Surrounding
Wilderness
Photos by Forrest McFarland
Photographs of the outdoors lie in drawers and closets all across the world. Why do we take them? I have drawers full myself and wanted to share some on a rotating basis. The idea of a "surrounding wilderness" came to me when putting together a show of small paintings in 1991. I had just read Loren Eisley's The Immense Journey and found it mixed pretty well with my American Zen take on things. The photos may be seen from this perspective of a world where everything is constantly changing. Change which includes every one of us whether we appreciate the implications of it or not. Wilderness really is not somewhere "out there" but should include natural human complexities. My wilderness includes the wilderness of over- population, the wilderness of politics, television, and a wilderness of homelessness, pigeons, and football rivalries, rap singers, and lovers. I will try to have the mix of pictures speak for themselves. The human condition comes across better in artistic form as we are all just too close to see it otherwise. The page is just getting started. There is plenty of time. The drawer is really full!
dense growth- Yukon
blacktailed jackrabbit
Painted Cave- Chumash Indian
