Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Trionfo.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Empty Hourglass Project originally started out as a simple photography book focused on retelling true stories of mental illness, abuse, suicide, grief, addiction, and trauma through conceptual and surreal photography.
At first, it was a way to process significant loss and grief that had occurred in my own life, but it gradually morphed into this ongoing community art project and safe space where people of all ages who’ve been affected by the topics above can share their stories, their art, and experience healing through creative expression.
We’re currently in the process of organizing more photoshoots and collecting additional stories to complete our book, but we’re also always accepting (and encourage) story and original artwork submissions to include on our website’s blog. As healing as this journey has been for me, it’s my hope that others find it cathartic and a helpful outlet as well.
Ideally, Empty Hourglass will be able to be experienced in the 3D through public events and interactive art installations by 2023.
Growing up, I struggled immensely with mental illness, the effects of trauma, and self-harm, and have seen firsthand from friends and family how addiction and abuse can severely impact someone’s life and those around them, so Empty Hourglass holds a very special place in my heart.
I believe in the power of medicine, but also deeply believe in the power of self-expression and creativity because that is what’s saved me time and time again. Fortunately, I’ve been able to create for a living and work as an artist (in various ways), but have taken the plunge and recently returned to school in 2021 to earn my Bachelors in Child Psychology and eventually my Masters in Art Therapy.
Everything that’s been accomplished so far would not have been the least bit possible without our amazing team of fellow artists/concept creators (Andrew Key, Rebecca Ellis, Tim Brosius, and Kiati Plooksawasdi). Their dedication, loyalty, and creativity is what helps us to keep moving forward and (hopefully) make a difference in other people’s lives.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think anything worth doing well is definitely going to be met with some challenges along the way.
Obviously, an undertaking of this size probably won’t get done within a couple of months, but once Covid hit, it really put the project on the backburner.
We don’t just show up to do a shoot. It can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months to prep for a story set. Everything from the location, to collecting props, set pieces, finding the right photographer(s) who have the skills you need, finding the right models and actors, and such. And that’s once we have the concept in place. Before then, we will sometimes have 2 – 3 concept sessions until we feel really good about one, and then we make sure to get the green light from the story owners to proceed,
So, working around others’ schedules, paired with safety and health precautions due to Covid has taught me to always have a plan B lined up and ready to go should someone fall ill or a location falls through, for example. The two most important things are that people feel and are kept safe (both physically and emotionally) and feel seen and accepted. They’re sharing some of their most vulnerable moments with us. It continues to be a humbling experience every time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m just really grateful for the teamwork. This is a very communal project, involving people from various areas of life; from the artists to those who feel safe enough to share their journey with us. It’s been remarkable to see every shoot come together, the talents and strengths of each person to create something powerful, and the progress of the project overall.
The most rewarding part has been seeing the story owners’ reactions once they view the final image(s), or receiving a message of gratitude for the opportunity. It’s easy to get caught up in the details of each concept/story, but their reactions always serve as a reminder of why we’re doing this. We’ve all gone through challenging times and we all want to be heard and seen (I believe). We want to know that our life and what we’ve gone through matters.
Contact Info:
- Email: emptyhourglassproject@gmail.com
- Website: www.emptyhourglassproject.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/theemptyhourglassproject
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/theemptyhourglassproject
Image Credits
Kiati Plooksawasdi
Scott Church
Josh Triggs
Tim Brosius
David Rohrbach
Mark Robert Rogers
