I've had this idea brewing in my mind for years - interview people and take a simple portrait of them. Sounds easy enough, but I'm not an interviewer, and I've always found some excuse not to take the leap and just start. I'm too busy. What questions will I ask? Who will be willing to be interviewed? What will this look like in reality?
After talking with a friend recently about taking steps towards using our gifts wisely, I decided that this was something I needed to finally act on. I begin this project with Grenfell on my mind and in my heart. My desire is that through this project our community will learn a little more about each other, and in doing so, will form new bonds with people. We'll discover things about others that might surprise us, and we will develop empathy and understanding after hearings stories from those who live in our neighborhoods. My hope is that our eyes will be opened to see people in a different light. Maybe you will discover something in common with someone you didn't previously know. Maybe you'll develop a new friendship. Perhaps you'll change your preconceived assumptions about someone you thought you knew. Most of all, I hope you'll enjoy reading about your fellow Grenfell resident.
For the next year, I will be talking with one person each week, and they will select 10 pieces of paper from my big glass jar of questions. We'll sit down together over coffee and I'll record our conversation. At the end of our time together, I'll take an informal black and white portrait of them, and every Friday, I'll do a blog post to document what I've learned about that person. If you'd like to volunteer, contact me! Hope you all enjoy.
Cheers!
Tatum
