The American Farmer Exhibit Opens in November – 11/12/2024
When photographer Paul Mobley set out to capture the soul of our country’s farm communities, he encountered an enduring rural culture that remains rooted in the principles of tradition, family, integrity, and hard work. Crisscrossing the country, from Alaska to Florida, Mobley and his camera were welcomed time and time again into the homes of hundreds of farm families. Visit after visit, Mobley came to know the independent farmer’s spirit from both behind the lens and across the dinner table.
He sought the elusive spirit of agriculture, looking for subjects that mirrored the project’s sense of risk and independence. The resulting images show farmers with a strong sense of where they belong in the universe, a close connection to the land and their day-today work as it affects the rest of the world.
American Farmer opens Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center.
Paul Mobley, Catarino and Margarita Romero, Mineral, Texas, 2007, 30 x 20 inches, archival ink jet print, Courtesy of private collection.
Out of a collection of more than 200 of these portraits, ExhibitsUSA has distilled a selection of forty-five iconic portraits showing the geographic and cultural diversity of the American Farmer. This vivid portfolio is accompanied by anecdotes and memories in the farmers’ own words that are both a testament to their enduring hospitality and a moving glimpse into the hardships and joys of a quickly disappearing way of life—one that once defined our national identity and now struggles to remain vital. From Jim Taber, a young single father raising cattle in Montana, to Shirley Schollenberg, the daughter of Alaskan homesteaders, Mobley’s heroic photographs reveal the true face of American farming and remind us what it means to live with simplicity, contentment, and decency in a world that so often forgets.
Paul Mobley is an American photographer who has traveled from remote Alaskan villages to the majestic palaces of Croatia to find the face of a thousand words. Mobley’s first book, American Farmer: Portraits from the Heartland, was first published in the fall of 2008 by Welcome Books and received the 2009 Western Heritage Award for Best Photography Book from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
Paul Mobley, Walter Jackson, Vero Beach, Florida, 2007, 30x 20 inches, archival ink jet print, Courtesy of private collection.
This exhibition was curated and organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Exhibition: American Farmer
Host Organization: Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center
Runs: Nov. 12, 2024 – Jan. 7, 2025
Gallery Hours: Tuesday, 10 AM – Friday, 4 PM
Location: 127 S Mission St. Wenatchee
Admission: Adults: $5, Senior/Student rate: $4, Kids 6-12: $2, Kids under 5: Free
Contact: Phone: (509)-888-6240, email: [email protected]
Paul Mobley, Dave Harris, Crane, Montana, 2006, 60 x 40 inches, archival ink jet print, Courtesy of private collection.
Throughout Fall, the museum will be screening three in-house documentaries related to American Farming. Every Saturday (except Dec. 7, due to Holiday Family Fun Day) between 11 AM to 12:30 PM, guests can view “Broken Limbs: Apples, Agriculture, and the New American Farmer,” “Tom Mathison: The Growing Season,” or “Gee Whiz: The Apple of Grady Auvil.” These screenings will be included with museum admission.
Families can enjoy free Little Farmers Storytime on Friday, Nov. 29, at 11 AM. Museum staff will be leading children’s story time, providing coloring pages for kids to draw on.
The community is invited to the grand opening of the American Farmer exhibit during First Friday on Dec. 6, 2024. Every First Friday of the month, guests receive free museum admission between 4-8 PM.
Paul Mobley, Bobby Lucas, Dubois, Wyoming, 2007, 20 x 30 inches, archival ink jet print, Courtesy of private collection.
About ExhibitsUSA
This exhibition is toured by ExhibitsUSA, a national program of Mid-America Arts Alliance. ExhibitsUSA sends more than twenty-five exhibitions on tour to over 100 small and mid-sized communities every year. These exhibitions create access to an array of arts and humanities experiences, nurture the understanding of diverse cultures and art forms, and encourage the expanding depth and breadth of cultural life in local communities. For more about ExhibitsUSA, email [email protected] or visit www.eusa.org.
About Mid-America Arts Alliance
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) strengthens and supports artists, cultural organizations, and communities throughout our region and beyond. We achieve this primarily through our national traveling exhibition programs, innovative leadership development, and strategic grant making. We are especially committed to enriching the cultural life of historically underserved communities by providing high quality, meaningful, and accessible arts and culture programs and services. We believe in more art for more people. Additional information about M-AAA is available at www.maaa.org.
About Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center
The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center’s mission is to gather, engage, and educate people to celebrate and preserve the history, arts, sciences, and rich diversity of our region. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates with the support of the cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee.
