The Images That Made Me | No. 3 — Donna Hopkins

There is simply no way to consider the photographs that made me without including the photographic collaboration by Maria Alexandra Vetesse (MAV) and Stephanie Congdon, A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart. These two women who lived 3191 miles apart, one in Portland, Maine and the other in Portland, Oregon, posted images from their morning routines side-by-side every day for a year.

A YEAR OF MORNINGS - 3191 MILES APART, MARIA VETESSE AND STEPHANIE CONGDON [2007]

It began like this: On December 6, 2006, MAV emailed Steph with two images side by side—each image taken by one of the women—and posted the diptych to the photo sharing site Flickr that morning. MAV asked Stephanie, “Do you want to do a project?” That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and a collection of images that serves as a meditation on gratitude and compassion.

These photographs introduced me to the realization that my ordinary life could be seen as art. Where every little moment could be photo-worthy. This was the place and the time where I began to cultivate the habit of observation without judgment. Where home was seen as a palace and the routines of the day, art hung on a gallery wall.

The collaborative aspect of this project reminded me just how desperately we all need to feel as though we belong, to feel connected to someone. I’ve looked for opportunities to work in this way ever since. My projects, For the Time Being, From Here to There, and Natural Histories can all be traced back to these two women who showed me how to unlock the power of working with true friends, bound by trust and elasticity.

But there was something else about this work that resonated with me. That creative work could be healing work. I recall reading that for MAV, that year was a difficult one. Newly divorced, she was learning to live alone and by her own account, the mornings project saved her from a deep depression. There were days when she was too sad or lonely to shoot, and the project paused while she took a breath. I’ve been in this place, too. Haven’t we all? Sometimes we cannot abate the pain a friend must endure, but we can witness it. Maybe that is all we can do.

Maria Vetesse is currently facing a life-altering health crisis. She was diagnosed with bacterial endocarditis in September 2024 and while awaiting surgery to repair a heart valve, she suffered a stroke. When I read this news, I wept. As a former physical therapist, I know the journey that lies ahead of her and it is arduous. I hope that MAV finds the comfort I have by learning that you can accept reality while still working for change. You can read about and support MAV’s recovery on her GoFundMe page.