Gold Dust

Lush with plant life that is not native to the City, and rich with many non-native people that thrive there, New Orleans is, according to the geographer Peirce Lewis, the “inevitable city on an impossible site.” The wildlife that flourishes mirrors the human wildlife that flourishes. The photos are a collection of these metaphors – weeds push through the cement, vines crawl through fences, and friends’ and acquaintances’ characters shine through the dust and sweat that makes up the City. I see the city as magical hub of growth, hope, and resilience as reflected through its landscape and its people. Despite its obstacles: high levels of poverty, low employment levels and the fact that the city exists below water level, there is life in this unlikely place and people find homes for themselves there. Whether my subjects are native to the area or come from other places, they each contribute to the life and culture of New Orleans making it a vibrant place in which to live and create. I am constantly inspired by their strength and eccentricities, and each image is a gesture of admiration and an opportunity for me to celebrate their beauty.