On Seeing, A Journal #394

Growing Up: Rachel Shahar Novick

Friday, September 4, 2020

I have studied over 200 children from childhood into their 20’s.  I began with some when their mothers were pregnant, as was the case with Rachel; others started about the time they could read and write.  For all of them I made annual studio portraits and asked them to write answers to a series of questions, a kind of diary about their lives, their feelings, their hopes, their regrets.

My exploration, a major 30 year odyssey, has been an exciting and educational journey that has yielded understanding beyond my imagining.
Rachel’s Mom at 39 weeks (delivery in 8 days).

 

Three weeks

 

Four years

 

Eight years

 

Nine years

 

Ten years

 

Twelve years

 

Thirteen years

 

Fourteen years

 

Fifteen years

 

Nineteen years

 

Twenty-five years

 

With mom

 

Rachel, please do return in a few years. Mom too.

I am interested in everything about human development. I am fascinated by maturation, emotional, educational and physical growth.
Permission was signed by the parents of each and every child every year, and by the participants themselves once they turned 18. In addition, we have now sent copies of all of their writings and edited photographs to the participants for whom I have finished all my editing and have received full permission from that group to publish and post. I offered and a few kids used a pseudonym.