MARYLAND: I Am The Swamp Queen
Maryland comprises 219 different swamps. I feel as though an accurate representation of Maryland’s landscape is not complete without depicting these glorious wetlands. When I think of Maryland, I think of wetland. I can smell that pungent liveliness from the standing water and silty mud. I can feel the humidity on my skin and the mosquitoes in my ear.
This body of work didn’t feel complete without a representation of the swamp. Serving as a companion to I Am The Crab King, this piece pays homage to Maryland’s wetlands.
The image you see is the second attempt we made to shoot this. The first time was a disaster. I didn’t know how to attach the crown properly so it all fell apart. I didn’t have enough sticks. I didn’t have the right wire. I was too afraid to actually GET in the swamp. And in my defense, swamps have soft mud bottoms so I very well could have gotten stuck. Then, the sky opened up and it started pouring during Take One. So onto Take Two.
Take Two happened a bit later in the year. But it was a clear day and the weather cooperated. I am wearing a full flyfishing suit in this shot, boots and all. My skin stayed bone dry. The swamp water is nasty, I don’t even fathom what could have been in there.
We shot Take Two the same way as take one. Only this time the crown was perfect (because I spent two days making it) and I wasn’t afraid to jump in the swamp. So I did. I am your swamp queen.
