Why Old Things Matter

Antique hardware collected for assemblage art.

In a world that is constantly focused on the shiny and new, I find myself drawn to things that have already lived a life. Old photographs, worn objects, handwritten notes, weathered wood, and forgotten treasures all carry a sense of history that cannot be found at a big box store. They remind us that time leaves its mark on everything, including ourselves.

When I search antique stores, flea markets, and estate sales, I am rarely looking for something valuable. Instead, I am looking for objects that spark curiosity or suggest a story. A faded photograph may leave me wondering about the person it once belonged to. A rusty piece of hardware may have served a purpose for decades before being discarded. These objects connect us to lives and experiences beyond our own.

My assemblage and collage work often begins with these discoveries. By bringing together fragments of the past, I hope to create new conversations and invite viewers to see beauty in what remains. Sometimes the most meaningful things are not the newest or the most perfect. Sometimes they are the things that have endured.