By Benjamin D. Rinehart
Appleton, Wisconsin: Benjamin Rinehart, 2023. Edition of 7.
9” x 9” x .825” (closed), variable (open)l; 5 pages. Medium: archival pigment print & pressure print with laces. materials & printing. Lace cards double-sided and mounted onto museum board. Box constructed out of cover stock with a divider and lid to house the lace cards and laces. Each box with five different colored laces to incorporate designs. Laces can be reused repeatedly.
Benjamin Rinehart: "When we started our family in Appleton, WI, it came with the reality that our closest family members were still four hours away. This required us to travel several times each year to Iowa and Indiana to see our families. The lacing cards were just one of many car activities we did on long road trips to pass the time.
"Thankfully we became friends with a wide variety of LGBTQ+ couples in the Fox Valley through a group called ‘Valued Families’. This created a support network that was necessary to thrive in an unfamiliar area of the country. We appreciate the friendships and connections because it created an indelible bond between the families."