The part of the article that first made me laugh and then got me thinking was this question and answer:
Melange: How have you matured in your artwork since you have started?
Madelaine: Thankfully, I have matured very quickly. Of course I started out with your typical dead-center flower macros and bland landscapes, but, eventually I got bored of taking so many mediocre photographs. I researched and read all I could find about photography and looked at hundreds of different photographs and noted what made them good photographs. Being a self-taught artist has been a wonderful experience for me. I believe that now my art is much more conceptual, dramatic, beautiful and refined.
Your typical dead-center flower macros – ha,ha I burst out laughing - I am so excited that with my new camera I CAN take dead center flower macros!!! I already have probably over 200 of them since Christmas… (it does help to live in a sunny climate).
The last part of the interview that got me to thinking about my art over time:
Melange: Some would say your work is “macabre” or dark. What is your response to that? Is that intentional?
Madelaine: It’s absolutely intentional. I don’t’ wish to scare or offend people with my art, but I would not pretend that it is not dark. I was an actor before getting into photography and digital art. The emotion and drama expressed through performance has definitely influenced my visual art immensely. I wish to evoke emotion with my art, so that is what I do.
I got to thinking about the emotion that I have invoked in my art over my life. When I was 17, mine too was dark. I drew pictures of sharks devouring other fish. A hand at the ready to stab with a butter knife (there was a lot of emotion in that one).
Then I thought about how my work has changed in the past 30 years…
Now I like to take photos (macros)of flowers, collage about stopping to smell the flowers and love and friendship…
My work is not as dark… why?
Is it because I have lived the dark life…?
My work is not as dark… why?
Is it because I have lived the dark life…?
A dysfunctional family growing up (there was not a lot of “fun” in our dysfunctional – see stabbing with a butter knife), losing 2 friends to AIDS, infertility, losing a Mother to Alzheimers, battling breast cancer and chemo...
Will I have more dark in my life? I am sure I will, we all do, but right now I want to focus on the light.
the beauty that God has created for us to enjoy...
I guess that is why art is so great…if someone does not like your work – some else may and if no one does as long as you are happy that is truly all that matters. So I wish all the best to Madelaine… she has accomplished more at 17 it seems than many do in a lifetime. I hope that she will have more dark in her photos then in real life.
I will keep taking my macros…in fact I joined a site called Shutter Sisters ...they post a challenge each week and you can respond with your photos. I had heard about the site this past year and when I saw this week’s challenge I decided to DO IT. We had gone to the beach during low tide so here is my entry for
HANDS….
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