Artists Statement:
My father took a photograph of me when I was six. I am sitting on his Honda 350 motorcycle. I am very serious. I am facing forward with my square camera bag around my shoulder, inside is my Kodak Instamatic.
When I was young, my mother was a photographer. I begged her to take down her Diane Arbus book, the one with the twins on the cover.
In the seventh grade, I was chosen to take a special photography class. Our assignment was to take portraits of our families. I took the pictures with my father's Yashica Mat 2 1/4 camera. These are my earliest portraits.
As a young adult, I traveled to India to photograph. They say many Leica's are at the bottom of the Ganges River, the last possession before renunciation.
I have been a painter, abstract expressionist, beat poet, henna artist, cartoonist, drag king, back up singer, But, photography is my truest passion. I always write "passion/compassion" on the back of my camera. It is my lucky charm. While I am photographing i drop away. I become only my eyes. I am at peace, quietly witnessing the beauty and horror of life.
Jacqueline “Jax” Manhoff bfa