One of the things that attracts me to roadside memorials is their connection and similarities to rural folk art of the 18th & 19th centuries, especially folk art of rural Pennsylvania and the hand carved tombstones and fractur art of the Pennsylvania German artisans. The most important memorials to me are those that consist of handmade items and items chosen to represent the life of the person who died.

I believe that artistic expression is highly beneficial to the grieving process, and may represent the fullest source of healing and closure for those without traditional spiritual or religious connections. Most of society today has lost touch with the creative and hands on aspects of grief and death, and roadside memorials represent a return to those roots.

Road Side Memorials Series