Made in 2020–2021, Fern Valley emerged during a period of profound global uncertainty. Through landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, the work considers the resilience of living systems and the possibilities for connection, care, and renewal.

In March 2020, as the pandemic unfolded in New York, I accepted an invitation to join a loved one’s family in the North Georgia Mountains. Having never met them before, I packed my 8x10 view camera, clothes, and books and traveled south, expecting a brief stay. As the crisis continued, I chose to approach my unfamiliar surroundings with curiosity and openness. I began photographing the landscape and people that welcomed me, seeking to understand the relationships among them and the history and ecology of this place.

Fern Valley, a private residence and fly-fishing destination along the Soque River, occupies land historically inhabited by the Cherokee. The family who owns the property maintains conservation agreements that limit development and supports initiatives to protect and restore the river. Their commitment to environmental stewardship informs the character of the place, where hospitality and the care of the land are understood as complementary responsibilities. Fern Valley is, thus, a place that both protects and is protected.

These values shaped my photographic inquiry. Through sustained attention to the natural world and people, I sought to understand how kinship develops and how a sense of belonging emerges through reciprocal relationships. Fern Valley reflects an understanding of ecological care as an ongoing practice grounded in attentiveness, responsibility, and respect. The work affirms the importance of stewardship not only in preserving the places we inhabit, but also in cultivating the relationships through which life can flourish.