Upon entering the Faye G. Belardi Memorial Gallery at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum in Felton, the bright history of the San Lorenzo Valley is dwarfed by the panoply of photos reflecting the museum’s latest exhibition.
Photographer and writer Randy Bacon has compiled an eye-opening and compelling set of photos and biographies of unhoused people from across the country. Men, women and children who live on the streets were photographed and encouraged to tell their stories to create “The Road I Call Home,” Bacon’s most recent collection.
Since 1984, the artist has been criss-crossing the country, taking photos and telling the stories of those who live on the margins of society. Bacon has practiced photography professionally, traveling across the United States and internationally.
His portrait work has received numerous awards, including the All About Photo (AAP) Winner (twice), CPC Portrait Awards Grand Prize, Umbra International Photography Awards Grand Prize, International Photography Awards Winner, Monochrome Photography Awards and recognition from American Photo Magazine.
“What inspires me now more than ever,” writes Bacon on his website, “are those stories: raw, unfiltered truths wrapped in compassion, resilience, humor, grief, love, hope and wisdom. Stories that heal. Stories that shake us awake. Stories that punch people in the heart and remind us of our humanity. Photography has become less about the camera and more about connection—bearing witness to the sacredness of every life I encounter.”
Lisa Robinson, president of the San Lorenzo Valley Museum, is honored to host Bacon’s exhibition.
“With so many portraits and stories to share (the Felton Museum gallery holds 15 photos and biographies, with another seven on display at the Felton Library Community Room), we wanted to make sure as many of the stories as possible are shared with our visitors,” Robinson said.
The exhibition is sponsored by Exhibit Envoy; there were only two sponsored slots available in the State of California, and Robinson snagged one of them back in 2024.
The project has toured nationally, and the Belardi Memorial Gallery has a video of the larger exhibitions as well as a book containing all of the featured portraiture on display.
“The artist really wants us to know that with 8 billion people on the planet, each of us is an individual that can never be duplicated,” said Robinson, who alluded to Bacon’s other works. “He’s done exhibitions on those with Down syndrome, cancer and those approaching the final days of their lives.”
The photos on display in “Road” are mesmerizing in their depiction of its subjects. Extreme close-ups of the unhoused show every pore, every crease and every scar, marking Bacon’s moody and intimate photography.
The brash qualities of his photos encourage a closer inspection of each photo and invite a deeper dive into the lives of those featured. Some of the subjects made it off the streets and into homes, while others still live under highways and along levees; one man lost both of his arms in a train accident, and some have passed away. Each story compels visitors to learn more about homelessness, and Bacon wants those stories to resonate with the audience.
“As a photographer and filmmaker,” Bacon writes, “I’ve always been captivated by one simple, profound truth: every human being is a one-of-a-kind original—a miracle that has never existed before and will never exist again. That belief, that we are all original miracles, is the creative heartbeat of everything I make. It’s the thread that ties together thousands upon thousands of portraits I’ve created across America and around the world. For decades, I’ve been driven by an unrelenting fascination with the ‘ones’—the singular lives within a planet of billions—and the stories each carries.”
“It’s a very powerful exhibition, and due to the number of photos and biographies, there are 10 additional entries that aren’t currently featured,” said Robinson, who explained that the entire exhibit will be rotated at each location to ensure that all photos and bios are made accessible.
Robinson added, “Ultimately, this is an opportunity to learn about people who have found themselves on the streets due to a wide variety of circumstances. They are not homeless people—they are individuals with their very own stories to tell, and sharing them with others proves that there is not one solution that suits everyone. Our stories and journeys are varied, and each provides insight into the human condition.”
“The Road I Call Home” is featured at the Faye G. Belardi Memorial Gallery at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum in Felton (6299 Gushee St.; slvmuseum.org) and in the Community Room at the Felton Library (6121 Gushee St.; santacruzpl.org/branches) through Sept. 20. Information on exhibition hours can be found at each location’s respective website.
