Throughout childhood, until my early teens, my mother and I would spend summers in Johnstown, PA where our relatives lived. At the end of the summer, there was always a sadness in returning to either Brooklyn or New Jersey. My best memories were times spent in this area. During that period Johnstown was thriving mainly because of production in the steel mills and coal mines. There was a very low crime rate and local businesses were doing well. Decades later when America could no longer compete with foreign steelworkers were laid off, mills were closed and much of the population moved to other states to obtain employment. Many lost homes, the downtown lost business to malls. The malls also lost business in later years and some closed. Infrastructure deteriorated as did much of the homes and businesses. Some became abandoned. This happened through much of America.

Although there is sadness, for me, in the deteriorating changes in Johnstown and other Pennsylvania towns and cities I feel compelled to document what is left. I am interested in the shapes and colors of the structures, their uniqueness and want to treat the subject matter with dignity and reference to the past.