Memorial Parks
Graveyards attract and perhaps distress us at the same time. Surrounded by tombstones and angelic statues, they reveal stories about the people – perhaps friends and family – who have passed into a world we cannot now know or reach. Although theirs are stories from the past, they Imperceptibly convey the finality of our future to us.
In my book, ‘Forgotten Faces – A Window Into Our Immigrant Past,’ I relate how graves, especially those adorned with ceramic portraits of the deceased on their tombstones, “reach across the partition of time and come alive in our mind’s eye.” Cemeteries make you feel conflicting emotions. These feelings can be disorienting yet alluring., even comforting. Memorial parks evoke a bewildering blend of life in the present and its inevitable future. Places of the departed stir the heart, then play tricks with the mind. They place you on the boundary of time but you are not sure which side you are standing on.
Commercially the objectives of my photographs was to capture their unique beauty and overcome any sense of concern that some might have in entering the sphere of those passed. My goal was to liberate “the park” in memorial parks. Please explore them and determine for yourself if find and feel the conflicting emotions they inherently induce.
Spring Bloom in Memorium
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder - founded in 1904, East Lawn's downtown memorial park recently celebrated its 110th anniversary. It's natural beauty intensifies in spring when blooms bring color and nature's joy to the landscape.
East Lawn Mausoleum
Commercial - Memorial Parks - East Lawn's beautiful and peaceful Mausoleum in downtoan Sacramento, CA
East Lawn Veterns Memorial
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder - East Lawn cemetery's veteran's memorial in Sierra Hills, CA
East Lawn Stained Glass Center Piece - Sacramento, CA
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder - East Lawn dowtown neniruak park celebrated its 110th anniversary on 2014. In its original administration building this lovely stained glass window greets those rising to the second floor with a scenic view of the park landscape .
East Lawn 100th Anniversary Promotional - Sacramento, CA
Commercial Photography Folder - this photo was used as the back cover for East Lawn's 100th anniversary celebration and promotional literature.
Solemn Cyrpts in East Lawn's Downtown Cemetery
East Lawn Downtown Cemetery
East Lawn's Sierra Hills Park Veterans Memorial
Flags are whipped by the wind at East Lawn's Sierra Hills Park Veterans Memorial, Sierra Hills, CA
Spring Bloom Blesses the Park at East Lawn's Downtown Cemetery
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder - East Lawn Cemetery, Sacramento, CA
Cypress Lawn, Colma, CA
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder: surrounded by sunsety and an Egyption style temple, this icon sphinx conveys the deceased love of the Egyption culture.
Cypress Lawn, Colma, CA
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder: this large mausoleum and hundred year old cypress tree mark one entrance to the Colma's Cypress Lawn Cemetery.
Mission Dolores Cemetery, San Francisco, CA
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder: clustered with Mission Dolores in San Francisco, this garden-like cemetery was founded in 1776 and represents one of the oldest cemeteries in all of California.
Main Entrance of Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder - a watercolor stylization of Holy Cross's Main Entrance
Our Lady in the Sun
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Marble , Sunlight & Solitude
Commercial Folder - Memorial Parks - Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum - Colma, CA
Skies Over Stone
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Solitary Prayer
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Commercial Folder - Memorial Parks - Holy Cross Cemetery - Colma, CA: A lone woman visits a grave in Holy Cross Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in northern California.
Sunset Angel
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
A Ray of Light
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA - a ray of light highlights the solemn statue of Jesus which serves as the centerpiece of the main mausoleum in Holy Cross
The Long Row of Stone Crosses
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Leading the Way
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Sacred Heart Niches, Holy Cross Cemeteray, Colma CA
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA - Sacred Heart Niches, Holy Cross Cemetery,
Sacred Heart Niches
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Old Stone, Old Trees
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Monuments Amid Mountains
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA - as the oldest and largest cemetery in the 'City of Cemeteries,' Holy Cross provide dramatic vistas of the surrounding mountains and tree line landscape.
Entrance - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Fair Temple
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Angel with Moon
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Perspective in Marble
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA - the large main mausoleum in Holy Cross is beautifully built in marble, brass and glass with long halls providing a peaceful perspective of time and place.
Sitting Angel with Horn
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA - a classic angel with horn sits pensively on the rooftop of a personal mausoleum.
Trees, Stone and Time
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder - Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA
Veterans National Cemetery Service Monuments
Veterans National Cemetery, Bakersfield, CA
Flag High
Commercial - Memorial Parks: Veterans National Cemetery, Bakersfield, CA where the American Flag, mounted on the highest point, catches the breeze to underscore the quiet reverence of the distinctly rural landscape.
Honor in White Stone
Humble in their uniform beauty, the white memorial markers of the Veterans National Cemetery honor U. S. veterans from all the wars on our foreign shores in this stylized photo-art.
Flag - Tree - Stone, Glory - Honor - Faith
Commercial - Memorial Park Folder: Veterans National Cemetery, Bakersfield, CA
Auburn Oak
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder: The California gold rush town of Auburn dates from 1851
Saint Mary's Cemetery, Oakland, CA
Commercial - Memorial Parks Folder: nestled in forty acres of the Oakland, CA hills, Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery was founded in 1862 and hosts over 70,000 internments.
