The ARTS Council is excited to announce Executive Director Chris Walters has received a Support for Artists Grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, with fiscal sponsorship provided by The Rockwell Museum. Read more about Chris and Farming Steuben below.
About Chris
A working photographer with a primary focus on environmental portraits and landscapes documenting New York’s Southern Tier, I have lived in Corning, NY for over a dozen years and have travelled extensively throughout the county. I am the Executive Director of The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and a longtime Board member of Explore Steuben.
About the Project
Farming Steuben is a portrait photography project documenting Steuben County farming families.
I will create portraits that showcase the county’s generational family farming culture, telling stories of innovation, stewardship, heritage, placemaking, resilience, renewal, and more.
This is a personal project, funded through a state grant, and it continues my work documenting and honoring the people of New York’s Southern Tier who work for the betterment of their communities and bring others together in community making and stewardship.
People & Process
Farming Steuben will feature a mixture of individual and small group posed portraits. I’ll take each portrait with both a modern digital camera and a historical film camera.
With a goal of creating approximately 30 portraits during the winter, spring, summer, and early fall of 2025, I’m working in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension-Steuben and the Farm Bureau to identify participants and ensure the project is an all-encompassing portrayal of farming families and commodities throughout the county.
Authenticity and collaboration are important parts of my process. After being connected with participants, I’ll work with each one to make sure they are portrayed as they wish to be seen, taking photos in a self-selected environment of their own choosing that showcases who they are and their
specific connection to the land.
Exhibition
I have commitments to exhibit the portraits at the end of 2026 at the Dormann Library in Bath and the Hornell Public Library in Hornell. This ensures portraits will be easily accessible to all county residents. I will also work to find other opportunities to exhibit and archive the work once the project is completed.
Photos:
Chris Walters, Self-Portrait.
Chris’ Proof of Concept photo, Beverly, Chris, & Abby Stamp, 3 Generations Winemakers, Lakewood Vineyards.
