Placemakers: Spirit of Tompkins

In our latest Placemakers session, photographer Robyn Wishna and Discovery Trail’s executive director Beth Pallace give us an inside look at their extraordinary photo and video project about the people and places of Tompkins County.  

Spirit of Tompkins grew out of conversations between Robyn, the Discovery Trail, and the Town of Ithaca. Their idea was to highlight our area's diverse population and varied landscapes and to foster a greater sense of community.

Robyn photographed dozens of people, individually and in groups. The portraits are not just photos of people but stories about a shared place. They remind us of the connections between us and our places and help us celebrate our lives and those of our neighbors.

Spirit of Tompkins portraits can be found online and in public places throughout the county.  The project was funded by the Town of Ithaca and grants from Jon Jensen (through the Community Foundation) and Humanities New York.