Mitchell's Lot by Susan Hayre Thelwell
For the past several years I have photographed conservative Christians who are goat ranchers from west Texas (my family) and the Muslims who purchase their goats for the halal (meat prepared in accordance with Islamic law) meat economy in New Jersey and New York. This project is a personal narrative journey, aspects of which connect with larger issues in our society.
To tell my story, I have followed the flow of animals from the desert to the city. I have photographed the people and animals that populate the ranches of the canyonlands of the Trans-Pecos region and I have photographed, and ridden with the truckers who transport the animals live weight to the east coast. I have photographed the halal facility in Paterson, NJ and I have gone on delivery to the small ethnic markets in the boroughs surrounding New York City.
This lyric essay has been a rewarding personal experience and over the years it has evolved into a story about how we feed each other on many different levels.
Susan Hayre Thelwell is a Santa Fe, NM based artist and teacher.
To view more of her work, please visit her website.
