Brief Encounters: Meeting Street People, 2008-2016
After a long day at St. Augustine’s Church In Oakland as a poll watcher, I headed home to my West Oakland art studio to await the Presidential election results: Barack Obama versus John McCain, Nov. 4, 2008. Ahead I saw a small American flag flying from the back of trash-bag laden cart pulled by a bicycle. Was that flag always there, or was today a special occasion, celebrating the possible election of America’s first black president? I caught up with the rider, introduced myself, met James, took several photos, and headed home.
That personal and unexpected encounter was so satisfying that it launched eight years of more brief encounters, face to face, person to person, name to name, with people who recycle plastics and metals (grocery cart recyclers), people at freeway on and off ramps (freeway on-ramp panhandlers), and folks who sell the Street Spirit in the East Bay or the Street Sheet in San Francisco. The encounters were mostly fleeting: the duration of a stop light, the passing of a grocery cart. Often I was in my car, sometimes on my bike. Some friendships were made. Snippets of lives exchanged. I have my prejudices: older people need more help than young travelers with back packs. Each encounter meant a greeting, an exchange of names, a gift of cash, and a verbal permission: yes, you may take my picture. Prints of the photos were given back to each person if and when I could find them again.
Some people were seen only once: others over and over again, mostly in Alameda County—Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, a few in San Francisco. The majority of the photographs were taken in West Oakland, close to Emeryville where highways 580 and 24 meet at San Pablo, West, and Market Streets. Most people were agreeable and friendly. Surprisingly, almost everyone automatically smiled for the camera, some even posed. Only a few refused. I photographed some people off and on for several years: Denise, Gail, Maxine, Red. But most of the faces changed. Friends disappeared. I tried to keep in touch to no avail. Denise wanted to get clean for the first time in her adult life. Did she succeed? I don’t know, but you can trace her improvement in these photos. Eddie’s shrapnel makes him limp more now than when I first met him. I haven’t seen Red or Mitch in more than a year. Are they okay? Hayok died. Landon got married and moved to Vallejo.
All snapshots were taken with my cell phone, iPhones 4, 5, and 6, with prints ordered directly through Apple’s iPhoto application. For more information about my life as an artist, please see www.snowstudios.com. I’ve selected 150 photographs from more than 350, choosing those that show each person at their best. The 5’x7“ snapshots represent the following people:
A.C., Adam, Alvin, Anthony,
Brik, Bill, Billy, Brother Curts, Buddy, Cabin,
Campanella, Carl, Carolyn, Chirk*, Chnrtma, Clayton,
David, Den tie, Donna,
Ebony, Eddy, Elena, Erncuo,
Felicia,
Gail, Gary, George, Goldie, Gustavo,
Ham, Harmony, Hayok, Herman,
Jame*, Janice, Jasmine, Jotail, John *2,
Kenya,
Lamoni, Landon, Leon, Lucky Ray,
Marciano, Manin M, Manina?, Manne, Michael, Mike, Mikheil,
No Name* (1),
Paul, PMip,
Redal, Red »2, Ricardo, Robert, Rhonda,
Sarah, Severn, Shawn, Steve,
Troy, Tyawcm, Llywei,
Vet wl Pet,
Will, Willy a|, Willy »2, WT.
Studio Display
4 x 6 in., iPhoto Apple machine prints
January 2015
Studio Display
2 rows of 4 x 6 in., iPhoto Apple machine prints
February 2015
Studio Display
4 rows of 4 x 6 in., iPhoto Apple machine prints
April 2015
Walk Among Us: We Are One
Studio Installation
100 iPhone 4 x 6 in., iPhoto Apple machine prints, labels, safety pins, net
June 2015
Walk Among Us: We Are One
Studio Installation
100 iPhone 4 x 6 in., iPhoto Apple machine prints, labels, safety pins, net
June 2015
Walk Among Us: We Are One
Studio Installation
100 iPhone 4 x 6 in., iPhoto Apple machine prints, labels, safety pins, net
June 2015
Willy McGowan selling Street Sheet, Spear & Market, San Francisco, CA
Billy Easterly selling Street Sheet with Osha Neumann on cover, San Francisco, CA
Gregory Wells known as Goldy.
Brief Encounters: Meeting Street People
Installation of 150 photos
5 x 7 in., Apple iPhones 4, 5 and 6
Alameda County Law Library, Oakland, CA
2016
Brief Encounters: Meeting Street People
Installation of 150 photos
5 x 7 in., Apple iPhones 4, 5 and 6
Alameda County Law Library, Oakland, CA
2016
Brief Encounters: Meeting Street People
Installation of 150 photos
5 x 7 in., Apple iPhones 4, 5 and 6
Alameda County Law Library, Oakland, CA
2016
I was quite enamored with your street people show at the Alameda County Law Library and found myself drawn into the personalities you photographed in this courageous project. You captured an essence that is difficult to describe. I was particularly surprised by the warmth and beauty radiating from many of the faces that I previously imagined would be disgruntled, bitter and beaten down (especially given that these elements are surely present in their lives). Was it your connection with them that caused them to brighten? Was it the power of your acknowledgement of them and their condition that sparked some deeper hope in their lives?
Whatever combination of motivations and determination led you to take on this project, I thank you for undertaking it, perfecting your work over time and persisting through to mount this remarkable show. You created a way to highlight the humanity of this amorphous group of mostly shunned and forgotten fellow human beings, highlighted an aspect of their lives that encourages their dignity to shine through their dire circumstances and built a bridge between them and others who are mostly terrified of them and the tragedy they represent.
I hope you get a boatload of positive feedback on your work and continued appreciation for this beautiful accomplishment! I also hope we have an opportunity to get together again in the future. In the mean time, keep creating!
— S. Crosby
in an email dated January 11, 2017