While traveling, I am often stopped in my tracks to curiously take a closer look at rapid changes in the physical landscape.  These changes include natural decay or the use of machinery to alter a terrain on a massive scale.  I take note of landscapes, manmade structures, inhabitants, and communities. The histories of these as well as people’s relationships to them are important, especially in light of their inevitable dissolution.

As a way of documenting what I have observed, I photograph these sites.  I use these in my prints and drawings after manipulating them in order to give a photographic sense of reality.  I also invite the local community to participate in gathering historical and current information.  With this archive, I show what present changes are taking place, create visual histories of the land and visualize possible futures of that environment. By drawing or printing etchings over the surface of manipulated photographs, I make obvious the physical changes that are in progress.  The photograph represents the present, blueprint line drawings the future, and etchings the past. 

Stories and opinions from those who live, work, or are patrons of the area are essential.  I have listened to their stories while sipping coffee and sitting at their kitchen tables.  I interview both new and established residents, business owners, employees, city or township officers.  The images speak from the community of which they portray.

My goal in generating this work is to emphasize change and question if the re-development can be sustainable for our future.  It is our responsibility to make sure that our environments and resources are sustainable and we must be conscious of the affects every decision we make can have.  The visual histories I create can cultivate questions about these massive changes and encourage thoughts about our relationships to land and the communities that help define ourselves, our stories, and history.