My work is a project that examines the hinterland within the state of Washington. The word hinterland (late 19th cent.: from German, from hinter ‘behind’ + Land ‘land.’) means an area surrounding a town and served by it; the remote areas of a region; an area lying beyond what is visible or known. The landscapes I am drawn to are, by their nature, worn, generally containing abandoned or deteriorating forms. They are the landscapes I drive through on a regular basis, ping-ponging between rural and urban areas. Through the photographs, I seek to personalize the transient experience of the Northern Columbia Plateau landscape. I am interested in these places because in ways, they inform me about my cultural identity, who I am, and where I fit into the world. I’m also interested in them because they are changing. The hinterland of the early 21st century is more of a figurative space than literal, and is rapidly becoming more so.
