P O R T R A I T P A R K
An archival project documenting the residents in my hometown of Maury County, Tennessee.
In January 2019, I began photographing the residents of my hometown.
As the project grew in participation (there are now 300 images), the portrait series became something more. It became more about finding out who we are as members of this community today. The more people I met, the more in love I fell with this place. Because these are the people who run local businesses, who we see at the library, friends, strangers.
This project made me burst with pride. It made me want to make sure all these wonderful people met each other and I wanted to celebrate who we are and that we all share this place.
And that is how Portrait Park was born. It is a public, outdoor photographic exhibit. The images, printed 48x48” on aluminum, will be placed in steel metal frames and installed outside in the Columbia Arts District on *August 1, 2020. From there, the exhibit will make its way to city and county parks. It is meant to create engagement and movement- spark conversations and new relationships within our community. It is meant to bring us together.
All images will be cataloged and donated to the Maury County Archives to preserve this time in our history, which we share.
This is my love letter to my hometown.
Video excerpt from Seth Scrugg’s series, Muletown Revival
Nashville Public Television visits Portrait Park.
The Arts Build Communities grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises.
