Artist Talk with Lee Anne White

February 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Photographs by Lee Anne White

It has been said that a landscape becomes a place when people assign meaning to it. A place evokes memories and emotions. In that sense, the concept of place is a very personal one that allows for different interpretations. And yet, geographic locations with a strong sense of place are those that retain distinct characteristics that set them apart from other places.

 As a landscape photographer, I have spent more than 30 years photographing unique places—from private gardens to coastal islands to Ancient Puebloan ruins. What I had not photographed was the land where my roots run the deepest—the foothills and highlands of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. It was here that I first came to love the land—to identify trees deep in the hardwood forest, to know the wildflowers at my feet, and to sleep soundly beside a softly gurgling stream.

The pandemic gave me an opportunity to photograph close to home in North Georgia—to follow my sense of curiosity around the bend and down dirt roads. Doing so rekindled my love for these rugged mountains, the agrarian landscape, and all that comes from southern soil—native trees and wildflowers, regional crops and foods, and traditional crafts and furniture made by hand from local materials. This work is neither travel guide nor historic record. Instead, it is a conversation with a place—a more personal expression of the way it makes me feel.

Biography

Lee Anne White is a photographer whose work is rooted in the landscape—the terrain, what grows there, the history of the land and our connection to place. She has exhibited her work throughout the U.S. and abroad, including 30 photographs on permanent display at Brenau University. She is the recipient of three Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for various series of black-and-white photographs, which have been displayed at the Barcelona Foto Biennales. A workshop instructor for 25 years, Lee Anne has taught at Maine Media Workshops, Santa Fe Workshops, Chicago Botanic Garden and Madeline Island School of the Arts, as well as online.

Lee Anne previously served as editor-in-chief of Fine Gardening magazine and consulting editor for Taunton Books. She has photographed more than 70 magazine features, published more than a dozen books on landscape architecture and garden design, handled commercial assignments for landscape architects, and documented historic landscapes for the Library of Congress. She earned a master’s degree in creative studies at the State University of New York/Buffalo State and a bachelor’s degree in journalism, broadcasting and commercial art at The Women’s College of Brenau University. She lives in Gainesville, GA.

Landscapes by Michael Mills

Biography

Michael Mills contributes to this coastal art community with his paintings. Although his corporeal form resides in Flowery Branch, Ga., his soul is indelibly tied to Georgia’s coastal islands. He attributes his love for the coast to being raised a Navy brat, with exposure to both coasts, growing up in both Southern California and Northern Florida. When asked when he first began creating art Michael said, “I was told at age four I made my own coloring books, started drawing and coloring Spiderman. I won my first art award in first grade”.

Later in his youth, he took up skateboarding and turned his art to “board art” creating the graphics that decorate skateboards. As an adult he did sports art, even nbeing the Masters golf tournament featured artist for a CBS TV special.

When asked about his influences, you might pack a lunch as he has many. Of course, he draws from the classic masters like Monet, but also from modern painters like Tad Retz, and is totally captivated by the Florida Highwaymen. And not just painters, he also cites Frank Lloyd Wright as being a key influence in his creativity.

When asked about his process, Mike said, “I don’t have a cookie cutter process. I never know how it’s going to go. It changes and that’s what makes it fun! I may tint a canvas or not, sketch or just start painting. Composition, values and contrast are always my priority when painting, followed by color mixing.”