Visual Autobiography: The Early Years

Making, Making Making…

Heads down in the studio, preparing for the upcoming ACC Baltimore show in Feb (I’ll be in booth #3101), I’m making more of my small stitched textile badges which will be a large focal point of my display.

(For those that are new to this blog, you’ll find earlier posts about these stitched personal badges here, here, here, and here.  Or you could search in the “categories” on the right for “personal badges” to see all related posts.)

The Early Years

“Reluctant Model”, Mini Textile Painting (fabrics, stitching), mounted on 8 x 8 x 2 inch birch panel

I had a camera in my face since the moment I was born – my Dad had just landed his first newspaper photographer job, and he took care of me during the day while my Mom went to work, so I was his most readily available model.  (He’s still a practicing professional photographer today, and now chases the amazing light and wildflowers on the western slope of Colorado for most of his photos.  His work can be seen here.)

That first camera I spent so much time staring into the lens of was a Leica – there were a few times when I even got to hold it.

Learning a love of football, the K.C. Chiefs, and sports in general

“Football”, Mini Textile Painting (fabrics, stitching), mounted on 8 x 8 x 2 inch birch panel

My Dad loves sports, especially football so I had a football put in in my hands very early on.  He instilled a love of sports in general in me, something I’m very thankful for – I think getting involved in sports early on helped me develop in many ways, becoming an athlete, action-oriented and confident in chasing my dreams.

When I was about six, my Dad became the official photographer of the Kansas City Chiefs football team.  He set up his studio/dark room downtown where he would expose the film and print photos (seems like so old school technology now).  Some of my favorite memories were hanging out with my Dad in the darkroom and watching him mix up chemicals and see the photos magically appear.  (I’ve realized more recently that my attraction to printmaking – the love of black and white and the process intensive medium – likely can be linked back to these experiences.)

There were always some “rejects” that he didn’t think were good enough and I saved them (still have them today) because I loved everything about those photos – they were pictures my Dad took of Chiefs players, many of whom I got to meet and I would sit in the stands every Sunday with my brother in the Chiefs “Huddle Club” (kids section), watching my Dad run up and down the sidelines, shooting photos of the games.  Sometimes players would come to my Dad’s studio and during one visit, the Chief’s Center, Jack Rudnay autographed this photo for me. 

© Rod Hanna

This was during the late ’60’s, when the Chiefs were really good.  They even won the Super Bowl in 1970 – that was one of the the biggest celebration moments I can remember as a kid.

And that’s why even now, when I’ve lived in Bronco-land longer than I lived in KC, my heart is still with the K.C. Chiefs, because I knew so many of the “old” Chiefs players and this team represents my Dad and some of the best memories of my childhood.