As I was going through my things when I was unpacking my stuff (I still have a lot of unpacking to do) I came across this photo. I remember having to take this for my fine art photography class as an assignment during my days at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) in Utica, NY. I took a shot of an entrance of a classroom (probably a graphic design class) that had displayed an open for business sign that had been altered and redesigned. Instead of the sign saying, "Come in, we're open", someone (probably a graphic design major) had changed it to "Sorry, we're open", which immediately drew my attention. So I took the shot, submitted it to my photography professor, and ended up getting a B in the class. 

This was my very first foray into photography, and in the end I wasn't crazy about the medium, given that you have to be in a darkroom in a given period of time to fully develop the picture. Also the display sign in the photo is an indicator and precursor of my ever increasing obsession and fascination with Main Street, which will be a dominant theme in my upcoming series of works and ingrained in my studio practice 🤩🤑 

Looking back now, I wish I had that sign, or have the designer make one for me. I thought it was hilarious 😂 

—Cher Bear 
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#FineArtPhotography #ArtStudentDays #SorryWereOpen #MainStreetInspo #MVCC #UticaNY 