Corey Wheeler Forrest is a third-generation commercial fisherwoman working out of Sakonnet Point, Rhode Island. For years, she has been documenting her life in the commercial fishing business and her experience as a woman working in a historically male-dominated profession. Her photographs are featured on her Instagram account @fishandforrest.  

Wheeler Forrest’s family ran the last trap fishing operation in southern New England and was featured in the mini documentary, The Last Trap Family: A Rhode Island Family Keeps Sustainable Fishing Alive. While her family’s fishing business is not operating at this time, Wheeler Forrest is still engaged in the industry as a crew member of the fishing vessel, Reliance, also out of Sakonnet Point. 

Fish and Forrest: Through the Lens of a Commercial Fishermom explores deep regional connections and provides a lens into the local commercial fishing industry. The exhibition features over 30 photographs culled from @fishandforrest, some of Wheeler Forrest’s personal belongings and fishing gear, the award-winning documentary, The Last Trap Family: A Rhode Island Family Keeps Sustainable Fishing Alive, as well as an updated interview from 2025.