I have a term for photos that I really like.  I call them “wall-worthy.”  (This website has a bunch of what I would call “wall-worthy” images.)  That means I would willingly pay to have them properly framed and would like to hang them on the wall of my home (or maybe your home). My photos are not the only things I consider “wall-worthy”, I have lots of other types of art in my home created by others;  painters, sculptors and the work of other photographers.

What hangs on your wall .becomes a form of autobiography—a curated collection that represents you, helping  you and your guests understand what makes you unique. It may not define you, but it does open a window into who you are.

We have limited wall space (does that mean my autobiography is limited?). My wife Carol and I move work around periodically for a fresh look.  Something that has been in the closet for a while gets to hang; like a museum bringing out works from the permanent collection for display.  What is old is new again!

In the case of Rahim Najfar, in 2013 Carol and I went to France with a group of friends.  We found ourselves in Bonnieux, which is in the Vaucluse department of Provence.  We had lunch in a lovely restaurant that had been carved out of  rock. Across the street was an art gallery.  We liked what we saw in the window, so we ventured inside.  We really liked the work of this artist, and he was in the gallery so we conversed for a bit.  Carol practiced her french.  We learned that Rahim had fled Tehran for France where he has been living and painting since 1976.  We picked a piece and had it shipped home.  It still hangs on our wall.  On our most recent trip, we found ourselves back in Bonnieux, Rahim is still painting, and we found another piece of art that we liked.  It too graces our walls.

Clay Wagstaff and Brian Kershisnik are well-known Utah artists that hang on our walls. We discovered them in galleries on Park City’s Main Street.  Being a tourist town and destination ski resort there is no shortage of galleries in our town. 

I have some photos made by friends adorning our walls.  I also have the usual family photos along a shelf that you pass by as you go up or down the stairs and I have a closet full of my own photography.  

I remember being in the homes of friends and neighbors when we lived in Northern Virginia outside Washington DC.  They always had a “hero” wall; photos of them standing with assorted politicians or men in uniform.  I guess their jobs and connections and who they met define them. I often wonder if those pictures change with each administration.