As has become an annual tradition around these parts...
Grant, Iowa. 2015.
Looking back...
2014 was a very important year in my life. I married my amazing wife in October and spent much of the year acclimating myself to a new career. It was a year of growth and change, of new beginnings and developing ideas, and it seemed to pass almost before I fully realized it was even here.
Photographically speaking, it was not my most productive year. I spent much of the second half preparing for a wedding and getting more involved in my job, and I struggled a bit with the concept of what to do next with my work. This struggle is a common issue for anyone in a creative endeavor, and I've found myself stuck many times over the almost-decade that I've been working on my various projects. In fact, the very mention of an "almost-decade" passing makes me wonder exactly what I've been up to all this time. It's not difficult to see some sort of progress in my photographs but I often feel like I've been standing far too still.
The answer to all of this artistic uncertainty? Work harder, continue to find inspiration, and find as much time as I possibly can to get out in the world and explore.
from Fontenelle. 2014.
Moving forward...
Two of my long-term projects are finished and ready to see the light of day.
Fontenelle - This photographic exploration of Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Nebraska will be exhibited this year at the Forest's Nature Center. I'm still toying with the idea of a book, but have not yet been satisfied with the black and white printing available at a more reasonable price. This is work that I'm very excited to share with everyone as it is such a big departure from everything I've worked on to this point. It's a project about a walk in the woods, exploring everything around, and finding something interesting in even the smallest details.
Untitled Loess Hills Project - I've decided that this Western Iowa project is now done, at least the photography part of it. Next up is to find a title and look for a way to exhibit as many of the images as possible. This is a black and white project that I've been working with off and on for quite a few years, wandering down nearly every road and into every town I can find.
I have three main goals for 2015:
- Exhibit more often. This begins with a few photographs from ninety-three on display at the Young Professionals Summit in Omaha on March 5.
- Begin to look for new ways to fund both the making and exhibition of work.
- Start something entirely new and finish at least one idea that I have been working on.
Thank you to everyone for your interest and support. I look forward to showing you more of what I've been working this year.
from Loess Hills. 2014.
