Me, Myself and Eye

ONLINE PRESENTATION

Me, Myself and Eye Home   //  Leslie Elsasser - Introduction   //  Selina Roman - Mind Currents   //  Michael Ball   //  TC Bryant   //  Larry Busby   //  David Canaday   //  Michael Congdon   //  Brandie Dziegiel   //  Loretta Fields   //  Jeaniel Image   //  Douglas Eric Jordan   //  Valerie Larson   //  John Leduc   //  Jason Lind   //  Mikko Maki   //  Alex Martinez   //  Matias   //  Noemys McConnell   //  Megan O’Connell   //  Robert Ortega   //  Adaina Plaza   //  Pat Randall   //  Heather Rivera   //  RaeAnne Swanson   //  Michael Webb

 

NOEMYS MCCONNELL - US ARMY

The Fire Within 

I was cleaning my oven and noticed the interesting pattern in the glass, and my inspiration came from that. I took my image with the oven door open, using a tripod located on the floor with the cell phone facing upward, looking from the outside into the oven door. I then stood over the oven door and took the picture, adding a red filter. Later while looking at the image, I realized the unintended story to my photo. 

The oven door pattern symbolized almost a jail like feeling or a struggle to get out, which could easily depict the pain that I suffer. The red color was me looking out at the struggles of today’s world... or was it a rosy red that was telling me that everything would be ok? Often, red is thought to be heat, flame, madness, blood, or anger. Red can however mean courage and love. I am still seeking what the red symbolized for me. 

I love taking pictures, mostly of travel, and putting them into videos with relevant music and animation. Over the last two years as my medical disability took over my life, I lost focus on my hobby, as movement became an impediment and carrying the camera equipment became impossible. I could no longer climb to unusual places or get into unusual positions to capture the beauty of the moment. I also considered cell phone photos to be inferior in quality. Along came COVID and I was told by a fellow Veteran about Breaking Barriers and decided to embark on learning what could be done with cell phones. I learned that there is more to a photo, that it is an art. I became unafraid of selfies as I found that I could find out more about myself through them. As the workshop progressed, I realized that I was having fun, learning so much more and was inspired to wrestle through my pain issues. I found that there is so much to capture in one’s own confines which made the COVID confinement less stressful. It also gave me an outlet from my constant depression, giving me a ray of sunshine. The value of this workshop is significant to Veterans to explore their own creativity using what they already have access to, as well as helping them with self-discovery and healing. 

NOEMYS MCCONNELL
US ARMY

 

 

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For more information:
Email Leslie Elsasser at lelsasse@usf.edu
or Ashley Jablonski at danyele@usf.edu

Breaking Barriers 2020 is supported by the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Love IV Lawrence, Hillsborough Arts Council, and the Florida Department of State.