Steel Mill Stairwell - Limited Edition of 20 Print

Various sizes available on request. Abandoned buildings are time capsules offering glimpses of history, artifacts, and insights to private worlds, along with gorgeous textures, colours, shapes, and dramatic lighting. My hope is that viewers are drawn in by the image, to wonder about the story behind it, and think about the history of industry in our culture and the world. I think people might be surprised at the colours and textures of a decaying building and wonder about the stories it must hold. This stairwell belonged to a steel mill in North America. It was once the largest steel mill in the world but closed in the early 1980’s when it could not compete with foreign mills and automated mini-mills. The building was erected in 1901 before elevators were common. I image many people traveled up and down this stairwell carrying paperwork, lunch bags, coats, and hats as they went about their workdays. I picture styles people might have worn from 1901 to the early 1980s, and wonder how many secrets were shared, plots hatched, and kisses were exchanged in the privacy of this stairwell over the 80 years of its existence. Photography has been a passion of mine since age 7 when a neighbour gave me an old Brownie pinhole camera. I continue to love the magic and beauty of the world seen through a lens. I aim to capture the atmosphere, feelings, and beauty of a place in a way that is both realistic and personal – being a true record of the place yet full of feeling and atmosphere.