Sometimes the world presents you with an unexpected gift. Eight years ago, I entered the collector’s world of Andrea M. Noel after a friend suggested that I might be interested in photographing Andrea's expansive and unusual collections. After approaching her about potential of examining her assortments photographically, I was presented with a list of over sixty collecting categories, ranging from kitchen utensils to bedpans and urinals. I arrived at Andrea's beautiful, home complete with a wraparound porch festooned with wisteria, I was unprepared for the surprises that lay within.
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Niles formative years were spent living in small, southern towns in Virginia and North Carolina. Inspired by the heritage of these locales, she developed deep-seated southern roots that richly inform her photography practice with visual storytelling. Niles celebrates the diverseness of the human spirit, appreciating those qualities that make us delightfully unique, yet connected in many ways, particularly through shared experiences and preserved visual memories.
