Artist's Statement
We live on an ocean
planet and share it with many creatures. As the distinguished
marine biologist Sylvia Earle says in the introduction
to her book Sea Change, “the
living ocean drives planetary chemistry, governs climate
and weather, and otherwise provides the cornerstone of
the life support system for all creatures on our planet
from deep sea starfish to desert sagebrush. That’s
why the ocean matters. If the sea is sick, we’ll
feel it. If it dies, we die. Our future and the state of
the oceans are one.”
I see my photographs as a harmony
among art, science, and the spirit. I photograph in many
different kinds of water, from the powerful saltwater
oceans to the quiet beauty of the pristine freshwater
Florida springs. When diving and snorkeling, I am captivated
by the exquisite and diverse natural light that graces
these environments and use it solely to light my pictures.
It doesn’t
matter if the water is crystal clear or muddy. In fact,
the particulate matter–the mud and the muck–is
the seasoning in the soup that helps create the magnificent
variety in underwater light. Grainy film accentuates the
look and “feel” of this environment. The photographs
are black and white as well, sometimes toned to add browns
to the traditional gray scale to further the “feel” of
the atmosphere below...Photographing in these places is
a visual, physical, and emotional experience.
I print my photographs on a large scale to envelop the
viewer and bring him or her into my world. The pictures
are elegant, and their tonal scale reminds many of historic
drawings, etchings, or charcoals. they are big, beautiful
seductions. the goal is to draw viewers to the pictures
by hitting their hearts and guts just long enough to spark
their own appreciation, curiosity, and quest for knowledge
about these fascinating creatures and places. If my work
can do this, then I have some small satisfaction about
doing my part toward conservation of these places whose
health is essential to us all.
top |
