Ava Henrickson and her family are proud to present “Echoes of Earth, A Mother and Son’s Parallel Perspectives” a photography exhibition running April 26 through May 31 at Lakewood Art Council Gallery at The Hub, 6501 W. Colfax Ave. in Lakewood.
Henrickson lost her23-year-oldson, Staff Sgt. Adam Henrickson, to suicide in 2020 while he was stationed at the Baumholder U.S. Army Garrison in Germany. The show compares photos taken by Adam—many of which were discovered after his death—with similar images captured by Ava Henrickson over the years, as a way to honor his life and their ongoing connection from behind the lens. She curated some stunning photos from his collection and matched them up with her own that are coincidentally similar in elements, composition, or perspective. She also includes some images by each of them that stand aloneas compelling shots.
A self-taught shutterbug later in his life, Adam Henrickson used a Sony Alpha 6000 digital camera to capture his travels all over Europe while on leave from the Army. He shared select favorite images with his mom and the world on his social media, but it wasn’t until recently that she discovered the extent of the collection stored on his laptop. His striking landscapes laud the majesty of the fjords in Norway and the serenity of the scenic Germanic countryside. Others capture the rawness and grit of European cities. Each is proof of the footprints he made across the earth, and because of that, his mother could not be more grateful that they exist.
“This is all we have left of my sweet, creative son. I am so proud to be able to fulfill his dream of showcasing his work to the public,” Ava Henrickson said. “I take tons of pictures on my phone, while out in nature or out on the town in colorful Colorado, beautiful South Dakota and other places I’ve visited. I love finding that Adam and I have a bond through our similar photographic eye, and I will carry it with me as I move through the world with my phone always at the ready. Curating this show has been a cathartic, hands-on part of my journey through the profound grief of losing him.”
Henrickson, a prospective Lakewood Arts Council member, showed her work in its March 2025 juried show, “Reflections.” While attending the opening of that show, her sister Angie Olsen commented that Henrickson’s images had similar characteristics to her son’s, and that showcasing them together would be a meaningful way to pay tribute to him as the family continues to heal. The idea was shared with their extended family, many of whom still live in his birthplace of Rapid City, South Dakota. The group pooled their resources to make this exhibition happen.
The Lakewood Arts Council, founded in 1988, is Lakewood’s oldest art organization. Its mission is to cultivate and celebrate community arts. For more information, visitlakewoodarts.org.
Images in the “Echoes” exhibition will be for sale. Henrickson and her family are donating all the proceeds to a group or groups that help suicide survivors or soldiers in the military get the mental health help they need.
The public is invited to an opening reception on First Friday, from 5 to 9 p.m. May 2. Regular gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Fridays.
