The idiom 'eyeteeth' is rich with meanings. To 'cut one's eyeteeth' often signifies gaining sophistication or experience, transitioning to a state of being worldly-wise. It can also refer to one's initiation or first experience in a career, skill, or hobby. Moreover, to 'give one's eyeteeth' is to offer something highly valuable, usually in exchange for a desired object or situation, as in the phrase, 'She would give her eyeteeth for that shot.'

The following pages present the lens-based work of my photography students from the spring of 2025. Each image captures a significant moment of growth and engagement with the act of seeing as well as the creative process. For many, this marks their first experience with photography or a visual arts course. The students take pride in these epiphanic experiences, where they drop in and begin to see differently, create, grow, and transform into new states of awareness. These moments are priceless—truly invaluable—and indeed worth one's eyeteeth.

Eyeteeth was started in the fall of 2009 with the help of one of my most memorable students, Chris Ryan. We hope you enjoy these images as much as we have enjoyed the act of seeing, learning, creating, and growing as artists, witnessing the world together.