Professional mountain bike racer Tara Llanes used to stand on the winner’s podium on a regular basis. But a crash during a competition left her unable to stand at all: She was paralyzed from the waist down. It’s hard to imagine how one would begin to recover from this sort of trauma. Well, photographer Anne Keller of Durango offers us an intimate glimpse into the process with her thoughtful chronicle of Tara’s recovery process.

The story begins with Tara struggling in rehab to re-learn everyday basics, such as tying her shoes, and ends with leaving rehab able to live an independent life. Anne undertook the project to “capture an intimate portrait of the physical and emotional journey that is behind the process of learning to live with a life-altering injury.” In a slide show that is sure to be both moving, riveting, and, yes, also funny, Tara and Anne will take us through both the rehabilitation and creative process. Additionally, check out the exhibit of Anne’s photography at the Silverbell.
- Emily Long