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Weaving Soul and Earth, 2024-2026, (preview)

“The land doesn’t make mistakes.”

– Humberto Verdugo, 74, goat farmer, Baja California Sur


Amidst climate change, the loneliness epidemic, political polarization and the stimulation of the digital world, today many people are in a state of existential crisis. Experiences in nature remain an essential antidote to these anxieties, offering a perspective on where we fit into the world and what truly matters.

Weaving Soul and Earth, photographed on my grandfather’s 1950s Rolleiflex medium format film camera, visually explores the question, “What does nature teach us about existence?” Through the intimate documentation of eight individuals – from Alaska to Mexico – whose lifestyles center around nature-based practices, I aim to capture the beauty, awe and wonder of nature and those who live in connection with the earth.

After a decade working as a photojournalist at newspapers across America, I felt a need to move past reactionary coverage and investigate the root causes of the issues I had been reporting on and ingesting. Over time I noticed that daily journalism often focuses on society's symptoms, and I craved a chance to amplify the antidotes – stories centering nature, wonder and beauty. I stepped away from the newsroom to embark on a 18 month journey in a van, both understanding my own existence while documenting the quiet, life-affirming practices that connect us to the earth and ourselves.