Art can be captivating and can take you to another world. Whether this world is from your own imagination or from a memory you have long forgotten, art has the ability to stir emotion within us and to make us feel something we hadn’t expected to feel. Personally, I believe this is because behind every great piece of artwork, there is a story. A story of creation that gives the piece soul and emotion. And while some would say sharing this story of what goes on behind the curtains takes away the magic, I would argue that that is where the magic begins.
I get an intense sense of satisfaction from creating a photograph from the ground up. Line Upon Line is no exception. Everything in this image was found in a thrift store, either as the perfect prop, like the candlestick holder and the long green dress, or as the raw materials of the green fabric, lace, and evergreen branches. With my thrift store finds, I spent many beautiful spring evenings in my windowed office, watching the sun slip behind the neighboring houses as I cut, stitched, and created the story of Line Upon Line.
Because writing is not my strong suit, I created a video of the creation of Line Upon Line. With each Behind the Scenes video, I feel more comfortable in creating these little glimpses into my creative process, and of sharing more of who I am. This time I managed to remember to have someone video me while out shooting, so I’m excited for this new perspective you will all get to see.
As a photographer, I have often found it amusing, and still slightly surprising, that less than five percent of my time is spent shooting my images. In contrast, I spend roughly about half of my time on costume creation and planning. Because of this, the title of photographer has never seemed to accurately describe what it is I do. Instead, I’ve taken to calling myself a photoartist and enjoying the process, no matter what title people may give me.
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