‘Merica: Emotional Baggage Cart

During a recent artist residency in the Allegheny Mountains, a trip to the local Walmart for supplies reminded me that I was in Trump territory and very much “not from around these parts.” This experience brought into sharp focus a part of America I rarely see from within the confines of inner-city enclaves—a landscape marked by cultural and political divides. This work explores these tensions, reflecting on the ways geography, class, race and identity intersect, and aims to create a dialogue that bridges the gaps between urban and rural, familiar and unfamiliar, us and them. I seek to find common ground, to understand the stories under the surface, and to challenge preconceived notions with empathy and curiosity.