Peeler Park, Madison, TN

During the COVID 19 pandemic, I began to realize my only in person social interactions were these fleeting encounters experienced on routine walks at Peeler Park in Madison, TN. In an attempt to build a sense of community, I began to carry a 4x5 camera to photograph portraits of those I encountered in the open spaces of the park. The project explores vulnerability in asking a person to take time for a portrait, navigating the fears of social distancing, and honoring the spaces of subjectivity. Some encounters are with strangers, others are weekly regulars, some from the Peeler Park Airfield and when no one is encountered, the trails, greenway and wildlife become the focused subjects. This project is a recipient of a Madison on My Mind project grant from Metro Arts Nashville, supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.