Name Your Dream Assignment :: Return of the Corn Mothers

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Return of the Corn Mothers

I would continue the work that I've begun on the Return of the Corn Mothers project, branching out into other parts of the United States and abroad to record the lives of other Corn Mothers from different cultures and geographical regions.

The world is changing at an ever-rapid pace. As it does we are fast losing our connections to the past. It is the traditions of the past, the stories about our ancestors’ lives, culture, and art that allow our societies to continue to grow and thrive.

The Return of the Corn Mothers is a project based on a Pueblo myth of two sisters who represent the givers of life and are synonymous with Mother Earth. Though the Corn Mother is found in the Pueblo and other Native American traditions, the Corn Mother or something very similar is found in almost all agriculturally based societies around the world.

A Corn Mother keeps past traditions of her ancestors alive while helping others learn about the future. They represent a circle of life and the continuation of a never-ending story of love and perseverance, symbolizing growth, life, creativity, and the feminine aspects of the world.

This project is about today’s Corn Mothers. They are women in our society who are often overlooked and forgotten, who are dedicated to their communities and teaching others about the past. They are rarely economically rewarded for their work, but live their lives as examples of kindness, connected to both their surroundings and the universe.

I started this project almost three years ago with my writer friend, Renee Fajardo-Anstine. I have traveled the Southwest documenting eighteen amazing women in their home environments. In addition to each portrait, each woman’s life story is collected, relating what she does in her community, her life philosophy, and a story of a woman in their lives that influenced and mentored them to become the women that they are today.

Largely self funded, I would use this money to continue this work, branching out into other parts of the United States and abroad to record the lives of other Corn Mothers from different cultures and geographical regions.

The end result would be a traveling show with a book that relates these amazing stories with the portraits of these beautiful women. A portion of the proceeds of the book would be used to start an organization that would bring Corn Mothers from local communities into schools to teach children the importance of cultural connection and the passing down of traditions through verbal and written storytelling. You can check out some of these portraits on my new website at www.toddpierson.com under the Corn Mother Project section. There will also be samples of these women’s stories on Renee Fajardo’s website in the article section at www.reneefajardo.com in the next week.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Todd Pierson

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42 Comments

coachmarge

Through his photography, Todd is able to capture the personality of each subject. He makes the photo come alive with his intuitive, creative approach. His project is about culture, women and heart and touches the universal connection within each of us.