06/12/2019
We are so very sorry to hear about the passing of Sam Abrahams, one of our MYBRIGHTON & HOVE Photo Project photographers and mentoring group attendee. Sam’s unique photo of the sculpture “Afloat” won the public vote last year and appeared on the cover of the 2019 calendar. He also had another image chosen out of 3000 entries to be in the top 20.
Sam was originally from North London. He came to Brighton and Hove “accidentally” after losing his job and home 15 years ago, becoming homeless, and stayed in Brighton ever since.
I first met Sam just over two years ago when he came to my creative photography course at First Base. He was eager to show me his photographs and art, and we spent time choosing some to get printed so he could show local shops and galleries. He was so happy when he saw the photos printed and mounted and said he couldn’t believe he had taken photos that looked that good. Sam later came along to a photography course I ran at Justlife Studios before taking part in the MYBRIGHTON & HOVE Photo project last year.
He was a keen member of this years photography mentoring group and loved the knowledge and inspiration The Royal Photographic Society volunteer mentors gave him.
Sam was a talented artist and photographer - always looking for the unusual or, in his words, “strange” visual images, he continued to be inspired taking photographs until recently. His ambition was to display his work in local galleries or cafes. He once told me he was very miffed that he wrote to The Saatchi galleries asking them to display his work and they hadn’t bothered to reply to him!
I will remember with fondness Sam’s strong personality - often a little grumpy or cantankerous (I got royally told off for letting him be interviewed by ITV with a stain on the front of his T-shirt) but underneath, a creative and thoughtful soul who saw the world in his own unique, beautiful way.
Xx
