Tell me again your locational history…
I grew up in Woodstock and then I moved around a lot, which included Sebastian, Florida; Margaretville, New York; Savannah, Georgia; South Bend, Indiana; Saint Joseph, Michigan and then back to the area in 2006.

What prompted you to return to your childhood home?
I returned home to reconnect with family and friends.

Your photos—for the most part—depict places that are not typically thought of as worthy of attention by an artist’s camera lens: old gas stations, new gas stations in neon glory,
abandoned construction sites replete with orange netting and waste piles, and forgotten old concrete hulks. What draws your eye and your heart to these places?
The photographs that you are referencing are part of an ongoing series of American Landscapes. I am interested in the forgotten, mundane and overlooked. To me these places have insight to our ever-changing culture and attitudes about what is considered worthy. In the past I have used the Gas Station as a metaphor to our “quick and easy” life style and what that means on a broader level.

Do you think magic exists in the Catskill Mountains?
I believe that the magic of this area is manifested in the people that choose to come here and contribute their diversity of thought and talent.

How does the magic manifest to you?
To me the magic is manifested to me in a variety of ways: the light off of the mountain in the morning, interesting conversations that happen by chance, and the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Will you consider a series on old school Catskill gas stations?
I am still working on this series and I have lots of ideas about locations in the area.

You mentioned that these old gas stations are kitsch, but perhaps they speak to collective myth? James Dean?
I think that it’s the cheesy architecture that becomes something relevant after time has passed. The style doesn’t emerge as interesting until you have a different perspective on what is considered attractive or “kitsch,” or vintage. Things become mythological through the passage of time. The thrust of my work is to force the viewer to slow down and look at things that would ordinarily fly under the visual radar.

Cabane Studios, 38 Main Street,Phoenicia will host a “Pin Up” (no frames) show from March 7 through March 31. The artists reception is Saturday, March 21 from 6 to 9 pm. For more information, visit cabanestudios.wordpress.com.