Growing up, my family identified as Italian. Studying my father’s heritage, I realized that we had Italian blood, but that we were truly Sicilian. It’s a different land and a different language.
Finding Home is a visual and spiritual exploration. Many of the images that make up this ongoing body of work were taken in the town of Modica, where I have spent the majority of my time. Although my family immigrated from Palermo and Termini Immerese, I’ve come to learn that if your name is Modica, you are originally from that town.
On my three visits, the experiences were far beyond being just a photographic and cultural vacation; they were connections to my heritage. By being immersed in the land and putting out the energy, many of the images came quite naturally. They were a result of my being as connected to my ancestral home as possible, both physically and spiritually.
Sicilians are warm, friendly people who responded positively to the joy I expressed at being among them. On their land... my land, I felt a connectedness almost immediately and still do. Although my father isn’t able to travel with me, he is proud that I’ve taken such an interest in our homeland and that I have a creative way of expressing that experience.