Mesa photographer in exhibit celebrating the stories behind America
Courtesy Kerrick James
Kerrick James has an affinity for automobiles and public art, and he's fascinated by how someone buried these Cadillacs under the stars at "Cadillac Ranch" west of Amarillo, Texas, where people paint them endlessly. It serves as a public palette that is always changing, and he's particularly drawn to photographing it under different lighting conditions—with setting full moons, sunrises, and thunderstorms. The photograph is one on display for the "Americana — Route 66 & Home of the Brave" exhibit at HD South in Gilbert.
A weathered stretch of Route 66. A Gilbert Days parade. A chance encounter that transforms an ordinary highway marking into an unforgettable photograph.
Those are among the moments visitors will find in Art Intersection's "Americana -- Route 66 & Home of the Brave," an exhibition at HD South's Gallery 4 that celebrates the people, places and experiences that continue to shape America's story.
On display through Aug. 8, the exhibit brings together the work of veteran Arizona photographers Kerrick James and Neil A. Miller. While James focuses on the history, nostalgia and enduring appeal of Route 66, Miller documents everyday life in communities close to home and across the country.
Together, their work offers two perspectives on Americana as the United States marks its 250th anniversary.
For James, Route 66 has been a source of inspiration for more than three decades.
"I'd say it's a cornucopia of visual delights and decay and all kinds of things going on," James said.
His fascination with the Mother Road began in high school after reading John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." Curious to see how the places described in the novel had changed, he eventually devoted decades to photographing the historic highway, producing two books on Route 66 and leading photography workshops throughout the Southwest.
Arizona remains one of his favorite sections of the route, thanks to its concentration of historic roadside landmarks and distinctive desert scenery.
Even after photographing the highway for years, James said it continues to surprise him as old landmarks disappear, new attractions emerge and travelers from around the world seek out the road that has become synonymous with American travel.
"I love the open road," said James, a Mesa resident and Arizona State graduate. "I love driving, and I love meeting people along the way."
One of his favorite discoveries came unexpectedly along the 13-mile Kansas section of Route 66, where he spotted a painted Route 66 highway shield with a tire burnout that, from the right angle, resembled the body of a guitar stretching down the roadway.
"That called to me more than probably any image I've ever shot along the route," he said.
Miller's photographs take a different approach to Americana.
A Gilbert resident, retired television news photographer and longtime photography instructor, Miller has spent decades documenting candid moments as people go about their daily lives. His images in the exhibit include a Gilbert Days parade and scenes from other community events.
"I try to capture the scene the way people are living," Miller said.
Neil A. Miller's work has often focused on everyday living in America, including this family gathered at a Fourth of July celebration in Huron, Indiana.
Rather than arranging photographs, he waits for genuine moments, like shopping at a grocery store, to unfold naturally.
"I find that's one area of photography that people isn't really covered," Miller said. "It's part of life that you just don't think about until you really just start looking at it."
Although their subjects differ, both photographers see their work as reflections of the freedoms and experiences that have defined the nation.
James believes Route 66 remains one of America's most enduring symbols.
"I do think of Route 66 as ... the all-American road," James said.
Its reputation extends well beyond U.S. borders, he said, recalling Route 66 memorabilia displayed in places around the world.
"It does have a very strong hold on world consciousness," he said.
Miller hopes visitors will leave with a renewed appreciation for the freedoms reflected in American life.
"I hope the photographs kind of can pass on," he said. "Some of them might be controversial, but at least we talk about these things."
Both photographers are members of Through Each Other's Eyes, a Phoenix-based nonprofit cultural exchange program that connects photographers from sister cities around the world. James has participated in exchanges in Japan, France and Australia, while Miller recently joined after years of involvement in Arizona photography organizations.
For James, those experiences reinforce the universal power of photography.
"Photography's the world's visual language," he said.
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
Americana exhibit,
Art Intersection,
HD South,
Rute 66,
Gilbert arts,
Kerrick James,
Neil Miller,
Through Each Other's Eyes,
Arizona photography,
America 250
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