Showcase: Crystal Carrow

Crystal works in a "visual diary" style, exploring the personal connections and relationships in her everyday life, as well as the everyday moments, objects and scenes in general. As always, her statement below can tell more of a tale than I can, however a notation of beautiful use of natural light I find to be important. Crystal can be reached at ccarrow@ccscad.edu.





The human need for social interaction and intimacy is inherent in any
personal life. Our culture is infused with technology that attempts
to aid in this need. Cell phones, email, and Myspace are all means of
communication that have been created so that people can feel close to
loved ones, even when they are miles apart. There seems to be constant
technological advances that have the potential to connect people n an
instant, yet it is not enough to fulfill our need for real human
connection. So how do people come together in a society that is
consumed with technology? Birthday parties, holidays, mealtime, social
drinking, and even photography are all rituals that are used so that
moments can be shared between individuals. In photographing my friends
and family in an inspection of the basic human need for connection, I
began to recognize these rituals, and how they affect our everyday
lives. By turning the camera on my family, friends, and self, I am
welcoming the viewer into a personal space, which is sometimes mundane,
but ultimately very intimate. Through this process my goal is to
create images that people can connect with, as they may echo moments in their
own lives.