Sean Carroll
Looking for Things on the Rachel Carson Trail
February 21 – March 29, 2026
In early Spring 2023, I wanted some respite from the rush of life and made my first ever visit to the Rachel Carson Trail, the meandering 46-mile footpath which traverses the North Hills named for the celebrated science writer, a local native. As it progresses, the trail moves aggressively up and over a series of steep hillsides topped with broad vistas, and through densely wooded valleys carrying babbling brooks – in other words, a classic Southwestern Pennsylvania landscape.
Over the next 2 years I walked nearly the entire trail, in discrete 4-mile segments (walking 8 miles, out and back), in different seasons and weather conditions, searching for ‘things’ as they appeared in the landscape. During each walk, I observed the land on the first leg and then exposed a complete roll of 35mm film on my return hike, conserving every picture for a singular object found by the trail. Each roll of photos becomes a capsule of that stretch of trail at a particular time, with the objects acting as stepping stones of my progress down the path. Together, the contact sheets and photos become a cumulative visual guide – a scavenger hunt, of sorts – for the entirety of the Rachel Carson Trail, end-to-end.
I like to use cameras to force myself to take a closer look at the places that intersect with my life. Walking and taking pictures on the trail became an act of discovery. While I had visited the trail to get outside and exercise, my hikes and the pictures I made allowed me to observe the land in this region and get a better sense of this place, as it passed below and around me on foot.
Sean Carroll is a photographer, bike rider, dad, and an outdoorsy kind of person from Massachusetts who has been living in Pittsburgh since 2016. He teaches photography at Carnegie Mellon University and works on a range of freelance photography projects throughout the region. You can find him biking around the streets of Pittsburgh, walking up city steps, and wandering around looking for things to photograph, often with his kids. He lives on a hillside in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh and maintains a studio at Radiant Hall nearby.
Wonder what other works we’ve featured? Check out our list of past displays!
Call for Exhibit Proposals
Calling all artists, creatives, and collectors! The Sewickley Public Library is seeking proposals for engaging exhibits in their display cases for the 2026 season. The display cases are ideal for solo exhibits or small group shows. There are eight display cases, roughly 46”h x 45”w x 11”d each with removable shelves. 2-dimensional work as well as small 3-dimensional objects may be displayed. Exhibits last approximately 6 weeks. Visual artists working in any media, as well as those with collections of art or artifacts to display, are encouraged to apply.
Fill out our Exhibit Submission Form for consideration.