Mothers and Daughters

Edie and Tallulah, 2017

The picture shown above has been alluded to here on FITK before, it was my entry into the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. The two young women portrayed were not sullen teens working a fair drudge job but obviously pals vibing on the same wavelength and having a ball. Here’s another look at the two from the same day,  not as mysterious, but seeing the two of them interact gives a truer sense of their simpatica:

Edie’s mother, Amanda, contacted me after she had seen the picture at the fair and so I got to meet both of them last Monday when I delivered copies of the print to their house. They were thrilled with the print and were interested its creation. We talked about photography, blogging, movies (Barbie!) and more. I got the sense that Edie was checking me out very carefully. I found the situation somewhat disconcerting in that it is rare that a young woman even looks at me any more. The male gaze implied in my photo met its comeuppance by the female gaze IRL. As the conversation continued Edie seemed to warm to me; meeting her and her mother (and getting to know them a little) was an absolute delight.

Tallulah’s mother, Sarah, is part owner of the I Like You store, where the picture was taken. Amanda had suggested that I visit her shop so I met up with her at the fair last Wednesday. Two of her customers had seen the picture on the first day of the fair, recognized the subjects, and took pictures of it on their phones to show Sarah, a great way to start the 10 days of the fair. Her enthusiasm and appreciation of the photo (and of me) was genuine: I Like You is more than just a catchy store name: it is Sarah’s credo. She even took a selfie with me and sent it to her daughter who was not working that day.

Sarah (right) in her native habitat

Both mothers emphasized that the daughters’ shared bond remains strong, a bond first established when they had met—in kindergarten! Perhaps my image of a “two-headed” creature isn’t too far off the mark. Both mothers also mentioned what fine young women they had become; Edie attends college in Montreal and Tallulah goes to the U of M. Coming-of-age in these troubled times must be a challenge to any parent.

Two mothers, full of love for their daughters. Two daughters, full of love for life.

A simple photograph that brought joy to four people.

Five, if you count me.