 TEENY TINY TRIFECTA Here is my submission for Teeny Tiny Trifecta 9 at Second Street Gallery. I created three collages centered around three Instax photos from Keith’s collection that came to symbolize my months-long effort to recover his belongings after his death. The three pieces are intended to function individually and collectively. Fragments, textures, colors, words, and imagery repeat across all three collages — pieces of one work physically embedded into the others — reflecting how memory, grief, bureaucracy, documentation, and personal history became impossible to separate during this process.
Together, the three collages document not only Keith’s Instax collection, but the process of trying to retrieve it: the overlap between art, memory, evidence, bureaucracy, and mourning. I had to include a bio with the submission. This is what I shared: Leah Connor is an identical twin, mother of two, wife, runner, writer, and graphic designer. Curious, quirky, nostalgic, and endlessly inquisitive, her work blends humor and storytelling with a healthy dose of oversharing. Her personal motto is “No Choice But Action.” When not making art, she can usually be found playing Pokémon GO, solving Wordles, running races in a traffic cone costume, or watching her BirdCam. Teeny Tiny Trifecta
Exhibition dates: September 4-25, 2026 Submission deadline: July 6, 2026 Second Street Gallery is currently accepting submissions for our ninth annual Teeny Tiny Trifecta Juried Exhibition and Fundraiser, to be held in the Main Gallery September 4-25, 2026. The exhibition is open to all artists, with preference given to artists living in Charlottesville and the state of Virginia. Each artist will have three works of art on display. Artists must submit 3 works of art for inclusion in the exhibition, all of which must measure 8 x 8 inches square or 8 inch diameter, including frame and matting. Learn more about the exhibition HERE. Apply for the exhibition by completing the Google form HERE. Pay the submission fee HERE.
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 Sunday, May 17 at Darden Towe Picnic Shelter
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM Inflatable Races for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) for Childhood Cancer 🍋 Not Fast. Still Meaningful. We’re silly. Childhood cancer isn’t. We’re turning 55 the only way that makes sense to us — by running (and wobbling) in inflatable costumes at Darden Towe Park. Instead of a typical birthday party, we’re raising money for ALSF to support childhood cancer research — something that matters deeply to us. We’ll have the pavilion for the day — so please stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole event. 🌟 Costumes provided 🌟 👉 Choose your character: • 🐨 koala • 🎈 air dancer • 🦥 sloth • 🦖 dinosaur • 🦄 unicorn • ☃️ snowman • 🎄 Christmas tree • 🦅 eagle • 🚧 traffic cone • 🎃 pumpkin • 🐻 bear • 🐄 cow • 🐷 piggy bank 👉 Choose your FUN: • 55 seconds • 55 meters • 55 feet • games • crafts • photo opportunities It’ll be ridiculous, joyful and beneficial! 💛 Race 💛 Cheer 💛 Donate 💛 Celebrate 📍 Darden Towe Park, Charlottesville (MAP) 📅 Sunday, May 17 ⏰ 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM* Stop by whenever you can for however long you can! 🔗 www.alexslemonade.org/2026/twins-run-55  I wrote this final email not because I think Andy Zabel or Tamra Youngblut will read it. I doubt they will. I wrote this because this is closure for me. After my sister read Grandview’s response to our BBB complaint, she texted me immediately: “There was a lot of blame in Grafton’s response.” She said it felt like they were blaming Keith for damaging the apartment when he “committed suicide”. She also pointed out something important: “People commit crimes. Suicide is not a crime. That’s why that language isn’t used anymore.” What struck both of us was not just the wording itself, but the complete lack of compassion behind it. The complaint was never about money. It was never about assigning blame for Keith’s death. It was about transparency, communication, dignity, and the handling of sentimental belongings after someone we loved died. MY FINAL EMAIL TO ANDY ZABEL
It took 67 days to receive Keith’s Polaroid/Instax collection. This could have been resolved in March with four emails. I knew the law. Tamra repeatedly stated Grafton was following it. I disagree. When I informed Tamra that Keith likely died by suicide, she argued that the investigation was ongoing and then hung up on me. For Grandview to later reference suicide in its BBB response was insensitive and offensive, particularly when the actual issues involved delays, lack of transparency, and the mishandling of Keith’s belongings. Suicide is not a crime. Keith didn't commit suicide. He died by suicide. Language matters. The typos in the final sentence of your response — “ands” and “Conner” — reflect the same lack of care and attention our family experienced throughout this process. The only reason I have seen photographs of Keith’s apartment, including those showing what remained after his death, is because I obtained public records after Grafton refused to provide that information directly. I found photographs of a Burlington fire truck and police car on the only SD card I received Friday. I am grateful I pushed Grafton to search for the cameras documented in the Fire Marshal’s report. Otherwise, I never would have seen those. You accused me of sending too many long emails. The problem began with your first email to our family. Our request never changed from March 3. We consistently requested only sentimental items, photographs, with no monetary value be mailed to us. Had you properly reviewed the case from the beginning, this could have been resolved quickly and respectfully. I sincerely hope lessons are learned from this experience so that no other family experiences this kind of unnecessary distress during an already devastating loss. Finally, I am including our rejection of Grandview’s response to the BBB complaint for record purposes. According to the coroner’s office, the cause and manner of death were finalized on May 9, 2026. Although there was an attempted call that day, our family did not directly receive confirmation until May 12, so our BBB response reflected the information available to us at that time. Leah Connor  April 9, 2026 CONSUMER’S ORIGINAL COMPLAINT*: I am seeking the personal belongings of my deceased family member, Keith Connor, who died on 2/23/26, and resided at Grafton Place Apartments. Since Feb 2026, I have repeatedly contacted GP to recover sentimental belongings, especially Keith’s Polaroid collection and family photos. On 2/28/26, Tamra Youngblut confirmed that Keith’s “salvageable items” had been removed from the apartment and placed in secure storage. On 3/2/26, she stated that legal documentation and identification would be required before release. In response, we provided: * notarized Affidavit of Heirship * notarized Liability Waiver & Indemnification Agreement * government-issued photo IDs * unofficial death record We also repeatedly requested required notices under RCW 59.18.595, an inventory or photographic documentation of stored and discarded items, and clear instructions for retrieval or shipping to Virginia. On 3/9/26, Tamra stated their legal team required a court order and in-person appearance to release information or belongings. On 3/13/26, we narrowed our request to only 2 sentimental categories: Keith’s Polaroids and family photos, offered to pay for packing and shipping, and again provided supporting docs. On 3/29/26, after another follow-up asking only whether those photographs existed or had been discarded, Tamra replied that they were “waiting for reports” and that lawyers had asked for “no response until this has all been released,” without explaining what reports were pending, what “released” meant, or when we could expect answers. Despite repeated good-faith efforts and full compliance with documentation requests, we still have not received confirmation of whether these items exist, an inventory, required notices, or a clear timeline. We want immediate confirmation whether Keith’s Polaroids and family photographs are in storage or were discarded, confirmation of the status of all personal belongings, and a clear timeline and process for release. *Due to the character restrictions, the abbreviated complaint listed above was amended with this complaint document. May 12, 2026 MESSAGE FROM THE BUSINESS: This complaint arose from a very difficult situation where a tenant committed suicide in his apartment and in the process caused a fire that resulted in hazardous chemicals throughout the apartment, and significant smoke and water damage at the property. Shortly after the fire, a family member, unknown to us, made claims for the tenant’s property. Grafton Place has worked to understand and respond to the family member’s requests for return of certain sentimental items as quickly as possible and within its legal obligations to preserve the tenant’s confidentiality. Grafton Place is also simultaneously working with the fire marshal, insurance inspectors/adjusters and property restoration contractors to respond to their investigation of the fire and restore the unit. Unfortunately, it is a slow process but we anticipate returning the requested property this week, which should resolve the complaint. We sent the requested items last week to the address for Mr. ands Mrs. Fran Conner. May 12, 2026 REJECTION OF RESPONSE: I am rejecting this response because it does not accurately or fully address the complaint. First, the business states that Keith Connor “committed suicide,” but suicide has not been ruled as the official cause of death. Until an official determination has been made, Grafton Place should not present that as fact. Additionally, the phrase “committed suicide” is outdated and offensive language. If suicide were ever officially determined, the appropriate wording would be “died by suicide.” Second, the response minimizes the issue by suggesting that returning a few requested sentimental items “should resolve the complaint.” This matter is not resolved simply because some items were reportedly sent. For more than two months, our family asked for basic answers about Keith’s personal property, including what was saved, what was discarded, what was damaged, and what remained in storage. This complaint was never about money. It was about dignity, transparency, communication, and the handling of a deceased tenant’s personal property with basic humanity. We narrowed our request to sentimental items: photographs, Polaroids, cameras, film, memory cards, SD cards, digital media, family photographs, and related photographic materials. These are irreplaceable family items connected to Keith’s memory. Third, even after legal counsel became involved, the process remained confusing and delayed. We were told communications should go through counsel, but that did not result in clear answers, a timely inventory, or prompt shipment. Instead, our follow-up emails were repeatedly framed as contributing to the delay, even though the delays had already been ongoing for weeks and involved Grafton/Grandview determining what property existed, what would be sent, who would pay, and how it would be shipped. Fourth, Grafton Place’s response does not provide a complete accounting of Keith’s belongings. It does not clarify what was recovered, what was discarded, what was damaged, what remains in storage, or what documentation exists regarding those decisions. It also does not explain the process used to identify and preserve his property after his death. Fifth, the business refers to “Mr. ands Mrs. Fran Conner,” which is carelessly written and spells our last name incorrectly. Our last name is Connor. This lack of care is especially upsetting given the seriousness and sensitivity of the situation. To resolve this complaint, I am asking Grafton Place to provide: 1. Written documentation explaining what was retained, what was discarded, what was damaged, and what remains in Grafton Place’s possession. 2. A correction of the inaccurate and insensitive statement regarding Keith’s cause of death. 3. An acknowledgment of the harm caused by the delay, silence, lack of clarity, and lack of care shown to our family during this process. For these reasons, I do not accept the business’s response as a resolution. Sincerely, Fran and Leah Connor   I put together a page for Keith’s Polaroid/Instax Collection — a small archive of the instant photos and memories that help show the way he saw the world.
Some of these are funny, strange, beautiful, ordinary, and heartbreaking. I’m so grateful to have them gathered in one place. If you have a photo, memory, or story of Keith you’d like to share, please complete the online form. I’d love to keep adding to these memorial pages. The only reason I have seen any photos of Keith’s apartment — including what was there after he died — is because I used public records when Grafton did not provide that information directly. I found photographs of a Burlington fire truck and police car on the one SD card I received on Friday, May 8. They were taken in October 2025, shortly after Keith moved to Burlington, Washington. It is eerie to see those emergency vehicles through Keith’s camera now, knowing what happened later. I keep thinking about the 911 call a week prior to his death and the response of the fire department to his apartment the day he died. I am grateful I pushed Grafton to look for the cameras I saw in the Fire Marshal’s report. Without that report, and without continuing to ask, I would never have known these pictures existed.         |
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