anymore. lol
lol. What I remember about Jack Reese is that he was a friend of my grandmother's future son-in-law, Bill, Hoohoo's husband and my father's brother. He owned that service station in Hartford, and my uncle rode motorcycles with him. I remember visiting Hartford with my uncle in the late '60s when I was about 11, and we found Jack in a bar. He was still riding motorcycles, along with a friend that turned out to own a Harley dealership. Back in the day they were also friends with Louis Nyestat, who turned into Louis Nye, the comedian. My uncle eventually started riding again in his '70s, after Hoohoo died, and he committed suicide on a small Honda Elite moped while waiting for a larger Honda motorcycle to be delivered. Such stories...
ReplyDeleteWow, Casey! What a story! RIP Bill...
ReplyDeleteI too think you could make a whole book of your grandmother's photos. They each tell quite a story! And you know so many back-stories, too! She was amazingly gifted at photography, IMO!
Wow!
Katie