"$," Transylvania, Louisiana 1999

Deborah Luster made this tintype in Transylvania, Louisiana; the monochrome image shimmers with golden light. Imagine her in the darkroom, preparing the chemicals, coating the metal plate, and then outside setting up the shot. What was going through her mind as she captured this image? The tintype process is so interesting; the light etches the image directly onto the metal, creating a kind of ghostly imprint. Look at the soft focus and the way the light catches on the sitter's skin and jacket. The person’s gaze is direct, challenging, while the image itself has a vulnerable quality, a sense of being both present and from another time. I’m reminded of Sally Mann’s photographs of her children, and other artists who use photography to explore memory and identity. It is not a painting, but I think the dialogue is the same; the photographic image becomes a painting through the artist's intent.