Luminous Kansas

I started this body of work as a simple observer and a witness to the awesome power and beauty of nature. As my work progressed I began to focus on the impact of human presence. I studied areas that were once occupied and then abandoned. I photographed areas that only saw an occasional visitor and were protected from human influence. I continue this documentation of lands throughout the Midwest and have become interested in the impact of farming. 

The majority of these images were captured in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas. My work is influenced by regionalist painters such as Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry and Grant Wood.

Although we've transitioned into a new millennium, many relics of the 20th century remain.  What can we learn about our future from these antiques that decay and collect rust along the rural skyline? Will they speak volumes to a world facing an imminent energy crisis? Will they serve as a measure of progress in terms of urbanization and overpopulation? Or will they just simply serve as a reminder of simpler times.

Through our selfish plight, we continue to divide and sell land for personal, agricultural, and commercial use.  Men continue to toil in fields and mines, robbing the earth of its natural resources.  Giant earth moving machines re-route rivers and reduce mountains.  We continue these acts of selfishness through natural disasters, and evident climate change.

These photographs serve as an illustration of changing times and as a documentation of man's impact on the land.  I attempt to provide a unique perspective, contrasting those things left behind against things more contemporary.  It is my goal to capture moments where man-made structures exist in visual harmony with the earth.  Through these works I urge people to tread lightly, and proceed with caution as we find our place in this world--somewhere between earth and sky.