Blue Ridge Parkway National Park, North Carolina

As an artist, redefining a classic is one of the most deceptively difficult things to achieve. With Overlay my aim is to present a modern take on quintessential Appalachia. I’ve utilized a vertical panorama to emphasizes the subtle layers of forests, fog, light, and ridges that appear to stack atop of one another for miles. In fact, the old growth forest in the foreground is only about a half mile away from my vantage point on the Blue Ridge Parkway, while the mountain in the background is 25 miles away. The compression of this vast distance into a single image is accomplished through a technique that Ansel Adams referred to as “The Long View” whereby the closest subject in an exposure is far enough away that a more distant subject can also appear in sharp focus by way of a tiny aperture. This technique along with the unique composition combine to render a scene of intrigue and even slight abstraction from a very familiar subject. Overlay has emerged as an overwhelming collector favorite – an image that embodies the elements we love about the Blue Ridge Mountains without foregoing the mysterious nature of Appalachia.