A Map of One’s Life
These images were taken on Historic Route 1 between Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia, in the years 2016 to 2022. With the heavy traffic on Interstate 95, Route 1 became my favorite pathway to the city. I came to view the scenery, off the beaten path, as a series of mileposts. This project is a study of those landmarks that tell us we are making progress and not just marking time. The signs that let us know we are on the right path and those that comfort us when we feel as though we are lost. The places we pull over and sometimes change directions.
I am protective of these photographs. Most of them are not stand-alone pictures—viewed individually they are commonplace. It is only now, as I bring them all together, that I begin to see their significance. Route 1 is the road I commuted as an itinerant physical therapist. It’s the road we traveled to the hospital the night I lost my first child when I was only 25 years-old. It’s the road to the Medical College of Virginia Hospital where my husband received the stem cell transplant that saved his life. It’s the road to the Visual Arts Center where I took photography classes. It’s the road where I hunted for treasures and found abundance. It’s the road where I meandered, turning down side roads, looking and finally finding myself. Every moment I felt alive.
Over the years, I stopped to take pictures on Route 1 of anything that I noticed, whatever caught my eye and held my heart. As one can only do in places we feel at home, I took more than I gave. I pulled over. I walked around and through. I waited for light and made the best of weather. I prayed I wouldn’t get yelled at for trespassing.
I was prepared to plead my case. I would explain, as simply as I could. I am making a map of my life. This work is important. Please understand.
"Interest is the most important thing in life; happiness is temporary, but interest is continuous." - Georgia O'Keeffe
To view the book of this project, please click here.
