First 52 Weeks: Art opening and book signing

Join us for the debut of photographer Leigh Webber's most recent book project, 'The First 52 Weeks' on Thursday, March 22nd from 5-8 p.m. at Stems.

Through photographs and journal entries,  Leigh has documented the first year of her son's life week-by-week. Sometimes poignant other times funny, one thing remains true- the weeks passed slowly but the year flew by.

Artist Statement:

When Seamus was born, we were like most new parents, armed with a camera and a baby book, a Flip cam and an iPhone. As a photographer, I was more concerned with bringing the proper photo gear to the hospital than the right clothes. Once he was born, I was obsessed with every new thing he did. Most new parents are. 

There is what I’m trying to do as an artist and what I’m trying to do as a mother. The process of photographing him week by week gives me time to pause, to view him outside of my role as a parent and to see him from a photographer’s perspective. I realize now how small the window of opportunity is to photograph a child who has yet to develop ego or shame.

The days and hours are so long, yet looking back it seems that his growth is so sudden, I can hardly remember him outside of the context of “now”. All that advice I got was true, the weeks passed slowly, but the year flew by.