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Joan M. Albert
April 28, 1943 ~ July 12, 2012 (age 69) 69 Years OldShare using:
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, July 21, 2012 for Ms. Joan M. Albert (Mikulka)). Joan was born April 28, 1943 in Boston, a daughter of the late Charles J. and Elinor (Allen) Mikulka. She grew up in Watertown graduating from Mount Trinity Academy in 1960, St.. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana in 1964 with a Bachelors in English and a Masters Degree from the MFA Massachusetts College of Art in 1983. Joan had been a Cambridge resident for over 40 Years. She had been self employed for many years working as a photographer in the Boston area. She died on Thursday, July 12, 2012 from a heart attack at the age of 69.
Joan was a mother, photographer, writer and teacher of photography. She was an amazing creative force and an inspiration to all who knew her. She endured and triumphed through personal tragedy and physical pain. In 1972, her middle son Jason Adam Albert died in an accident. This inspired her to capture images of children. She began taking pictures in 1973, photographing narrative scenes of domestic life, focusing on mothers and children. Originally self-taught, she pursued a masters degree professional path of some note. She held a position teaching photography at Massachusetts College of Art and she exhibited in many venues internationally. Some of these are:
- "The Pleasures an Terrors of Domestic Comforts" Museum of Modern Art NY Sept 1991
- "Truckers" Museum of Transportation Brookline MA 02146 Oct 1989
- "Mothers and Daughters" Aperture Foundation 20 East 23rd St Ny NY May 1987
- "Photographing Children" Santa Fe Center for Photography March 1987
In 1987 chronic pain in her neck began to slow her down. It was discovered that she had a benign tumor that was causing her a great deal of pain. Though she was physically unable to continue photography as a result, she continued creating through her writing. In 1997 an essay on her illness appeared in Surviving Crisis (Tarcher /Putnam).
She also was driven to help others - pursuing a degree in social work and working as a volunteer AIDS Buddy.
In 1992 the tumor grew again, and a larger more-complicated surgery led to a cascade of problems that debilitated her for years. Through all the pain, she maintained a vast network of friends and family and lived her life to the fullest.
For the last 8 yrs, she had experienced a renaissance, both creatively and with vastly improved health. At the time of her death, she had been taking classes, writing of her life, and working on a book of her photography.
Her work is in the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art, the Carpenter Center of Harvard University, the Fogg Collection of Harvard University and the Polaroid Collection in Cambridge.
She was the mother of Martin B. and his wife Anne of Great Barrington, Nathan R. and his wife Kristen of Brooklyn, NY and the late Jason A. Albert; grandmother of Oona R. and Louise M. Albert and Charles E. Albert and sister of Mary Anne Karia of NY, NY, Donald J. Mikulka of Aurora, CO., Christine Wilkinson of Laytonsville, MD., Jaenia Mikulka of Cambridge, Michael C. Mikulka of Santa Rosa, CA., and Steven M. Mikulka of Watertown.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sat., July 21, at 11 AM in the Bigelow Chapel of Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge. Relatives and friends are kindly invited.
Memorial contributions in Joan''s memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders USA, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030. www.doctorswithoutborders.org.
Joan was a mother, photographer, writer and teacher of photography. She was an amazing creative force and an inspiration to all who knew her. She endured and triumphed through personal tragedy and physical pain. In 1972, her middle son Jason Adam Albert died in an accident. This inspired her to capture images of children. She began taking pictures in 1973, photographing narrative scenes of domestic life, focusing on mothers and children. Originally self-taught, she pursued a masters degree professional path of some note. She held a position teaching photography at Massachusetts College of Art and she exhibited in many venues internationally. Some of these are:
- "The Pleasures an Terrors of Domestic Comforts" Museum of Modern Art NY Sept 1991
- "Truckers" Museum of Transportation Brookline MA 02146 Oct 1989
- "Mothers and Daughters" Aperture Foundation 20 East 23rd St Ny NY May 1987
- "Photographing Children" Santa Fe Center for Photography March 1987
In 1987 chronic pain in her neck began to slow her down. It was discovered that she had a benign tumor that was causing her a great deal of pain. Though she was physically unable to continue photography as a result, she continued creating through her writing. In 1997 an essay on her illness appeared in Surviving Crisis (Tarcher /Putnam).
She also was driven to help others - pursuing a degree in social work and working as a volunteer AIDS Buddy.
In 1992 the tumor grew again, and a larger more-complicated surgery led to a cascade of problems that debilitated her for years. Through all the pain, she maintained a vast network of friends and family and lived her life to the fullest.
For the last 8 yrs, she had experienced a renaissance, both creatively and with vastly improved health. At the time of her death, she had been taking classes, writing of her life, and working on a book of her photography.
Her work is in the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art, the Carpenter Center of Harvard University, the Fogg Collection of Harvard University and the Polaroid Collection in Cambridge.
She was the mother of Martin B. and his wife Anne of Great Barrington, Nathan R. and his wife Kristen of Brooklyn, NY and the late Jason A. Albert; grandmother of Oona R. and Louise M. Albert and Charles E. Albert and sister of Mary Anne Karia of NY, NY, Donald J. Mikulka of Aurora, CO., Christine Wilkinson of Laytonsville, MD., Jaenia Mikulka of Cambridge, Michael C. Mikulka of Santa Rosa, CA., and Steven M. Mikulka of Watertown.
A Memorial Service will be held on Sat., July 21, at 11 AM in the Bigelow Chapel of Mt. Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge. Relatives and friends are kindly invited.
Memorial contributions in Joan''s memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders USA, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030. www.doctorswithoutborders.org.
Service Details
Saturday, July 21st, 2012, 11:00am, Mt. Auburn Cemetery- Bigelow Chapel
Interment Details
Mount Auburn Cemetery
A service summary is not available
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