Sunday, February 22, 2009

The Farm and Conservation

My grandmother’s farm is a constant inspiration for my photography. I recently visited the farm and, of course, took a lot of photos. Usually, I love to wander the fields and photograph the buildings and landscape of the farm. I did do a little of that, but I was more intrigued to document the inside of her house this time. In my 28 years of life, all of my familiar surroundings consistently change. Her home and the farm is the only permanent variable I can think of in my lifetime.

I consider the environment a lot in my work. A recurring theme includes landscapes, nature, and our environmental surroundings in general. It wasn’t until I started photographing the inside of her home that I realized I was continuing this concept. It is hard to deny that my grandma is a conservationist when you consider the fact that most of her furniture is several decades old. One of the most important elements of conservation is valuing what you have, taking care of it, and not throwing it away.

In a society that values cheap furniture from Ikea, it is refreshing to hear my grandma talk about her furniture. There is a history and a story behind where each of the following pieces came from, and she’s had them for decades. Here are some the photographs.