Photography Exhibition Reveals Beauty of Georgia’s Natural Environments
Fernbank Museum Displays the Work of the Still Small Voices Project

ATLANTA (July 18, 2006) — In the noise of day-to-day life, the smaller voices around us can be drowned out as they compete against larger demands for our time and attention. In a new gallery exhibition at Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the photographic documentary Still Small Voices: The Natural Environments in Photographs, Poetry and Prose invites you to stop and listen to nature. The collection of photographs will be on view at Fernbank Museum from September 9, 2006 through May 6, 2007. Combining vibrant photos with thoughtful poetry and prose, this installation provides a journey into the heart of Georgia’s last wild places, giving a “voice” to the state’s disappearing natural environments.

   The project is the creation of photographer Marc Del Santro and writer Ann Foskey, and is inspired by the book The Natural Environments of Georgia by Dr. Charles H. Wharton. Wharton was the first to classify and document the state’s natural environments in his book. However since the book’s publication 28 years ago, many of the sites and environments have been forgotten with several having suffered damage and loss. Del Santro and Foskey have documented 25 of the sites, with approximately 75 remaining to be recorded through the project. Their goal is to educate and inspire Georgians to recognize and protect the remnants of these precious sites—from boulderfields and cedar glades to cypress savannahs and remnant prairies. 

   “These environments are secret treasures, each woven with unique associations of plant and animal life, and often include rare or endangered species,” Foskey said. “We want people to appreciate these places, not just for their scientific value, but for their beauty and mysterious ability to touch and inspire the human soul. They have gifts for us beyond what we can see. In losing them, we may be losing a part of ourselves that we have not yet come to know.” 

   With carefully crafted compositions and incredible depth of field, the photographs document 25 environments native to Georgia. “The collection of images provides a visual dictionary of our natural heritage,” Foskey said. “But they are also beautiful, intimate portraits that evoke a sense of awe and wonder. It is the emotional and spiritual connections we develop with these places that will ultimately lead us to protect them.” 

   While the photographs, poetry and prose for each ecosystem is an artistic collaboration, Del Santro and Foskey work to maintain scientific accuracy so their project can also be used as an educational tool. In fact, the Still Small Voices project is being integrated into the educational materials of conservation organizations including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Natural Heritage Program, the Nature Conservancy and Earth Share Georgia. The first phase of the project is also being published in the book, Still Small Voices: A Journey into the Heart of Georgia’s Last Wild Places. The book will serve as a companion to the photography exhibit and is due out in September. 

   Selected works by Del Santro and Foskey from the Still Small Voices project have also been added to Fernbank Museum’s permanent collection. The photographs are displayed in the Museum’s Dining Room and showcase Georgia’s beauty year-round.

   Fernbank Museum is located at 767 Clifton Road. Still Small Voices is included with Museum admission and parking is free. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for students/seniors, and $10 for children 12 and under. For more information call 404.929.6300 or visit www.fernbankmuseum.org .