This document provides an artist statement and descriptions of photographs from an exhibit by John Kellen documenting his mother's journey with Alzheimer's disease and their travels together. The exhibit includes landscapes and wildlife photos as well as photos portraying their special bond and moments spent enjoying nature together, such as fishing. The exhibit aims to inspire others and showcase their story of creating meaningful experiences during a challenging time.

1. A PICTURE ISWORTH
ATHOUSANDWORDS
THE LANGUAGE OF PHOTOGRAPHY
JOHN KELLEN

2. This activity is funded in part by a grant fromThis activity is funded in part by a grant fromThis activity is funded in part by a grant fromThis activity is funded in part by a grant from
the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council with fundsthe Southwest Minnesota Arts Council with fundsthe Southwest Minnesota Arts Council with fundsthe Southwest Minnesota Arts Council with funds
provided by The McKnight Foundation.provided by The McKnight Foundation.provided by The McKnight Foundation.provided by The McKnight Foundation.

3. ARTIST’S STATEMENT
My subject matter is predominantly
nature, whether it be landscapes,
wildlife, flowers, water or rocks.
Bringing the outdoors inside and
sharing my experiences with others
brings a distinct joy to the world.
I also love telling stories as seen
through a lens which often takes on a
photojournalistic tone or a historical
examination of architectural shapes
and sense of place.
In times of uncertainty such as we’re
experiencing there is comfort in the
connections we have to our past
while simultaneously eliciting a
newness that lights me up inside.
My goal is to inspire those who see
my work to find their own joyfulness
in the beauty that surrounds us all.

4. OPENING
PHOTOGRAPH
On the wall versus on a screen.
Disappointing though it may initially
have been to not have a traditional
show, the silver lining is that more
people will be able to share in our
story. This exhibit not only
showcases my photography, the
images portray my mother’s journey
with Alzheimer’s and our travels
searching to create peak life
experiences while we are still able.
We hope you enjoy!

5. VIRTUALTOUR
A PANDEMIC CANNOT KEEP THE SHOW FROM SEEINGTHE LIGHT

6. “GATEWAY TO THE WORLD”
LAKE SUPERIOR AT TETTEGOUCHE STATE PARK-

7. “PONDERING AN
EXTRAORDINARY
MIND”
CAMDEN STATE PARK-
A PLACEWHEREWE BOTH
LEARNEDTO SWIM AS KIDS
ONE GENERATION APART

8. It’s been said that language is but seven percent verbal and yet words are very
powerful. I’ve been mindful of that for many years in my own life and now
that my mother is losing her ability to verbalize we are learning to
communicate in other ways. A wink or a smile, pointing or touching.
Sometimes it feels like a game of charades although the undertone is deadly
serious. Fortunately through it all Colleen has been able to retain her
signature sense of humor for which earned her the nickname of “Trixie.” And
play tricks she does with a sly little grin.
Every day is a gift when you stop to ponder mortality. Challenging as it may
be at times, caregiving has heightened my sense of awareness and compassion.
So many things we take for granted are now not guaranteed. Take words for
example. Mom developed and extensive vocabulary over her lifetime and she
could be so eloquent.To hear her resort to simple words or even grunting is
sad to experience, yet at times she’ll come up with a description so poignant
it takes my breath away. She still has in the essence of her being that which
has always been there. Just that it’s hard for her to access information
somewhat like a computer hard drive that has become fragmented.
Our mutual admiration of nature has brought us together, in
some ways closer than ever. The love shared between a
mother and son is hard to fully describe in words, yet a
photograph can capture so much emotion that words seem
hardly necessary.
One of the things I love about photography at this juncture is
that in addition to being a conduit for mom’s memory,
capturing the beauty that surrounds us magnifies our sense of
being alive. You can just see it in her eyes and facial expression.
Perhaps I’m reading too much into this as it’s impossible to
fully know or understand what’s going on in her mind yet
knowing her like I do I can tell when she is experiencing Joy.
Likewise, when she’s sad or scared or anxious I wish I could
somehow calm her fears.
For now I work on being present and know that when she says
“Yellow One” that translates to Goldfinch and when she says
“Red One” that is a “Willmar” Cardinal.
Pondering An Extraordinary Mind

10. “GOT ROCKS?”
LAKE SUPERIOR SHORE
WE BOTH LOVE ROCKS OF ALL KINDS...

11. “BAMBI”

12. ”BAMBI”
Bambi is a name most famously known from a 1942 animated
drama film produced byWalt Disney which was based on the
1923 book “Bambi- A life in the woods” by Austrian author
and hunter Felix Salten. How do I know?Wikipedia.
Furthermore, Bambi means child and is of Italian origin.
For Mutti “Bambi” means deer of any kind and looking for
Bambi is one of her all-time favorite pastimes. She gets very
excited about looking for Bambi along with other “Critters”
and she’ll say “Bambi lives here” when we’re driving through
wooded areas. I’ll suggest to her to keep her eyes peeled for
Bambi when we are nearing sunset and she’ll immediately
perk up and be on the lookout. Fortunately, we live in an area
of the country with ample deer populations and we frequently
see them when out on our many joyrides.
When we spot deer and pull over to the side of the road to
take pictures Mutti is just like a kid- very excited and
animated. Her first inclination is to whistle at them as if to
summon a pet dog. Try as I might to discourage her from
whistling, she cannot help herself. This doesn’t exactly make it
easy to photograph wildlife, but how can you be upset when all
she wants is for Bambi to come closer for a better look.
For me I like to whisper to the deer in a low calming voice
asking their permission to take their picture and telling them
all along how beautiful they are. I’ll then thank them for
allowing me to capture their essence and quietly leave them in
peace. I guess you could call us both a little crazy in our own
ways, but that’s ok. We don’t mind

13. “DETERMINATION’S REWARD”
JAY COOKE STATE PARK
Mutti never ceases to amaze
me. When I asked her if she
wanted to go look at the Waterfalls,
she said yup! Up the rugged trail
and climbing rocks at 86 years
old. Of course I was holding her
arm securely. I found myself not
only being in awe of the beauty, I
was also in awe of her willpower.

14. “SPRING PAGEANTRY”
CANADIAN CRABAPPLE BLOSSOMS

15. “TWOTHINGSTO LOVE”

16. “TWOTHINGSTO LOVE”
Mom loves to fish. She could sit on a dock all afternoon and marvel at
the beauty of the shimmering water. Even if she doesn’t catch anything,
she’s happy as can be. Catching fish on the other hand is a bonus and
usually elicits an excited hoot and holler. Funny thing is she does not
like to eat fish. Go figure.
At this stage in her life I’m committed to providing as good of a quality
of life as possible for Mutti while she is still able to enjoy and
experience those activities that light her up. Put a fishing pole in her
hand and get a comfortable chair on the end of a dock on a lake and
she’s content.
Mom loves dogs.And dogs love her. In this photograph taken up at the
home of my friend Jody Gobats on Fig Lake near Eveleth Minnesota
mom caught a good-sized largemouth bass and her faithful sidekick
Duke the Dawg is helping her out.
Duke Kahanamoku or just plain “The Dawg” followed mom around
everywhere she went. He even hopped up on the bed to sleep with her
the first night and not being accustomed to having a 110 lb. canine in
her bed was met with a resounding response- “The Dawg,The Dawg…”
Poor thing. We were laughing so hard at this sight of Mutti in her
nightie with eyes as big as saucers. Ultimately mom became
accustomed to her furry friend sharing her bed so all’s well that ends
well. Footnote- we couldn’t understand why mom was calling Duke,
Duke Kahanamoku. Turns out from the recesses of her gray matter
vault Duke Kahanamoku was a famous Hawaiian Olympic swimmer who
popularized the sport of surfing. Some how he must have stuck in
mom’s mind from a time long past.
There was an instant bond between Duke and mom that I wish I could
bottle up and take home with us. Part of me wanted to get mom a dog
for a companion, then I thought otherwise as an added layer of
responsibility at this point wouldn’t be prudent. For the time being
we’ll gladly enjoy the company of other people’s dogs whenever we can.

17. “CHASINGTHE SUN”

18. “BACKYARD BANDIT”
Cute or Pesky? Or both? Mom obsesses over Squirrels
and feels compelled to shoo them away anytime she sees
one in the backyard.

19. A RIVER RUNSTHROUGH
Like water falling, Life ultimately cannot
defy gravity. Pondering my own mortality
through the lens of aging parents I've
experienced a heightened awareness of
just how precious and fragile Life is. Every
day is a gift and there are no guarantees
for tomorrow. Being present every day
and showing gratitude for what we have
rather than focusing on what is missing has
brought comfort and driven us quite
literally to experience joy everywhere.

20. “RED ONE"
AKA "WILLMAR" CARDINAL
WHEN LANGUAGE DECLINES, CODE WORDS SUFFICE

21. “TWILIGHT’S SAFE
HARBOR”
GRAND MARAIS
End of a very full day- Six State Parks,
Approximately 400 miles and a 12-Hour
Day. When the receding light and focus
appear to make a scene look like it came
from a painter’s brush.

22. “RECONCILING LOSS”
MEMORIAL DAY 2020
FORT SNELLING
NATIONAL CEMETERY
Remembering a Great Man and Life Partner of 67Years.
In some ways there is perhaps a silver lining in memory
loss. Fortunately, mom doesn't dwell on the sadness and
grief of my father’s passing, yet periodically it comes back
with a vengeance. I wish there was a way to take away
her sadness...

23. “SACRED GROUND”

24. “SACRED GROUND”
SIOUX QUARTZITE AT PIPESTONE NATIONAL MONUMENT
The story of Plains Indian Life spans approximately 2000 years. As the
Sioux account of the origin of Pipestone, the Great Spirit gathered all
the tribes around him and fashioned a pipe out of the red rock which
he said was made of their flesh. The story goes on to suggest that the
red rock be used for nothing other than pipes and they smoke in
homage to the Great Spirit. Further he said that the stone belonged
alike to all of the tribes, the ground was Sacred and no weapons must
be used or brought upon it- Sioux account of the origin of Pipestone as
recorded by George Catlin 1836
The invertedT-Shaped Calumet is distinctly Plains Indian and although
there are variations on style throughout the different tribes- Sioux,
Crow, Blackfoot and Pawnee the reverence of the stories are testament
to their significance.
To stand on this sacred ground one cannot help but feel connected and
it profoundly impacted me. For Mutti, even though I was excitedly
recounting what I was learning, she just loved seeing the beautiful
“Rocks” I guess that is in itself enough.
Side note- she wanted to take a large rock home and put in our front
yard. (On second thought she said she was worried that the neighbor
kids would climb on her rock and fall off and get hurt. Always looking
out for kids.)

25. “PREMONITION “
BUCKET LIST TRIP

26. “ENCHANTING TOUCHDOWN”
TOBIN HARBOR- ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK

27. “ENCHANTEDTOUCHDOWN”
As a student pilot I love to fly any chance I can get. Mutti also enjoys
plane rides and spontaneity which was the perfect combination for
creating another peak life experience.
While preparing for a big adventure to celebrate my 60th birthday
last summer we had the map laid out listing all of the state parks up
along the north shore of Lake Superior which we planned on
visiting. When I noticed that Isle Royale National Park was only a
short boat ride away from Grand Portage I asked mom if she was
game for a boat ride? Without hesitation she said yes!
What normally takes months or years of planning and making
advanced reservations turned out perfectly on a spur of the
moment. Lodge Reservations in the National Park. Check. But first
make sure you can get on and off the island. There are only two
options- by boat or by seaplane. I called the Ferry company- Sorry
we’re fully booked. Plan B, I called the float plane company. Zero
availability. Bummer. Oh well, it wasn’t to be. Well hang on, the
owner and chief pilot has decided to fly to Grand Marais for routine
maintenance on the plane. You’re in luck! Two seats available.
Check!
I had never been on a float plane before but always wanted to
experience taking off and landing on the water. Mom and dad had
such an experience up in Alaska and I remember dad telling me that
it was a spur of the moment request that had them fly up around
Denali National Park flying out of Anchorage. If you’ve never been
to Isle Royale National Park I highly recommend it! It is rugged,
remote and extraordinarily beautiful. Flying out over the
Northwoods and on to Lake Superior at low altitude you realize
how vast this body of water really is and notice the intersection of
borders- Canada, United States, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan
all come together in a point.
I could write a whole chapter about this peak life experience and
perhaps I will someday, but for now suffice it to say seeing the look
on mom’s face as we enjoyed our morning coffee and lunch on our
balcony overlooking Lake Superior- Priceless!

28. “LOOKING FORWARD
OR INTO THE PAST?”
MT.TOM LOOKOUT-
SIBLEY STATE PARK
Sibley is a Magical Place and has influenced
our family ever since the first days we
moved toWillmar. So many memories and
peak life experiences are connected to
time spent here- swimming, camping,
fishing, hiking, cross country skiing and
more recently joyrides and hikes
photographing the beauty after an absence
of three decades. I love the look of
contemplation on Mutti's face and the
knowing this place makes her happy.

29. FAITH, LIGHT & LOVE

30. “TAKING FLIGHT”
SWANS IN THE POND
Trumpeter Swans have
made a comeback and we
see them regularly- Mom’s
rhetorical question is
“Swans in the Pond?” or
Ducks in the Pond?”

31. “RURAL ICON”

32. “RURAL ICON”
WITH A WHITE FENCE
Drives in the countryside have a way of calming the mind and tuning
out all the noise of our hyperactive society. There is something about a
Sunday afternoon drive that perhaps jogs my mother’s memories. For
our parent’s generation driving the backroads was a regular occurrence.
For me being back in a rural community after living in large cities has
taken on an air of nostalgia. My dad grew up on a farm and my uncle
Kenny operated the family farm when I was growing up. I have many
fond memories of visiting the farm and the adventures my brother and I
would have.
For a photographer barns and farmsteads make great subject matter.
Seeing so many barns in disrepair is disconcerting on multiple levels and
although I can imagine the amount of work and expense of keeping
these structures in good repair is great, it seems like something grand is
being lost from our landscape. Not to mention the countless
underlying stories of family farms disappearing. My dad would lament
about how small communities that were once thriving places were now
all but drying up.
When we see a red barn (or any color for that matter) in good
condition we marvel at how well the owners care for it and although
we don’t know them personally, we have a deep appreciation of their
hard work and pride of ownership. For my mother something about a
white fence immediately grabs her attention. I’m not sure what it is for
her and even if she cannot articulate in words, I suspect she has some
fond childhood memory of a home with a white fence.
There is a dark side of this story and one I’ll not elaborate on here, but
given the current state of national consciousness and social unrest in
our country pertaining to race relations and inequality, I’m compelled to
acknowledge our history and the Peoples who were here long before
European “settlers” or pioneers staked claim to this land we now call
home. For the indigenous peoples they must have a much different
understanding of what this place once was and is now. Ownership was
a foreign concept to them and the idea of a nice white fence to keep
livestock in could in an alternative view be seen as a mechanism to keep
other people out. Food for thought.

33. ”YELLOW ONE”
• Aka Goldfinch

35. “DIFFUSER”
PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT
Colleen loves to participate and help in anyway she can.
Oftentimes she’ll shinny up the side of a hill to help
alleviate shadows on the flowers while I’m on my hands
and knees or even on my back as the shot of Prairie
Smoke blossoms portrays. Something about being useful
and being needed in spite of personal challenges is still
very strong in her and I strive to include her in as much
activity as I can. The urge to do everything myself is often
overridden by the knowing that even the little things
become so important to her.

36. “FLEETING BEAUTY”
Prairie Smoke

37. AWORLD OF GRATITUDE
• There are so many people who have helped make this show
possible and although I cannot list them all here, a special
thanks goes out to the following individuals for their
support:
• My extraordinary parents Don and Colleen Kellen without
whom I wouldn’t exist and who’s continuous support my
entire life has shaped the person I’ve become. The
opportunity to pursue photography as an artform is in part
due to their love, inspiration and generosity.
• I’ve also been influenced and inspired by my artistic siblings
Tom, Joan and Jill who over the years have created beautiful
works of art. Now is my time to create and communicate.
• Willmar Area Arts Council and theWEAC- Janet Olney
and DougWilkowski
• Little Crow Photography Club Members
• The Southwest Minnesota Arts Council’s generous grant in
part was funded by the McKnight Foundation. In particular
Caroline Koska for introducing me to the grant writing
process and for her guidance in writing my first ever grant
proposal.
• MilanVillage Arts School- Ron Porep,AnnThompson and
BrianWolf for teaching me the fine art of matting and
framing and who’s framing studio allowed me to produce
the work shown in this exhibit.
• JeffWeitzel who’s many talents and tools helped transform
the prime poplar lumber into molding which ultimately
became picture frames.
• Marybeth Block for help editing my grant proposal and
Gregory and Maggie Harp for insights into grant writing
process.
• Friends and Acquaintances who have encouraged me.