30 YEARS LATER...

In 1989, I photographed a series of headshots of my sweet nutty boyfriend Karl. We had a great connection and at the time, I thought he could be a fashion model. From the day Karl took me to meet his mother in 1989, I was fascinated by their home due to the rustic building materials, quirky artistic details, and fantastic views. By necessity, Karl has come full circle and living in his childhood home in a tiny town in rural New Mexico.

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After 1990, we lost touch and I placed the contact sheet and photos I took of him into storage.

In August 2020 (Covid-19), I retrieved some old photos of New Mexico from storage for a project, and a few pictures of Karl resurfaced. I wondered what had become of him.  I looked him up on the internet, and I found a mix of information. 
I decided to find him. Subsequently, he and I had many phone calls catching up on our lives. I think Karl has a fascinating and somewhat cautionary story to tell. Becoming a model may have ultimately become his downfall.
​His career was cut short due to what he says were his crazy, devil-may-care activities from his time modeling in Milan, Paris, and Japan. 

My story: 
The Covid-19 pandemic ultimately left me with issues with my right hip, two significant deaths in the span of a few months, and I left my job working at a fancy art museum. To bring some creativity into a dark time, I felt like Karl's life story (good/bad/ugly) was a project I could explore. During the pandemic, I had the time and found a backer to help me pay the expenses to visit Karl for the first time in 30 years. 

In October & November 2020, two of us visited him to photograph the house and shoot video footage of Karl in his new life as an off-the-grid artist. 
The crazy house, amazing landscapes, and the funky rural town are also part of this story. ​

Photo credit: Renate Raymond
Video credits Karl with Eros, Christina Kourteva (iPhone 8), Driving through Truchas, Renate Raymond (iPhone 8)