A New Project
Can you believe that America is 250 years old this year? There are so many ways people are celebrating this milestone, from a UFC fight on the White House Front Lawn to community events and art exhibitions across the country. As I reflect on what American life is like right now, I am struck by how complex and varied our collective experience is. I find it hard to celebrate the 'greatness' of this country without acknowledging the incredible diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and stories that make up our nation.
I would like to create a staged fine art photography series consisting of six powerful images that reflect the lived experience of being American today. Rooted in the visual language of classic American history and iconography, each set will feature real people and their stories, amplified through intentional staging, color, and composition to create bold, timely, and universally resonant imagery. My goal is to submit this series to a visual arts center in Ellensburg, Washington, for a six-week exhibition. I'm asking participants to help pay for the entry fee by contributing at least $12 to the project. This is a juried opportunity, meaning that not all submissions are accepted. Regardless, I think now is the time for this project. We are living in history, and our stories deserve to be told.
If you are interested in participating, send me a message or set up a meeting by April 25th using the link below. After your concept meeting, we'll set up a date for your photo session and make it happen. No prior experience is needed, and everyone is welcome to contribute. Your perspective will help to shape a more authentic and diverse portrait of America today.
The Project MUST Wrap
by MAY 9th, 2026
Process
Step 01
Create your set
This project is on a tight timeline. Let's set up a time to talk about your concept and what is needed to make it happen. We can do this online or in person, but all meetings should be done by April 25th.
Step 02
The aim of the project is to draw a direct line between America's historical visual identity — from Grant Wood’s American Gothic to Depression-era portraiture, presidential portraits, and symbols like the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam — and the defining social realities of this current era. Each image will reflect a specific theme relevant to contemporary American life, staged with a strong and unmistakable American aesthetic.
Step 03
Decide on the final image
This project is a collaboration and a joint statement about American life, right now. It's being created because there is an opportunity to show this work at Gallery One in Ellensburg, Washington. I'm asking ALL PARTICIPANTS to help with the submission fee by contributing $12-$15 each. I will pay for the prints and handle all the shipping costs.
The images submitted to this group exhibition are created and selected by us and must be completed by May 15th.
Share your story
As the country turns 250 years old, for many Americans, it's a time marked by struggle and uncertainty. A time of division, isolation, and scarcity. If this was once the home of the brave and land of the free, which it never was, I wonder, what does it mean to be an American today? The sets in this project aim to hold a mirror up to America right now — not as a political statement, but as an honest, human, and visually arresting document of this era.
Your perspective will help to shape a more authentic and diverse portrait of America today. The following are a few possible concept ideas, but the project is NOT limited to only this list.
Possible Themes / Concepts
- The impossible choice of economic survival
- The weight of caregiving in modern America
- Dignity, identity, and access
- Bodily autonomy in a shifting legal landscape
- Excess, desire, and the American Dream
- Isolation in a hyperconnected world
- Communities left behind
- Access, debt, and the promise of opportunity
- Solidarity and belonging
- A nation at odds with itself, reminiscent of Civil War-era fracture
.
