Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM
Interviews and Photographs compiled by Mary Edson 
This project grew out of a desire for collaboration, curiosity about our personal narratives, a propensity toward visual symbols and through the work of Susanne Hackett and Wendy Ewald. I am intrigued by the psychosomatic experience; the language spoken between our minds and bodies. To explore this language I asked participants to answer 10 of 13 questions, and to notice if they had a felt sense of where these questions landed in their bodies. Upon completing the interview, I photographed each interviewee’s chosen body-part. Participants directed their photos, I simply clicked a button.
I made note of both the answered and unanswered questions in each interview, as I believe both are of importance to the perspective and insight of the interviewee. I chose to use black and white photography or the interplay between shadow and light.
Below are a few of the interviews and photos. Take your time to muse over the thoughtful, candid, and intimate responses to the questions. Perhaps, if you feel inclined, take a moment to ask yourself these same questions. Do your answers resonate in your body, do they evoke a particular feeling?
With Gratitude,
Mary
*If you’d like to view all of the interviews and photos, click here for access to an online PDF version of Hues of Hay.
1. In your family, what role do you relate to?
The black sheep, the scapegoat, and the healer
2. Do you have a nervous habit?
Pulling at my hair
3. What comforts you?
A hot bath with salt and lavender oil at the end of the day
4. How do you define your work?
Intuitive healing- but all of that is under deep change right now
5. Do you sleep through the night?
Fortunately, yes.
6. What makes you laugh?
My nieces Zara, Maris and Arielle, ages 5, 3 and 2
7. Who do you tell your secrets to?
Myself- and starting to learn to share them
8. What do you fear?
That at my age I may have missed the opportunity for certain things
9. Have you know love in your life?
Yes. Deep love. Complex love.
10. What is a source of strength for you?
My relationship with Amma, Spirit, my inner knowing
11. What do you think about before you fall asleep?
I’m usually too tired to think about anything
Omitted Questions:
1. What is your first memory?
2. Do you have a pet peeve?
1. What comforts you?
Fingers on vibrating strings
2. How do you define your work?
Integrity and empathy
3. Do you sleep through the night?
Usually
4. What makes you laugh?
Being in or on the ocean
5. Who do you tell your secrets to?
Seems like everyone lately
6. What is your first memory?
Accidentally stepping on and breaking my favorite record
7. What do you fear?
Accidentally stepping on and breaking my favorite record
8. Have you know love in your life?
Yes
9. What is a source of strength for you?
Trees framing the sky, day or night
10. What do you think about before you fall asleep?
Clearing out the thinking
Omitted Questions:
1. In your family, what role do you relate to?
2. Do you have a nervous habit?
3. Do you have a pet peeve?
1. In your family, what role do you relate to?
In my family I typically feel like I am the one who tries to hold everyone together. I am often the one giving advice and listening when there is a confict.
2. Do you have a nervous habit?
Absolutely! I pick, pick, pick. Hangnails, dry skin and chapped lips. Uhg gross.
3. What comforts you?
Sleep. I feel like when I am particularly stressed I turn to sleep and a cuddle session with my kitties. And sometimes I just need T.V. to veg out.
4. Do you sleep through the night?
I think I typically do, I’ve noticed recently (since starting school) I will wake up in the early morning and check my clock thinking it’s time to get up for classes, but I usually still have an hour or two left to sleep!
5. What makes you laugh?
My sister. When we were young she would make me laugh so hard and so long I couldn’t breathe. She would call it the silent seizure giggle because I would just be shaking in laughter, not making a sound. She is still probably the person who makes me laugh the most and when we hang out and start laughing it feels so good. She has since become a comedian, so there’s that too.
6. What is your first memory?
When I was little I had two blankies that I slept with. One was white and one yellow. I shared a room with my sister and was trying to fgure out which was which (I think I favored the white one) but couldn’t turn on the light, so I went to the hallway to see. The light was still really dim out there and I started crying and getting upset because I couldn’t tell them apart. I remember my mom coming out of her room concerned and very confused as to why I was so upset. I think I was about 4.
7. What do you fear?
I fear falling. The idea of being critically hurt and suffering scares me more than the idea of death.
8. Have you know love in your life?
I have, and I am still trying to figure out what it all means.
9. Do you have a pet peeve?
Loud chewing, loud talking, loud/ heavy foot steps
10. What do you think about before you fall asleep?
Most the time before I fall asleep I like to listen to podcasts. So I often start out listening to the program but it quickly turns into white noise and my mind wanders, usually to the events of the day.
Omitted Questions:
1.How do you define your work?
2.Who do you tell your secrets to?
3. What is a source of strength for you in your life?
