MPS teacher turns feeling of uncertainty into hope with ‘Through the Window’ project

“Artists are really driven to express something and when this started I really wanted to document the beauty of what it meant to help one another through a global pandemic,” said Kellie Krawczyk, teacher and photographer.

‘Through the Window’ is a passion project that came to Krawczyk on a walk.

“I saw my neighbor through the window and the sun hit her face and she waved at me and it was so comforting cause I knew I couldn’t interact,” said Krawczyk.

The first photo Kellie took was of her own mom.

“It just made me feel so connected to her because it was something I could look at whenever I wanted,” said Krawczyk

“I wanted people to feel uplifted,” said Krawczyk. “I wanted them to feel joy.”

“It was just very comforting to see smiling faces and to see people at home and realizing were all in this together,” said Krawczyk.

The simple but powerful images tell a story of how a community has spent its time ‘safer at home.’

“I think the climate in the beginning of the stay-at-home order was fear and confusion and lack of clarity,” said Krawczyk. “Everyone was really unsure how this would feel to stay home for a long period of time.”

A project much greater than herself, Kellie says it reminds us we’re all in this together.

“I did try to include my students because I sort of had an ulterior motive,” said Krawczyk . “I got to see my students and take their family’s picture and some of our staff members, but really took a lot of people that I didn’t know. “