Grace Photographics

Artist Statement

With an absolute love for nature and a background in art therapy and observation, I combine my passions for photography, discovery, and exploration to create imagery.

The specifics and details of what I observe blend together in my mind's eye, and it is that blending, that compilation and abstraction of specific moments, that I hope to capture in my current body of work. If I had to put words to it, I might call it "contemporary impressionism", but what it really amounts to is a combining and softening of environment and time into images that I hope encompass thoughts and feelings of a moment in time.

The images I create simplify what the bare eye sees, turning it into what we perceive when we look with a softer gaze, observing the essence rather than the specifics. It is a kind of minimalism, a reduction into sheer line, color, and movement, that represents something unclear which nevertheless feels familiar and recognizable....something like a dream or a memory.

My photographs may take one into an ethereal, tranquil, otherworldly place, while providing a calm and soothing feel to both the viewer and the environment.

My images are pure photography, created 'in-camera' without special equipment or computer digital manipulation.

It is my sincere hope that these images inspire others to look more deeply into our natural world, and to find in it, as I do, serenity and healing.

Biography

Grace has been making pictures since she was 8 years old when her grandmother gifted her with her first camera, a Brownie. "I fell in love with photography right away and was always mesmerized by the magic that came out of the camera."

Born in coastal Aberdeen, Washington, Grace grew up and lived in the Seattle area through early adulthood. She studied at the Factory of Visual Art (where she met and worked with her mentor) and earned a bachelor's degree in Photography from the University of Washington.

Grace loves fine art, contemporary abstractionism and impressionism, nature, water in all forms, and travel. She traveled extensively as a young adult in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Morocco, Western Europe and Mexico, photographing all along the way. Grace continues to travel as often as her work schedule allows.

Early on, she showed in galleries and taught photography, but somehow lost inspiration and vision about her art along the way. Instead, she moved into commercial work, including architectural, film/video and lifestyle advertising photography.

"I was constantly experimenting for a body of work that was fine art and unique, something I could feel excited and confident to take out into the world."

Later on, after earning a master's degree in Art Therapy, she was inspired to return to a more creative expression of her photography. Grace began her current body of work in 2013 in Santa Fe, New Mexico where she resided full time for 25 years.

Currently, Grace is busy with about 30 art shows a year. Her home base is St Petersburg, FL with some time spent in Washington and New Mexico. She does yoga, swims, bikes, hikes, plays pickelball (of course!) and enjoys bird watching and numerous outdoor adventures, always with a camera in hand.

Grace is a Leo, with Capricorn rising and an Aries moon and six, (yes 6!) planets in Leo. Friends say she brings fun with her wherever she goes.

Exhibition History (CV)