Gallery

“Our Town from the Knees-Down” is a collection of fifty photos I gathered over ten years in Eureka Springs. I’m fascinated with stories that photographs convey, but shy away from pointing a camera at people’s faces— many don’t like it. My subjects are relaxed or completely unaware as I focus on their legs and the tales they tell. A wide range of personal characteristics can be accurately discerned by looking at people’s shoes — their age, gender, income level, political affiliation, and personality traits.

  • This downtown icon came to Eureka twenty years ago from a flea market in Oklahoma. She was first known as "The Beading Babe" and stood in the window of Crescent Moon Beads. When the business changed hands and moved, she became "The Bead Chick" and still holds her place in the bead store window.
  • One Foot in the Grave
    I stopped this man downtown and he was willing to pose. I first took his photo sitting on a wall, and he told me he lost his let to cancer. Then, he hopped down and showed me his tattoo.

We’ve all heard the saying, “You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their shoes.” Assembling this photo collection has shown me that you can learn a lot about a town by observing the legs of its residents and visitors. I’m glad I got out there and saw what was afoot.