Community Archive Project 2024

Helping to irradicate loneliness, one photo at a time.

Supported in part by The City of Smithville through the Richard D. Latham Cultural District grant.

The small town of Smithville is blanketed by breathtaking wildflowers and peppered with the best homemade bakeries and antique shops. Rows of charming antique cottages from the 1800s frame a graceful winding river. Yet despite all of its visual beauty, the people who live beneath our sprawling pecans are what truly make Smithville so incredible.

The day we moved into our dilapidated old house, even though it was in shambles, I felt like we had won the lottery. I knew then what I know now: my neighbors are priceless.

But it didn’t take me long to notice something else about the residents - many seniors on fixed incomes seem to be fading into the background.

According to researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad, loneliness and isolation are as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

I had an idea. What if I could use art to help them feel seen, cherished, and celebrated before it’s too late?

Take Dan, a 95-year-old veteran, for instance. Despite his legal blindness, he had a lifelong passion for painting. With a bit of encouragement and some gift cards to Hobby Lobby, he began creating miniature masterpieces. When I sold out his artwork on my website and delivered his earnings, his disbelief and tears of joy were a testament to the profound impact of this project. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. “I didn’t think anyone cared anymore.”

I adore my partnership with Dan, and I know more “Dans” in this town deserve to feel the same way. I am so grateful to the City of Smithville for providing me with a grant through the Richard D. Latham Cultural District to reach a greater audience with this work.

The Community Archive Project seeks to give Smithville seniors the gift of feeling seen and cared for before it’s too late and give the city the gift of seeing our incredible home through their eyes.

  1. Spring: Teach the senior residents of Smithville the basics of photography. The presentation booklet can be viewed here.

  2. Summer: Supply them with disposable film cameras to capture their worlds. Disposable cameras provide ease of entry and accommodate many challenges and disabilities common among the senior population.

  3. Fall: Create online and in-person galleries for their incredible artwork to be shared and celebrated.