Theses and Dissertations Collection

When a man from the Western United States says “wilderness” what does he mean? How does he navigate these spaces? How does he relate his domestic settings with the rough land he regularly visits? Where do the borders and edges lie between those spaces? What does it look like when a man brings “wilderness” home? And finally, how do these men share intimate moments, whether violent or tender?These are the main questions I explore in this body of work. My main source is observing men in the Western United States who regularly make trips into wilderness areas. My goal is to transfigure their behavior and sensibilities into more observable forms which, in turn, gives the viewer opportunities to expand and evolve the notions they hold toward the Western United States and the people inhabiting it. I use watercolor paintings, photography, and cut paper in this effort.