Darlene Kaczmarczyk is a professor emeritus at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her inspiration comes largely from commercial advertising of the 1950s, styles that still exist today in modern culture. She focuses on iconic feminine apparel such as handkerchiefs and aprons, turning them into satirical representations of the social status of women. While her images often evoke nostalgia, they are also loaded with messages about expected behaviors, relationships, and attitudes.

As a photographer, she enjoys using alternative photographic methods like pinhole and photograms to create her work. In her series, “Homegoing,” she includes still life images and photographic collages created from vintage photographs and mementos, to represent the effects Alzheimer’s disease can have on a family, but also on the brief moments of connection that are part of the illness that are often referred to as the “long goodbye.”  

Explore more artwork by Darlene Kaczmarczyk