Artist’s Statement
When deciding on what to photograph, I strive for authenticity and emotion, but also playfulness and fun. The use of alternative and historical processes—wet plate collodion, platinum/palladium, pinhole/Polaroid and gelatin silver prints, among others—is central to my style. Not only do these processes tend to produce an antique, timeless effect; they also reflect, through their use and disuse, the passage of time within the art of photography itself. To do alternative process requires patience, knowhow and commitment; and the final product is handmade. Every photograph I create with an alternative process is unique.Education
2011 M.F.A. Candidate, Photography, Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, Boston, MA
2006 B.A. History, Seattle University-Jesuit Tradition, Seattle, WA
Biography
When I was growing up in Hawai’i, my mother introduced me to photography through the lens of her 35 mm film camera. Since then, photography has been my passion and an essential part of my life. When I moved to Seattle, WA as an adult, I started taking numerous classes from the Photographic Center Northwest. I took my first platinum/palladium and gum bichromate class at the Ansel Adams Gallery with Kerik Kouklis in 2008 and never looked back. Since that first class, I have had a keen interest in alternative and historical processes. It was in 2010 that I first learned wet plate collodion with Christopher James at a workshop hosted by the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. Due to the greater complexity compared to other alternative processes, it was not until 2011 that I completely immersed myself into learning wet plate. I continue to be awed by the process. When I am not playing with photography, I practice and teach Pilates as a STOTT PILATES® Certified Instructor and bake gluten free/vegan breads and desserts. Currently, I am attending the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University as an MFA candidate in photography.
Selected Exhibitions
2011 - Toyed with, Open Shutter Gallery, Durango, CO. Juried by Michelle Bates.
2011 - Alternative Focus, Davis Art Gallery, Worcester, MA. Juried by Donna Dufault and Scott Erb.
2011 - Transferred, Target Gallery, Alexandria, VA. Juried by Regina DeLuise.
Awards
2011 - Best in Show. Toyed with, Open Shutter Gallery, Durango, CO. Juried by Michelle Bates.
Photographic Education
Photographic Center Northwest- Seattle, Washington
Black & White 1 Film Photography, Winter 2008
Black & White 2 Film Photography, Spring 2008
Large Format Photography, Summer 2008
Developing with PMK PYRO, Feb 2009
Ansel Adams Gallery (Kerik Kouklis)- Yosemite, California
Platinum/Palladium and Gum Bichromate, Nov 2008
Kerik Kouklis Workshop- Placerville, California
Digital Negatives with QTR and Intermediate Platinum/Palladium Printing, May 2009
Lynn Radeka Workshop- Placentia, California
Contrast Masking, Nov 2009
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops (Christopher James)- Santa Fe, New Mexico
Intro to Alternative Photographic Processes, June 2010
Advanced Alternative Photographic Processes, July 2010
Wet Plate Collodion, June 2011
Advanced Alternative Photographic Process Projects, July 2011
