Driving into the countryside of Midcoast Maine during the summer of 1996, I came upon a mother and two children playing outside their bent and worn clapboard house ... in the middle of nowhere, I thought. I was lost, and so I stopped to ask directions and in no time at all was treated as a trusted friend instead of the stranger that I was. I was immediately won over by the generosity and openness of this wonderful family. Incredibly, they allowed me to come back each day for nearly a week, while I began a photographic project that I refer to affectionately as "The Newtons of Swanville."
Every summer since, I have returned to witness and record the growth of this family, in particular the children. Sally, the mother, and David, the father, are the gracious and generous parents of five wonderful children. The documentary project that has resulted (and is still engaging my efforts) reveals lives that are authentic, sincere, and natural.
Angel, the youngest, full of energy and enthusiasm; David, the only boy, with a long mane of blonde hair that remained uncut until the summer of 1999, when he turned nine years old; Tanya, the next oldest daughter, organizes many of the activities, inventing games and roles with ease; Felicia, whose passage from adolescent to young adult is apparent in her self-reflection and her interaction with the younger siblings; and Shannon, the oldest of the lot, and now a young mother herself.
During the course of almost every day, cousins and friends come by, and often end up being photographed along with the core family. Most of my visits have been during the warm summer months, when thunderstorms scrape the tops of the hills across the road, sending us scurrying indoors; when raspberries ripen out back in the undergrowth, awaiting hungry fingers. It's a time of hosing down on hot days, and of playing games until they are too tired to go on. The emotions of the children are never hidden. Tears are shed, arguments arise, and love is shared. No emotion is absent from this family, except perhaps extreme heartbreak. For that, I am grateful.
Nearly all of the photographs have been made in and around their unassuming home. In 1997, a concrete bed was poured for a new house, right behind the existing one. This is their world. This is their life. And always, when I drive the long road to their house, I feel like I too am going home. And the fact that they have been generous, and genuine, is a measure of their goodness. They have offered this unique and rewarding experience to me, and thus to you.
The Newtons of Swanville
Page 1: 1996-1999
The summer of 2008 was the twelfth summer that I've visited the Newtons.
My deepest appreciation and gratitude is owed to all involved. Thank you all so much ...
