Being 13
May 5–29, 2015

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

  • From the series Being 13

    From the series Being 13

Nineteenth Century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron said:

“Growth is a spiral process, doubling back on itself, reassessing and regrouping.” Being 13 became a wavering exploration as I watched Zoe, my stepdaughter, hedging between a girl and a young lady. As one moment of childlike behavior juxtaposed itself with the look of a mature girl, I became visually aware of a transforming subject, catching glimpses of who she was becoming and whom she was leaving behind.

Most often my image making was spontaneous. A hotel room chair would spark a visual idea; a school event would trigger an opportunity. I became an observer, utilizing my skills as a photojournalist to document this unusually rich metamorphosis.

Zoe and I live together sometimes and spend longer periods of time together traveling throughout the year. As with any muse, often the demand from the photographer can be too much for the subject. I promised Zoe I would photograph her during this year of “being 13” then give her a break from being my constant subject. Always cooperative, she honored my wished, despite sometimes finding herself less than interested in my project. She continues to collaborate with me, making images, and I hope this will continue throughout our lives.

Sponsored by

New England School of Photography

Artists

Nancy Grace Horton hortonphoto.com

Nancy Grace Horton holds an MFA in Visual Arts from the Lesley University College of Art and Design and has been working as a freelance photographer and educator for over 20 years. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including Artists Entrepreneurial Grants from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, where she is also an Arts in Education Rostered Artist.  She was recently featured on Boston Chronicle and in 2015 she will have several solo shows including NESOP’s Garner Center, Simmons College Trustman Art Gallery and at Merrimack College McCoy Art Gallery.

Horton is known for her work that engages her viewers in Feminist dialog. Her series Ms. Behavior was recently featured at Milton Academy’s Nesto Gallery in an exhibition titled Outspoken Women that has become a traveling show.

She lives between Maine and New Hampshire and takes yearly visits to rural Mexico where she also conducts her photo-based cultural exchange projects for kids called Learning to See that also explores gender roles using photography and book making. She is known locally for her popular photo book “Portsmouth”.