Found: Vivian Maier

Found: Vivian Maier

www.vivianmaier.com

Last Sunday night, I started to sneeze. Monday morning, I was a mess. Tuesday, I was at the doc, then to the hospital for a flu swab. Ugh. When I woke this morning, it was Friday; not sure how I lost several days, but there it is, and that’s what the flu does to a body. Now, I am thankful to be on the mend, but still wary of going outside (even though I miss my horses and cats and know they are trying to figure out where I am – thank goodness for a family member who loves my animals, too).

Today, not able to leave the house, but able to do something – I decided to watch Netflix. I love the documentaries: Dior, Vogue, Manolo, Mumbai Railway, etc. Then I came across Finding Vivian Maier by John Maloof. Wow. I was mesmerized by the life of Vivian, her humbleness, prolific photography, and life.

Vivian was born in New York, USA. She was a nanny and photographer. She was a spinster and loner; however, she liked people, landscapes, and the world in general. Her passion was photography and I wonder what she would have to say about her work being found. I’m sure she would smile at John Maloof and thank him for his diligence.

Thanks, John Maloof, for resurrecting a fascinating life. I loved seeing Vivian’s photos and hearing the tale of how her work came back to life. I hope to see the exhibit someday. Possibly, you would consider sharing the exhibit with Ohio University’s Kennedy Museum of Art.

Most of all, Finding Vivian Maier is affirmation to follow your passion, no matter what it is. As my neighbor always says, you can’t hide your light under a bushel. Maybe someday someone will find your boxes (or flash drive) of passion and exhibit it in a gallery for the world to see, and they will fall in love with your work, too.