I think that I will look back on this year with both mediocrity and exaltation in terms of the work I have produced. I mean that in the best possible way. Whenever I truly excel at my craft – which is to say, I surprise myself pleasantly – I am also ebbing with moments of creativity that do not serve me in the long run. They are the moments that remind me what I am leaving behind, and my moments…
One year ago I attended my very first portfolio review event so that I could have my portfolio critiqued by five different professionals in the photography and art world. I had no idea what to expect, no pre-conceived notions of how it would go or how it should go. I was looking for unbiased answers to the question of how my art is perceived. I can’t say that I got unbiased answers, but I did get some advice that stuck…
As an artist or creative person, what are the worries that keep you up at night? For me, it changes like the wind. Many nights I go to bed fulfilled. Some nights my brain won’t shut off with ideas. Other nights I tell myself I’ll never make anything ever again. My brain is very dramatic. For the last year I have been working on a series that I’ve only shown a few people. That means that the work I have…
I have been teaching fine art photography for 6 years. In those years, I have had to scrutinize what makes fine art photography successful so that I can pass on that knowledge to others. My method has been to try what feels right, document what fails (and why), what succeeds (and why), and pass that on to others. One consistent piece to the “fine art” puzzle has been the importance of a portfolio. Not just any portfolio; a tight-knit, well…
How often do you find yourself creating because it feels right? Or making something just for yourself? Do you feel you are expressing your deepest message through your craft? These are the questions I ask fellow creatives when we meet and the answer is not positive nearly often enough. I hear so much frustration from others about the lack of time, energy and money it requires to create the art that we love. I gathered these roses ages ago for…