Road Stories began over 20 years ago in the mountains of Colorado where I met Ana, an exchange student from Madrid. I thought she was so sweet and beautiful. We became good friends and when she left to go back to her country we stayed in touch. We visited each other when we could and even though there is an ocean between us we have always remained friends. A few years after Ana had returned to Spain my brother killed himself. Troy and I used to go out driving with the windows down and the music blaring. The road laid out before us. After Troy died I felt like all his restlessness had seeped into me and I could not drive far enough away. I lost my voice. It wasn't until I picked up a camera and began photographing the road that I found my way again. I could not know back then that this tragedy would shape the direction of my art for all the years to come. Ana and I both made our way in the creative fields and in 2015 she contacted me about collaborating on a proposal for emerging curators, where I would be her artist. The gallery was in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It was so crazy because for the past two years I had been thinking about Santiago since watching the film, The Way, written and directed by Emilio Estevez. The film follows a pilgrim on the El Camino trying to make sense of the death of his son. It was very moving story that in some ways paralleled my own journey. I could not stop thinking of Santiago and El Camino. When I told Ana about this she said we were going to be chosen. I don't know if it was divine intervention or we somehow manifested the outcome but our proposal was chosen by Olalab Gallery! It was an intense 5 months that followed to create the work and coordinate all the logistics between the United States and Spain. I couldn't have asked for a more magical pilgrimage beginning in Madrid where I got to meet my friends daughters who are every bit as beautiful as she is and then the bonus of my parents flying over to see the show and to search for our relatives in Herrera, Spain. Driving through the Galician province on the way to Santiago you can feel the spirits in the air. It is a mystical place where the locals speak about faeries and witches. When we arrived in Santiago it was indeed an enchanted city. I have never been to a happier or a more welcoming place. We were greeted by Adriana and Manu, the coordinators of Olalab and everything from there fell into place. Despite never having seen the gallery, Ana's curating skills made sure that the photos, film and installation fit perfectly. It wasn't until the opening that I looked around and realized that a piece of my soul now hung on the walls in the very place I had dreamt about. It was very emotional and overwhelming but incredible! The day after the opening I was able to go to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. I couldn't stop watching the pilgrims. They walked through the streets and filled the air with their joy as they arrived at the cathedral. I was so moved by their journeys. I could have stayed all day watching them arrive. I didn't have time to walk El Camino but felt a kinship as my pilgrimage had guided me from the roads of my country to find 'my way' to this special place.