Spring at Trail’s End, Miami State Recreation Area, Grant County, IN

“I like the things that say the quiet stories.”

by Dan Breen

“I want to highlight the value of people’s lives. I want to tell the story of creativity blossoming,” says Indiana-based photographer Kay Westhues. “I love people. I think people are so interesting; the things people do, what they bring into their life, what they wear. I am drawn to photograph them.”

Westhues’ talent in photography is complimented by her ability to put people at ease. Her gentle curiosity and desire to find the root of a story, the root of a tradition, creates integrity in the photos of her subject. People look out to you from their circumstances with clear emotional expressions. Westhues’ interest with the rural folk traditions of local communities brings light and warmth to a people. She captures a sensitive truth about the present but overlooked spaces.

Westhues’ interest is in the vernacular expressions of creativity. This interest led her to add a degree in folk studies. Her studies in folklore help to inform her continued inquiry of rural traditions and expression. “A lot of my photography has to do with vernacular practices and visual material culture,” says Westhues. “I was working on the “Springs” project. I was listening to people tell stories. I needed a framework to understand what I was hearing. That is why I wanted to study folklore.”

Westhues explains vernacular is creativity that is learned outside the institutional setting. The creativity is expressed from one generation to the next by sharing and modeling. One learns the creative expression when growing up in a culture. The expressions become traditional practices, like gathering water as seen in her collection, The Specialness of Springs.

Westhues’ photographic collection is populated by portraits. Her subjects keep a natural look. Many of her portraits and photos have a pre-digital look to them. She does little to touch up the photos giving the viewer a truer-to-the-moment experience. “I think portraits in photography are different than other types of art,” says Westhues.”

With a portrait it is very easy to disassociate with the person.” They become a subject, more objectified floating outside of themselves.“

There is something dehumanizing about a portrait,” says Westhues. “You can stare at that person as long as you want. You can’t do that when in person.” “People (viewing the photo) bring so much of their own baggage to a portrait. People might see a person as a redneck or something. But the viewer knows nothing about the person in a portrait.

There can be so many personal associations when viewing a portrait,” says Westhues. Westhues’ photos capture a feeling. She captures an emotion, an expression in the eyes, the face the posture. It is as if the person in her photos is trying to tell their stories in that single moment. This is true of her portraits of people, and her portraits of buildings and objects. In her photo “Sunset, SR 6 and SR 23, Walkerton IN,” part of the 14 Places to Eat collection, there is an expression of emotions about patriotism, light and the passing of time.

Man wearing a patriotic hat, Walkerton IN

“I want to highlight the value of people’s lives. I want to tell the story of creativity blossoming.”

n her website, Westhues showcases thirteen photo collections. Her collection Mothers and Children (Yvonne and Brandi magazine cover photo) is from a time when Westhues was living in a neighborhood filled with new mothers. She shot this series in black and white and took each image very close to the subjects—her lens was just about twelve inches away from each of them. This closeness adds a softness of style, an indelible intimacy to the collection. (Photo collection circa 1980.)

Westhues says she wanted to capture the special time in the lives between mother and child. “I feel like the photos in the Mother and Children collection is about a state of mind.,” says Westhues. The collection captures a moment of tenderness, wonder and love. It captures the deep dependence a child has for their mother. In “Jane and Jennifer” Westhues captures something about the love of a mother, and the sometimes difficulty of parenting.

In my current work “Specialness of Springs” I am using color. I am looking to bring about change. I hope to bring attention to the need to care for our water,” says Westhues. She has been working with the Indiana Humanities to document natural springs in Indiana. A website about a spring near Gary, Indiana will be coming soon. Follow Westhues at her website for more information. (kaywesthues.com)

In addition to gathering photos of rural life, she also gathers oral traditions and stories. In Vanderburgh County, Indiana, she documented the Tree Spring. A story of two politicians running for office. One politician, also a bar owner, promised to pipe liquor into town if he won. The other politician promised to pipe spring water into town if he won. The politician who promised water won the election. He is said to have piped water through a sycamore tree.

Family getting a drink at the Harlan Cemetery Well, Hancock County, IN

“To make portraits, I need to honor the person. It is sometimes a challenge. A challenge to put them out there in the world as a person they would want to be.”

Westhues also investigated the stories told about a natural spring near Gary, IN. She was told a story of people who drove to gather water from the spring in the winter, but when they returned to their vehicles, so much snow had fallen that they couldn’t drive; they had to walk home. Another story she’s been told is about young boys walking through the woods near the spring. They are said to hear a strange sound above them, they looked up, and the trees were filled with snakes. The boys ran home in fear.

Kids walking across a railroad bridge, Wabash River, Logansport, IN

“My work is straight forward,” says Westhues. “I sometimes have a story in mind, but I do not try to over tell it. I want the reader to come to the story themselves.

Kay Westhues has a show planned at the Midwest Museum of Art in Elkhart, Indiana in July 2022. She will share the exhibition with John Bower.

Kay Westhues Feature Artist Winter 2022

“I like the things that say the quiet stories.”

“I want to highlight the value of people’s lives. I want to tell the story of creativity blossoming.”

“To make portraits, I need to honor the person. It is sometimes a challenge. A challenge to put them out there in the world as a person they would want to be.”