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“My effort is to go beyond the illustrative, to experience the emotion, the intimacy of the moment. I have come to realize that in order to capture the essence of this moment, to create—to give birth to an image, to combine the intricate qualities of light, expression and composition—my entire emotional and spiritual complexities are called into action. When the elements of art and truth come together, for a short-lived moment I am immersed in ecstasy. Delighted in capturing a true-to-life impression of what I see. I am transformed. I need to repeat the process, to continue the search to connect, to create.”

“As an artist,” Stummer continues, “I express myself by illuminating the darkness. I also search for the hidden light in darkened places, beauty immersed in ugliness, clarity in chaos. As I attempt to record the harsh reality of ghetto life, I witness children with the light of innocence, hope and trust in their eyes, that in only a few short years is dimmed and then crushed, leaving only the darkness of fear, anger, mistrust and apathy.”

Ivan Karp, Director of O.K. Harris Gallery of Art in New York City, wrote, “O.K Harris has shown fine photography for thirty years. Helen Stummer is one of the few exhibitors whose work has universal response. Her work is mature, complex, provocative, and illuminating. Her dedication to her human subjects is unique in its powerful focus. We revere her lofty idealism.”

Barbara Millstein, Curator of Photographs of the Brooklyn Museum of Art, wrote, “ I have been looking at and purchasing the photographs of Helen M. Stummer since 1985. Ms. Stummer has dedicated herself to a photographic project dealing with one of the most seriously neglected and crime-ridden wards of Newark, New Jersey. Stummer not only turned her camera on her subjects, but also took an interest in their welfare and became a valued friend. Her photographs reflect this dedication and more, they are often very beautiful as well as moving, and they are full of sensitivity and love.”

Caroline Johnson, Curator of Photographs of the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, wrote, “Stummer’s long-term commitment to the struggles and dignity of the poor is evident in her photographs. Whether photographing the spontaneity of children playing on inner-city streets and litter-strewn vacant lots, or the reality of the elderly struggling to survive on a fixed income, Stummer’s photographs portray her subjects with respect and compassion.

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