The Vistans Project

Artist Statement

I have been a resident of Vista, CA for over 40 years. There is no doubt that I have been shaped by my experiences in my hometown. I attended Vista public schools, played recreational sports, attended church, and even married my high school sweetheart, another longtime Vista resident. My youth was spent in the relative comfort and security of an upper-middle class white family, while my wife, the descendant of Mexican immigrants, had a much different upbringing.

These divergent experiences led me to think more about the ethnic diversity of our beloved hometown. As I looked at the available census information for the City of Vista, I found myself wondering about the numbers, what they mean, and why we care. As a firm believer in representation, I understand why these statistics are important, but it still left me wanting more.

The Vistans Project is my effort to put a human face to the census statistics. I will interview and photograph 100 residents of Vista, trying my best to find subjects that match up with our population characteristics. Additionally, I want to use this project as a way to connect to a larger variety of Vistans than I have before, letting them pour themselves into me, and pouring myself into them as well.

I will be using black and white film and use my large format film camera to capture these portraits, then hand-make each print in the darkroom. This slow and timeless process will emphasis intentionality and investment of time and effort.