DEMOPOLIS &045; Dr. Rachael Fowler’s photographic essay, which traces life from birth to death through the fences we face along the way, is accompanying the Between Fences Smithsonian Exhibit at Alabama Southern Community College.

The essay is a compilation of photographs, which incorporate the fence theme of the exhibit into the everyday lives of individuals. It uses the images of fences to illicit feelings and memories of events individuals experience in day-to-day life.

Each image in the collection, with the exception of one, is titled with a verb to help the view associate the photo with past memories said Fowler. She says that the collection showcases a whole gambit of human emotions and experiences that a person can connect to.

Fowler said that the collection is presented in a way that represents the movement of an individual’s life from birth until death.

Fowler said she has been interested in photography for sometime prior to this collection and that Scott Stevens at the University of Montevallo mentored her in photography. She began this project after a guest speaker came to one of her classes at the university where she taught in the college of education.

Fowler said that after the meeting she started noticing fences everywhere. She said she just began taking pictures involving fences and it grew into the collection unexpectedly.

Demopolis is the second town on the tour by the exhibit in Alabama and Fowler said that her college roommate, Louise Webb Reynolds who is from Demopolis, helped her bring the collection here.

Ogden said that Fowler is a very talented artist and that he is pleased to have her Photographic essay to compliment the exhibit.

Brandon Glover is a staff writer for The Times. He can be reached at (334) 289-4017 or by e-mail to brandon.glover@demopolistimes.com.