On SEEING, A Journal #524
Growing UP: Marlena Prast
April 25, 2023
8 years and 23 years
I have studied over 200 children from childhood into their 20’s. I began with some when they were newborns; others, as is the case with Marlena started about the time they could read and write. For all of them I made annual studio portraits and asked them to write answers to a series of questions, a kind of diary about their lives, their feelings, their hopes, their regrets.
This special young woman, Marlena Prast proved to be as unique, fascinating and authentic as any of the many young people I have had the privilege to get to know. I always enjoyed seeing her and was very impressed by her passion for creativity.
7 years
8 years
9 years
10 years
11 years
12 years
13 years
15 years
16 years
17 years
18 years
19 years
23 years
Thank you for participating in our “Growing Up” project, Marlena.
I wish you much success and happiness.
Please let us know how things are going. And, please send me a few jpegs—perhaps we can incorporate your work in our beauty and fashion shoots?
I am interested in everything about human development, fascinated by maturation, growth, emotional and physical development. this exploration has been a major 30 year odyssey, an adventure that has yielded riches beyond my initial imagining.
Permission was signed by the parents of each and every child every year, and the participants themselves once they turned 18. In addition, we have now sent copies of all of their original writings and edited photographs to the participants for whom I have finished all my editing and have received full permission from that group to publish and post.
