(Ongoing)

These images are from a new project called Green Country, which captures the proliferation of cannabis dispensaries and related signage in Oklahoma. Green Country is also the name of the area of the state where these images are created. Many of the photographs were created in Tulsa, which was where Larry Clark of course made his book about teenage drug use in the 60’s and 70’s. In recent years, this area is an epicenter of meth usage. Oklahoma also has an alarming incarceration rate historically for non violent related drug charges.

Medical cannabis was legalized in Oklahoma shortly before the pandemic and has rapidly changed the physical and social landscapes in a very conservative state. This series documents the locations and surrounding environments where the dispensaries are found. I am a proponent of the legalization of cannabis. The sudden surge of the marijuana industry has radically altered public space in a conservative state in ways that make social issues visible.

Prints for this series are often shown at 32 × 40 inches. The images are purposefully created in a New Topographic style, so they are subtle and distant. The large prints open up details that are relevant to both the buildings, signage, and surrounds environments.