photo © Kharen Hill

photograph © Kharen Hill


一期一会
One life, one encounter.”

photo © Kharen Hill

photograph © Kharen Hill


the journey

一期一会
One life, one encounter.”

the journey

Looking back at my childhood, my visual experience was rooted in my love of cinema. Viewing a movie in a theater enchanted me. It is where stories are told, dreams are realized and emotions experienced. Then, as well as now, I love looking deeper into the frames of a movie to see what I could extract; even the absence of what was there inspires, looking beyond the frame itself to see what deeper meaning I could experience.

The context of the cinema extended into my childhood life as well. I have vivid memories of watching 8mm home movies on a pop-up screen in the family room. The sound of the film reel going through the projector with the light source peeking out through the sides of the machine gave me a glimpse into how many single moments were captured on one reel of film.

Photography paralleled my early experience with cinema; the remembrance of holding a scrapbook in my hands and looking at still images one by one with family. The storytelling about the image resonated as much as the image itself, indelibly imprinting in my mind, affirming my memories.

My childhood love of the visual arts eventually led me down a career path as a photographer. Leaning into the moments of photographing a subject, continuing through the manifestation of a printed image, was a beautiful culmination of process. I shot professionally for twenty years, until about three years ago when I felt compelled to pause. My love of photography had changed form. I was having difficulty finding meaning in the work. I no longer felt anything when I held the camera or looked through the lens - nothing spoke to me. A paralysis seemed to set in. I no longer felt connected to the tool I had utilized professionally for much of my life.

I needed to allow these new thoughts and feelings to flow through me to be completely present for the answer of what might be next. Like many photographers, I had experienced the industry shift from film to digital giving birth to the rapid rise of social media. Images became omnipresent. The technological advancements that have given most everyone a tool with which to photograph, is a beautiful thing. The medium was democratized, so to speak, for so many people who normally would not be making images. As I reflected, I realized it was neither a film-to-digital debate nor an aversion to technology. The recurring theme for me was an ironic one — a question that requires exploration.


- Kimberly



Looking back at my childhood, my visual experience was rooted in my love of cinema. Viewing a movie in a theater enchanted me. It is where stories are told, dreams are realized and emotions experienced. Then, as well as now, I love looking deeper into the frames of a movie to see what I could extract; even the absence of what was there inspires, looking beyond the frame itself to see what deeper meaning I could experience.

The context of the cinema extended into my childhood life as well. I have vivid memories of watching 8mm home movies on a pop-up screen in the family room. The sound of the film reel going through the projector with the light source peeking out through the sides of the machine gave me a glimpse into how many single moments were captured on one reel of film.

Photography paralleled my early experience with cinema; the remembrance of holding a scrapbook in my hands and looking at still images one by one with family. The storytelling about the image resonated as much as the image itself, indelibly imprinting in my mind, affirming my memories.

My childhood love of the visual arts eventually led me down a career path as a photographer. Leaning into the moments of photographing a subject, continuing through the manifestation of a printed image, was a beautiful culmination of process. I shot professionally for twenty years, until about three years ago when I felt compelled to pause. My love of photography had changed form. I was having difficulty finding meaning in the work. I no longer felt anything when I held the camera or looked through the lens - nothing spoke to me. A paralysis seemed to set in. I no longer felt connected to the tool I had utilized professionally for much of my life.

I needed to allow these new thoughts and feelings to flow through me to be completely present for the answer of what might be next. Like many photographers, I had experienced the industry shift from film to digital giving birth to the rapid rise of social media. Images became omnipresent. The technological advancements that have given most everyone a tool with which to photograph, is a beautiful thing. The medium was democratized, so to speak, for so many people who normally would not be making images. As I reflected, I realized it was neither a film-to-digital debate nor an aversion to technology. The recurring theme for me was an ironic one — a question that requires exploration.


- Kimberly Evans