Monday, April 27, 2009

Here's the third 'installment' in the Artfire artisan interview series. Something I don't often feature: photography. Very lovely and beautiful photography by Joanna.


Your name
Joanna :: website :: blog :: Artfire shop ::

Where in the world are you?
Currently I live and create in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Briefly describe yourself and what you make
There has always been some type of creating in my life. I have been knitting since I was 7, I have been drawing, crocheting, creating flower arrangements and household decorative accessories. And then, few years back I have discovered photography. Since then I have been taking pictures showing nature, details of plants and flowers,sometimes insects, etc. I like to take pictures of items that have interesting shapes, where light and shadow can create really original looking forms. I try to experiment with my subjects and style- bringing out specific part of the image.

Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration in almost anything around me. I appreciate everything that surrounds me and try to capture as much as possible of it in photographs. Of course- nature has always been in the center of my attention- I am finding always so much details of interest there.

What is your craft ”philosophy”?
I believe in creating what you love the most, of sharing it this way or another. I also believe, that there is always something you can learn, I guess I would call it being student forever. I don’t think there is limit to expanding your horizons, that there is always something new you can implement in your creative process.

Can you reveal a little about your creative process?
My creating process start with photo taking. Usually I plan location, but hardly ever happens, that I plan what I am going to shoot, meaning exact look and composition. I take more than needed. Afterwards I usually choose a few pictures from the whole set. To give you an idea about proportions- it’s maybe up to 10 from about 200.

But I never delete the ones I haven’t chosen. It seems, that sometimes it takes time to notice some different qualities, something, that I haven’t noticed before. So there are some images, that have been discovered few months after beeing taken, and there are some, that are still waiting for their discovery.

What impact (if any) has the internet had on your craft?
The Internet is big part of it. Here I present and sell my photographs, this is how I find out about contests and exhibitions, this is how I promote it too.

Do you make art or craft? Is there a difference?
I think it is really hard to distinguish difference between these two right now. And everyone has different definition for it. Which is fine. I myself would like to think, that I am creating art.

Labels: artfire, interview