An amaryllis blossoming in April. A girl on her fifth birthday. A gardener transplanting young perennial begonias. These images that make up Fern Valley, a body of work I made during 2020-2021, embody promise. They forefront hope during a time of global despair. They celebrate resilience. They honor beauty and wonder. And, they affirm love.

In March 2020, I was in New York during the height of the pandemic. I accepted an invitation to join a loved one’s family in the safety of the North Georgia Mountains. I had never met them before. With some reservation, I packed my 8x10 view camera, clothes and books, and went. Like most at the time, I thought the crisis would be short-lived.

Determined to be generative in my new surroundings and to honor the benevolence that welcomed me, I began a communion with the land, its history, and the people and animals who inhabit the eponymous place, Fern Valley. While acknowledging the critical moment in world history, I insisted on orienting my camera’s lens toward the light, in both a literal and metaphorical sense. I resolved to discover what would be possible in my new temporary home.

Fern Valley, a private residence and fly fishing destination, is situated on what was once Cherokee land. In 1838, the government began relocating the Cherokees to the Southwestern US. Aware of this history, the family who now owns the property, assures hospitality to all guests as a way of honoring those who once lived there. They maintain a Conservation Use Agreement that limits development of the land. And, they support the Soque River Watershed Association’s mission to safeguard and restore the river. Fern Valley is, thus, a place that both protects and is protected.

The virtues inherent therein—generosity, humility, kindness, and empathy—enabled and inspired my photographic search. What emerged was a series of portraits, still lifes, and landscapes that reveal the exploration—and creation—of kinship. With nature, animals, and a family. What has endured beyond the body of work are lessons about grace and goodness; respect and care; commitment and courage.