Artists and storytellers offer a fresh perspective, inviting us to go outside of ourselves and take part in their vision. I was captivated by good storytelling as I was growing up and became especially interested in the art of film and cinematography. While some of my techniques are inspired by that medium, my ideas are also derived from my surroundings and past experiences. I see reinventing oneself as an important part of an artist’s work and I constantly challenge myself to expand my thinking so that my new work differs from the last. With this current series, I am exploring my own memories and fears, while creating a connection to the past and present.
In 2003 I visited a small village near the Adirondack Mountains in New York State, named Boonville. I began asking myself: what is in a name and where does it come from? I grew up in a small town surrounded by cornfields and farms, and it was often referred to as the “boonies.” For the last four years I have explored and researched all the towns in the United States named Boonville, and two years ago I began raising money to live in and photograph each; There are six. The notions of the boonies, a boon (or blessing), and the legend of Daniel Boone (the great American pioneer), all became a driving force behind my “Boonville” journey.
Since August 1, 2007, I have stayed in Boonville, Missouri (pop. 8,775); Boonville, North Carolina (pop. 1,122); And the Village of Boonville, New York (pop. 2,082). I am currently living in and photographing Boonville, Indiana (pop. 6,761). Over the next four months I will continue to travel to all six Boonvilles in the country, including Boonville, California (pop. 800), and Boonville, Texas (extinct). Since the beginning of the project and continuing until the end, I am living in each of the six communities for thirty-plus days, while staying with families and residents.
With “Boonville,” I am exploring ideas that reflect my opinions and memories of growing up in a small town and of what America is like today. I’m using these six towns, their evocative name, range in populations, and diverse geographical locations as my muse in creating images and stories of small-town America. This journey is about my connection to these towns, theirs to each other and to the rest of the country. Much of America is changing, and Boonville is my way of documenting and exploring this inevitable and complex transition. The final product will juxtapose images from all six towns and together, create a fictional town named "Boonville."
In 2003 I visited a small village near the Adirondack Mountains in New York State, named Boonville. I began asking myself: what is in a name and where does it come from? I grew up in a small town surrounded by cornfields and farms, and it was often referred to as the “boonies.” For the last four years I have explored and researched all the towns in the United States named Boonville, and two years ago I began raising money to live in and photograph each; There are six. The notions of the boonies, a boon (or blessing), and the legend of Daniel Boone (the great American pioneer), all became a driving force behind my “Boonville” journey.
Since August 1, 2007, I have stayed in Boonville, Missouri (pop. 8,775); Boonville, North Carolina (pop. 1,122); And the Village of Boonville, New York (pop. 2,082). I am currently living in and photographing Boonville, Indiana (pop. 6,761). Over the next four months I will continue to travel to all six Boonvilles in the country, including Boonville, California (pop. 800), and Boonville, Texas (extinct). Since the beginning of the project and continuing until the end, I am living in each of the six communities for thirty-plus days, while staying with families and residents.
With “Boonville,” I am exploring ideas that reflect my opinions and memories of growing up in a small town and of what America is like today. I’m using these six towns, their evocative name, range in populations, and diverse geographical locations as my muse in creating images and stories of small-town America. This journey is about my connection to these towns, theirs to each other and to the rest of the country. Much of America is changing, and Boonville is my way of documenting and exploring this inevitable and complex transition. The final product will juxtapose images from all six towns and together, create a fictional town named "Boonville."
The Boonville project is underwritten by Cannery Works, a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization located in NY, and is supported in part by, The Hallmark Institute of Photography, private arts supporters and friends and family.
www.boonvilleusa.com is an ongoing blog that will document Timothy's journey and is not a representation of the final product.