This journey has led us down many paths. As we careen along highways through the expansive landscape of this country, the unknown has massively outweighed the predictable. Every day brings new characters and scenery, and it has been daunting to capture it all in a way that does it justice. We press onwards, ever onwards, in pursuit of the meaning of it all.
I have always been attracted to the simplicity of black and white images. Reducing our vibrant world to the subtle tones bracketed by the contrast of pure light and the absence of it imbues the image with a clarity that is more difficult to obtain with a color palette. It also nostalgically recalls a bygone era where color images were too complex to produce.
Geometry and symmetry have always fascinated me. By reproducing one image in different orientations and manipulating them in different ways, I am able to create complex abstractions out of natural and manmade creations alike. It's an experimentation I enjoy that brings new life to images that I might otherwise not consider for selection.
On this trip I have been making an effort to pay attention to details. A miniature train on a graffiti shop shelf in Phoenix. A rock spiral tucked behind Broken Arch that you have to climb precariously to get to. A wind spinner on the street in Taos. A ray of light catching a lantern just so on Roosevelt Row. A perfectly illuminated branch in Zion Canyon. I will keep hunting for the hidden treasures that surround us as this trip continues.
- Anthony Mayes -