labels are very important, but for bottles of wine, not for artists - Jeanne-Claude

Today I developed my own prints in my own darkroom.  It was our family home evening activity.  While rinsing my prints and getting them ready to dry, I shed a little tear.  This has been my dream for years.  I remember peeking into my grandfather's studio when he wasn't looking and wondering why it was always so dark in there.  Later I visited his studio at the university and developed some prints of my own. How incredible!  Images appeared on blank pieces of paper.  How was it possible?  I remember my dad telling my about how he had darkroom supplies growing up.  I wanted to go search my grandma's house for them.  Then I came to school and I learned how to mix the chemicals and expose the paper.  But darkroom's around the country were becoming endangered.  Nobody wanted to use film anymore when computers and digital sensors were so much easier.  I worried that eventually I would have to leave my school and never find a darkroom ever again.  But now I don't have to worry about that.  All you need to develope prints are the right chemicals, a dark room, and a timer.  And that's what I've got. 

It's crazy how in just an hour I've gotten over the fear of the future I had before.  I used to be so scared that once I got out of school, I would be stuck doing weddings and senior portraits.  Now my art will always be with me.  I'll be able to share it with my husband and my children!  I can't wait to go home for the break so that I can develope pictures with my brothers!  While I was in my darkroom today, I imagined a day when Ben would come home from work, knock on the bathroom door, and I would be in there with all my little youngin's yelling "DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!  WE'RE MAKING A PRINT!!"  There are a whole new bundle of possibilities coming my way...