Blog Archives
no poaching
Today’s the first of three images from my emerging work Transferrable Property, an evolving project that examines the traditional expectations of weddings (in particular) and marriage (in general) and the way these societal suppositions fall harder on women.
My written source material comes from wedding etiquette books that were published between 1924 And 1982. The books almost uniformly referred to unmarried women as “girls;” the language shifted to “brides” after marriage. There are an uncountable number of rules for women (because I am not going to say “girls”) to follow but a trifling number for men (who, by the way, are never referred to as “boys”) to abide by.
The visual source materials are found photos from rural Texas, mostly made during the 1980s. I purchased the negatives when a photography studio went out of business during the pandemic.
The resulting project consists of digitally manipulated images overlaid with quotes from the written materials. The quotes were selected because I found them hilarious or infuriating. Or both. A lot of them were both.
The project asks viewers to share my eyerolling at the archaic words; my outrage at how microaggressions sneak in and become normal; and my frustration at all of it.
(Included in the group show Women’s Work that opens Friday July 3 at the Positive Space Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma.)
from the Transferrable Property series
vintage photo, scanned and edited
city holidays
This wall looks like it’s made of damp cardboard. Or a bunch of OSB panels.
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 3.4.2026
magenta crown
Tom Robbins wrote some of my favorite books. I once co-wrote a poem titled “A Tom-Robbins Novel Kind of Obsession” that got its start from the book whose main character was a silver dessert spoon*. I know some people’s urine smells a particular way after they eat asparagus**. And I know a LOT about the graphic design of Camel cigarette packaging***.
One of the main things I think about, though, is how the character Switters**** holds the frequently-voiced opinion that the “tropics are just too goddam vivid.” Switters’s declaration was right there in my head when I made this photo.
And that poem? I appreciate your interest in it, but it is not safe for human consumption.
West Texas Master Gardeners – garden tour
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 6.20.2026
*Skinny Legs and All
**Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas
***Still Life with Woodpecker
****Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates
sea monster
Y’all! I don’t think those people were paying sufficient attention to the giant clam in the swimming pool! They were just milling around like it was a reflection of the pool-side umbrella or something.
West Texas Master Gardeners – garden tour
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 6.20.2026
morning promise by
I used to have a job where thought I needed to play golf * to “fit it” with the (male)(of course) powers.**
The only part of it that I liked was playing early in the morning, when the grass was still damp with dew and/or overnight watering. I liked the way the greens sparkled. I liked how it smelled. I liked how damp grass clippings would cling to my shoes. Once the sun got high enough and hot enough to dry things up, the whole thing became boring. But at least there were only about four hours to go, or whatever.
Anyway, this water-sprinkled leaf the other day reminded me of golf courses.
West Texas Master Gardeners – garden tour
Lubbock, Texas
photographed 6.20.2026
*I was terrible at golf.
**Early 2000s me was a different person than 3026 me. Now I would call out the bullshit. I would ask why we were using City-owned property to put together Knights of Columbus golf tournament swag. I’d wonder out loud about workplace sexism. I’d decline to play golf but would take golf-tournament days and not go to the office. And I’d go ahead and find another job because that one sucked.
One Day | One Image 