Finally finished my MFA Thesis Roadtrip - Wish You Were Here!
Plastic Mount Rushmore at Wall Drug
Hi everyone! I'm a big fan of this sub and wanted to share some of my work here. I completed my MFA Thesis at East Carolina University this past May. My thesis, Wish You Were Here, focused on how we explore legends and stories through roadside attractions in my home region of the Great Plains of the Midwest. Coming from South Dakota, I've grown up with these attractions everywhere, and while they are fun to explore, the way stories and histories are shared often reinforce certain stereotypes. I'm always fascinated by how attractions start, whether it's just a family trying to make ends meet like at Wall Drug, or building the "World's Only Corn Place" in Mitchell (which actually was not the world's only from the late 1800s to early 1910s, as Sioux City, IA began the tradition and Mitchell, SD took the idea and branded it!). I've been trying to explore these ideas and even made my own "gift shop" as an art installation. You can check out my work here, the art installation here, and an interview/magazine about the work here.
As a side note, I met my boyfriend while at graduate school in North Carolina, and he is originally from Nebraska. While we were bonding over the region, I came up with the idea to go on a road trip over the summer or 2019. We are now currently on a trip back home to South Dakota, this time moving for the foreseeable future, with a Uhaul and dog in tow. It's not as fun with covid, as well as being vulnerable with health issues, we are mostly on the road and staying in hotels.
Thank you for checking out my work and let me know if you have any questions about it, our route, the Midwest, or anything! ✨
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