Temecula Valley Museum opens the American Farmer Exhibition, Jan. 31,

TEMECULA ─ The "American Farmer" exhibit opens Friday, Jan. 31, at the Temecula Valley Museum, 28314 Mercedes Street, in Old Town Temecula. This exhibition presents a collection of portraits showing the geographic and cultural diversity of the American farmer. The exhibit will be on display in the second-floor gallery at the museum from Friday, Jan. 31, to Sunday, March 15.

When American photographer Paul Mobley set out to capture the soul of our country's farm communities, he encountered an enduring rural culture that remains rooted in the principles of tradition, family, integrity and hard work. Crisscrossing the country, from Alaska to Florida, Mobley and his camera were welcomed time and time again into the homes of hundreds of farm families. Visit after visit, Mobley came to know the independent farmer's spirit from both behind the lens and across the dinner table.

He sought the elusive spirit of agriculture, looking for subjects that mirrored the project's sense of risk and independence. The resulting images show farmers with a strong sense of where they belong in the universe, a close connection to the land and their day-to-day work as it affects the rest of the world. Mobley's heroic photographs reveal the true face of American farming, and remind us what it means to live with simplicity, contentment and decency in a world that so often forgets.

The Temecula Valley Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed Mondays.

This exhibition was curated and organized by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.TemeculaValleyMuseum.org or call (951) 694-6450.

Submitted by Temecula Valley Museum.