Amanda Benson said she has been decorating her house with vintage Pyrex and mid-century decor since December 2019, though has been collecting since November 2015. Her decor ranges from the time period of the 1940s to 1960s. “It brings me a lot of happiness,” Benson said. “Like a lot of people, I struggle with mental health and I have depression and anxiety. So, this just really calms me. You can’t help but come in and just be happy looking at pinks and happy little faces on your knickknacks. I mean, I have a lot of things that have smiles on them. And so, how can you not be happy in a home where you’re surrounded by smiles?” Photographed on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Benson’s house in Evansville, Ind.
Embedded Files
Alice Gatewood Waddell, an artist from Bowling Green, Ky., said she has been painting for 50 years. Waddell is a descendant of Jonesville, an African American community that once stood where part of Western Kentucky University’s campus now stands, with her mother having been raised in Jonesville. “Being a descendant of Jonesville and knowing the story that a lot of people don’t know about Jonesville, I thought it would be a good opportunity to focus the mural and tell the story of Jonesville,” Waddell said. Photographed on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at WKU’s Kentucky Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.
Western Kentucky University senior Elise Ward of Evansville, Ind. said she received a diagnosis for anxiety in February 2022 and that she struggles with her schoolwork because of her anxiety. “If I don’t get the best grade because of my anxiety, I beat myself up about and constantly tell myself I should have done better,” Ward said. “If I did do good, I always think I still could’ve done better.” Photographed on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at WKU’s Student Publications in Bowling Green, Ky.
From top left: Vietnamese Chargrilled Pork Sandwich (Báhn mì thịt nướng sandwich), Chicken Noodle Soup (Phở gà), Vietnamese Hot Coffee with Condensed Milk (Cà phê sửa đá), Grilled Chicken, Shrimp & Egg Roll Vermicelli (Bún gá nướng vá tôm chả giò), Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi cuốn), Beef Noodle Soup Special (Phở đặc biệt), Crêpe with Shrimp & Pork (Bánh xèo) and Rice with Chargrilled Lemongrass Pork, Chicken & Shrimp (Cơm thịt nướng ú gà tôm xá) photographed on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Vietnamese Cuisine in Evansville, Ind.
Aiden Robison, 21, an assistant golf professional at South Park Country Club in Fairdale, Ky., said he has been playing golf for 13 years. “Golf means everything, golf means a little bit of something different to everybody,” Robison said. “There’s no one way you have to play golf or one way you have to really enjoy it. You get to enjoy the game however you see fit, and I think that’s really, really unique.” Photographed on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at South Park Country Club in Fairdale, Ky.
Artist Cynthia Watson painted a mural of the original Sterling Brewing building near where the brewery once stood. According to Historic Evansville’s website, the original Sterling Brewing was built in 1863, but was later razed in December 1998. Photographed on Friday, May 23, 2025, at the Sterling United Federal Credit Union in Evansville, Ind.
Nikki Davis operates a farm on her homestead with her husband, with animals ranging from donkeys to chickens to a one-eyed calf. Davis, who is also a Realtor, said her family has a background of agriculture. “When I till my flowers, I work with the animals, I just picture my grandparents, picture my dad,” Davis said. “This is a very special place for me, and I’m kind of living a dream I didn’t know I had. And now that we’re here, it’s something new every day, just like in real estate. And I’m enjoying almost every minute of it.” Photographed on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at Davis’ homestead in Evansville, Ind.
Bacon Cheddar Chick Melt photographed on Friday, June 6, 2025, at Chicken Salad Chick in Evansville, Ind.
Western Kentucky University sophomore Madi Burkons-Shearin of Louisville, Ky. said she believes that her interest in fashion started when she was growing up and was obsessed with American Girl dolls. “As I got older, I took more of an interest in celebrity fashion and art,” Burkons-Shearin said. “Through that, I learned that clothes help me express myself and the way that I identify to the world. In my mind, fashion is the way I express what’s in my heart to others.” Photographed on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at WKU’s Jody Richards Hall in Bowling Green, Ky.
Western Kentucky University freshman Lee Hayden of Owensboro, Ky. said he was formerly diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in 2020. “I just felt like: this is the only thing that’s under my control,” Hayden said. “I didn’t want to eat. I just ate the bare minimum and less.” Photographed on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at WKU’s Jody Richards Hall in Bowling Green, Ky.
Sue Bunch owns and operates Roy’s Grocery, a country store in Rockholds, Ky. Since her father Roy Bunch’s untimely death in 1994, she’s carried forward his love for people. “I love the people that comes in,” Bunch said. “They ask me, ‘Why do you want to do the things you do?’ And I’ve always done them. So, I really enjoy it, and it would be hard not to.” Photographed on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at Roy’s Grocery in Rockholds, Ky.
Pupusas photographed on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at Taquería Los Vázquez in Bowling Green, Ky.
Artistic portraits for the front and inside cover, respectively, of Western Kentucky University’s student life and culture magazine, the Talisman’s issue 18: “Connection.” From left: the models are WKU students Sarah McClanahan and Bella Gaddis. Photographed on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at WKU’s Jody Richards Hall in Bowling Green, Ky.
Wife and husband Susan Tromley, left, and Patrick Tromley have built a shade garden in their backyard. Susan Tromley curated the plants growing there while Patrick Tromley helped design the shade garden. Photographed on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Susan Tromley and Patrick Tromley’s house in Evansville, Ind.
From left: Citrus Grilled Salmon, Decadent Cheesecake with Strawberries and Truffle Mushroom & Asparagus Flatbread photographed on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at Bar Louie in Evansville, Ind.
Ebenezer Griffith, 20, a USA Boxing boxer from Louisville, Ky., said he has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. “At the end of my career when I look back, I want to be an Olympic gold medalist, I want to be the undisputed world champion and I want to sell out Diddle Arena,” Griffith said. Photographed on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at BGKY Boxing in Bowling Green, Ky.
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