My photos of prairie churches are featured in the September 2017 issue of Montana Magazine this month. My photographs of rural churches has been a bit of a labor of love. I'm not particularly religious, but I am fond of the history of these structures and what they once meant to their communities when their members and parishioners were trying to scratch out an existence on Montana's prairie. More than just a church, these structures were central to each community. They are also where school was taught, where local government entities met, where people voted, and where the community gathered. They were the first place some of their residents entered the community and the last building they visited when leaving the surly bonds of Earth. They are icons of the American west, and sadly, many are in disrepair and going away. Making photos of churches when making photos of Montana has been enriching.
Montana Magazine often concentrates more on urban and recreational pursuits in the past, so it is exciting to see them also throw some props to the rural corners of Montana. I have called Montana home for many years and as such it is exciting to share some of my photos of Montana's interior.
The September 2017 issue of Montana Magazine is available now on newsstands, or you can subscribe to Montana Magazine. Whatever the case, you would be supporting the state of Montana and artists like me.
