ICE RINK MAGIC

My relationship with ice hockey began with my father dragging us up and down the West Coast in the family VW camper van chasing hockey games. We traveled to Canada to see the Vancouver Canucks, WHL teams like the Regina Kinds and Victoria Cougars, as well as (the only reason he would have ever stepped foot in LA) to see the Los Angeles Kings. I skated for fun at our local rink, Berkeley, Iceland, and after his death, I began to pursue playing hockey with the encouragement of my best friend. Over the last 30 years since I began to play, I have had the love of the game and the ice tattooed on my heart. 

​

   I began photographing the rink as a teenager. Many of my action images have only the lower part of the player's body within the frame because goalies are trained to keep their eyes on the puck. My view of the game while playing often cuts off the heads of the players; hence, this is the “goalie’s perspective.” 

​

   I worked as a Supervisor/Ice Tech at the Oakland Ice Center for several years. I drove the Zamboni, maintained the ice, and fixed things around the rink. I brought my camera to work and documented my view of rink life. I often found broken old wood sticks in the trash while working. Wood sticks have essentially become obsolete in the wake of new technology with more flexibility and variation. Wood sticks, with their paint worn from wear and tear, began to represent the nostalgia and craftsmanship of a bygone era. The craftsmanship of framing sticks has been a joy to learn. I am still experimenting with closures, novel backings, and hanging materials. I hope hockey lovers can feel nostalgia, and the love of the game in these pieces of art.