I first came to know of this structure through an online community of Georgia photographers in 2008 and was immediately intrigued by it. Returning to South Georgia from a visit to Athens in 2010, I made a point of traveling in this direction and by chance just happened to meet one of Georgia’s most accomplished artists, John L. Cleaveland, Jr., as I was photographing the store. John introduced himself and his young son and showed me inside the store, which he owns and uses for work. He was even aware of my work at Vanishing South Georgia and was very encouraging as to the scope of my project. I’m very grateful for our brief visit.

His gallery notes that his “paintings are more than mere landscapes. They reflect his incredible attention to detail and his knowledge and respect of the history of the South. The abstraction of light and shadow, the harsh beauty of nature, and the cycle of life and death are all given space in his paintings.” Having had the privilege of seeing a few for myself, I concur.