Preserving Appalachia: A Mixed Media Study
Ongoing​

Preserving Appalachia: A Mixed Media Study is an ongoing investigation of what it means to me to stay connected to my home. I grew up in the Appalachia region of North Carolina, a region that continues to reflect who I am. Three years ago, an unexpected family tragedy led me to move to Atlanta, Georgia. The transition altered my sense of belonging and place. Life in Atlanta has never truly felt like mine, the energy of the city has been hard to recognize myself in. Through this body of work, I use photography and mixed-media processes to close this distance and strengthen my connection to Appalachia. By immersing myself in Georgia’s own Appalachia region to make the landscape photographs, I feel close to my own mountain home, though still hundreds of miles away from my family. When introducing mixed-media elements, I incorporate materials rooted in Appalachian traditions, such as botanicals, quilt patterns, and naturally sourced wood. These additions push the pieces beyond photographic documentation, transforming them into something handcrafted, tactile, and composite. In doing so, the process becomes as significant as the outcome. The handmade process is the essential component of the work’s meaning. Developed through experimentation, each piece takes shape through ongoing construction and adjustment. The physical act of layering, weaving, and carving materials allows me to engage directy with the work, holding pieces of Appalachia in my hands and intentionally pushing the pieces beyond simple documentation.By incorporating mixed-media with my landscape photographs, I explore Appalachia from a distance, using layering and imagery to reflect my connection rather than my location. The work is less about what I see in front of me and more about what I am reaching back to remain connected to.