An ode to Cindy Sherman and her Untitled Film Stills… yet my stills were taken on a drive home from Tignall, Georgia…

My family and I found ourselves pulling over to stop at a graveyard. I stared out at the cleared landscape. I stared at the headstones. I stared at the beauty. I stared back at a haunting presence.

I found myself wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. My children stared out the window. At the beauty of it all. The nature, the plants, the flowers, the trees, the stones, the sunlight…

An eerie rhythm of life and death pulsated through my veins. I felt grateful to be alive as my eyes focused intensely on an unmarked and bodiless gravesite; reserved for a couple. And then I thought to myself, I hope that couple doesn’t divorce before they lay their bodies to rest here.

The moment soon passed, leaving us with only memories of a time and place; simultaneously a vacation from and location of reality. And thus, I shot these photographs to remind myself of a thoughtful, yet unwritten, film that played out in my thoughts, while I “watched the wheels go round and round” (John Lennon); observing my children and this graveyard… 

Film Still #1 (A Bodiless Grave Site, Reserved for a Couple). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches.

Film Still #2 (Are There Skeletons in There? If You Sit on a Volcano, You Will Have a Skeleton Booty). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #3 (Cohesive and Alive). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #4 (Little Hands Rest on Print that Can’t Be Yet Read). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #5 (A Couple Rests in Peace). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #6 (A Handsome Three Year Old Look). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #7 (A Beautiful, Almost-Two-Year-Old Smile). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches.

Film Still #8 (Gentle, Three-Year-Old Hands). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches.

Film Still #9 (Living and Understandingly Curious Eyelashes). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #10 (Scattered Petals and Leaves). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #11 (The Uncertain Glance). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011. 

Film Still #12 (The Fleeting Graveyard). Polly Nane. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

Film Still #13 (A Plastic Flower Rests Assuredly Beside Things That Decompose). Polly Nance. Digital photograph. 8 x 10 inches, 2011.

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Peace, love until my next bloggy-blog post, dear fellow blog readin’ friends of mine.

P.S. Please be sure to check out re:loom this holiday season… these rugs would make wonderful gifts for any age and go well in any home, while also helping out those in need. All proceeds go to the non-profit, Initiative for Affordable Housing in Decatur, GA, that aims to stop homelessness by providing affordable housing and jobs to homeless and low-income individuals. Great product for an even greater cause… plus, I did a lot of the photography for the website (except the vignette shots, which were styled by the talented Alexandra Mia Hernandez and photographed by the also incredibly talented Christina Wedge). I did all the product photograph and detail shots. And, my most recently posted images can be found under the BLOG tab… interviews are now posted! I love how a story is adhered to each, individually unique and handwoven rug. Rugs are made from up-cycled materials that have been donated to the organization. If you wish to send donations, please visit the re:loom website to do so… they accept money and any and all forms of fabric (including socks!). Check it out folks!