|
For the past three years I have been visiting small towns, festivals, and other events, looking for images that relate to my memories of growing up on a farm in Walkerton, Indiana. While I loved growing up in the country, I found life in the rural Midwest too restrictive and the politics too conservative. When I left home for college, I was certain I would never move back to Walkerton . Well I've learned to never say never, because I returned in 2000, to help my parents cope with terminal illness. I've always held conflicted feelings about rural life, and decided to photograph what living here has meant to me. Through these images, I hope to celebrate rural life without idealizing it. Many of my photos contain the remains of an earlier time, when locally owned stores and family farms were the norm. Today chain stores and agribusiness are prevalent in rural communities. These communities are struggling to thrive in the global economy, and my work reflects this reality. Why fourteen places to eat?One of my biggest complaints after moving here was: there are not enough places to eat out. Or, rather, practically no places to eat out. So I was happy when news arrived that a new restaurant was opening in Walkerton. Imagine my surprise when I read a letter to the editor in the local paper against the new restaurant. The letter stated we already had enough places to eat in this town. The writer counted a total of fourteen places to eat, which included four restaurants, three gas stations, four bars, a truck stop, a convenience mart, and a bowling alley. |