Usually, she stands by the side of the sink, proudly perched on a ledge in the arch that separates the cooking zone from the eating area. Theoretically. My kitchen actually gets multiple use as a basement, alternative studio, storage space for gardening tools, and laboratory for photographs. It faces west, and the late-afternoon light is often spectacular, shining low from across the street and casting strange shadows or mysterious reflections.

It was around this magical time that I decided Athena needed to be washed. She was given to me by a friend I haven’t seen in years, in memory of her mother. Like my memories of them, this statue is precious. When the photography session was finished, Athena was scrubbed a bit more, rinsed thoroughly, dried carefully, and placed gently back on her perch – with a newfound appreciation for the details I had never noticed before.

Photographs by Catherine Rutgers © March 2011.