Champaign, IL 61821
217-356-3648
cmain14@insightbb.com
Artist Bio
I was raised in northwest Indiana on a farm of about l000 acres. Years spent in the out of doors created in me a love for the midwestern landscape and its many forms, colors, themes and permutations but I never allowed myself to pursue artistic training, as I was raised to think of it as somewhat frivolous. I received English and Counseling degrees from Purdue University and Loyola University of Chicago respectively, but found my true calling when I began taking photography classes at Columbia College in Chicago at the age of 30. At the time I was employed as a human resource manager in a large corporation. I was soon hooked on image making but had to put my interest on hold for 20 years when my husband and I decided to start a family. During those years I contented myself with black and white vacation photos and portraits of my children. In my late 40's I began taking graduate coursework at the University of Illinois in photography and made a commitment to pursue image-making permanently. With the equivalent of a masters degree in fine art, I try to maintain an edge by taking summer workshops and seminars that draw on my interest in landscape, portrait, still life and various kinds of fine art photography. My husband, David, is my greatest fan and partner. His support of my work enables me to pursue this calling with a peaceful mind and free spirit. I currently reside in Champaign, Illinois.
Artist Statement
My love of photography is driven by a persisting sense of gratitude for the land around us and for the people in my life. In terms of subject matter it is primarily concerned with two types of images: landscapes and interiors of homes or spaces that suggest former lives well lived.
The landscape work evolves naturally out of a childhood immersed in farm life and the out-of-doors . Such intimate connection with the land engendered a love for its forms and images which are expressed in my work. Color, form, sensory perceptions and permutations of light are on-going interests. I am also interested in the relationship between the "Creation" with a capital "C" and the things that humans create (small "c") to work or navigate the land.
My work also concerns itself with human intervention in the natural world that is performed in a harmonious manner with the rhythms of the seasons. Thus, lush ripening orchards or beautifully worn footpaths through the woods may attract my attention by reminding me that the earth is a gift that we are expected to use and enjoy and care for.
The house interiors have a lot to do with the hypothesis, "if walls could talk, what would they say?" I have always been greatly intrigued by empty farmhouses and the activities that may have transpired there prior to my arrival. In certain places this sense of past activity is very strong and may be amplified by remnants and reminders such as writing on the walls or left-behind possessions. When the remnants convey the sense that what transpired there was good and blessed and worthy and loving, then the power of the camera to document a moment in time is irresistible.
