The memories that take up space in your brain, the ones that have stood the test of time, the untouched nostalgia that echoes throughout your life and tells your journey, those memories are at the heart of my series, “Southern Echoes”. It’s the special memories captured in my paintings that symbolically tell my story of growing up in Mississippi.
My story is one of driving gravel roads to visit my granddaddy and fish alongside of him in the tiny pond beyond his home, picking hydrangeas from one of the many bushes covering the side of my childhood home, to innumerable visits to Teoc, MS. I also cherish the times we visited “the Valley” as we call it, to attend my grandfather’s small, country church and enjoy the day eating and hanging out with a congregation of our extended family. Also vivid are the memories of driving down the flat, delta roads of HWY 82 and HWY 61 with cotton fields as far as the eye can see and sunsets so vibrant it must be a glimpse into heaven.
Mississippi is full of a rich history and colorful culture. At its heart are beautiful, hardworking people. My work has always had my southern roots woven into it; intentionally and unintentionally. From the layers of paint, I hope to pay homage to weathered, old and abandoned buildings, the delta landscapes, and the precious young children playing in the fresh air. I find joy in sharing the small moments of life captured in a single image. It is my hope that my work reminds you of that nostalgic feeling of those places and moments, stored away in your heart, that will echo on even after we are gone. For those are what make life beautiful.
-Lauren Dunn