My name is Kaitlin Lima and I am an artist in training. I currently reside in Jersey City, NJ, and attend High Tech High School in North Bergen, NJ as a sophomore. Coincidentally, I applied for this program a few days after my art teacher mentioned that, “every artist should learn photography.” I didn’t think much of photography until I joined this program, and gradually, I’ve learned that photography is not just snapping a photo at the press of a button. Photography is the beauty of capturing a moment so precisely, its meaning will be preserved forever. This experience has exposed me to different forms of arts and different points of view. Hopefully, I’ll be able to purchase my own camera to continue to enhance my photography abilities and grow as an artist.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.- Confucius
Jersey City is known to be one of the “slums of New Jersey,” thanks to the Journal Square and Greenville neighborhoods. After much contemplation, I wanted to demonstrate the beauty that I see in Jersey City, even in the slums. Confucius once said, “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” Having grown up in Jersey City, I’ve seen it develop over time and saw how most neighborhoods rebuilt their image, even my neighborhood. This phenomenon also occurred in certain areas of New York; unless you’ve lived in these areas in the past, you’ll know that many areas (such as Times Square) were dangerous and run-down and as time passed, these areas have become some of the most desirable hotspots in New York! Seeing the development of both New York and Jersey City gives me hope that these areas will continue to grow and flourish.