My grandparents were moved into an assisted living facility last year. Before they moved out of their house, a house they lived in since before I was born, I went around and took photos. At first, I found myself taking the normal photos people would take, but then I found myself taking pictures of textures and patterns. I took close-up photos of peeling paint on their porch, cracks in ceiling, faded wallpaper, tiled floors, pattens my grandma's dresser drawers, old carpets, knitted blankets and pillows, etc. I didn't know what I was going to do with them... and then today I made this.

This is made out of the textures and patterns I collected, it represents the sadness I feel for their fleeting years but also the hope for the time I have left with them.

My grandma is in-and-out of it these days, there have been moments of dementia, so I tried to represent puzzle pieces of her life fading with the background treatments. She was always a crafter and she made me things all the time; the center of the flowers are a blanket she made for me. My grandpa is totally 100% with-it still, his mind is solid, but his body hasn't been living up to his ambitions. His hands have become difficult to use for him that he can no longer garden. He used to have the most beautiful flowers growing around their house.

So, yeah, I made this for them as the first of a series. I plan to make many more pieces soon. And I also started a Collaboration based on this concept for others to join in - "A garden for our grandparents" - http://hitrecord.org/records/666978

Please do <3