See Becky's photography as part of the Curiosities exhibition on display at the Prairie Art Alliance Gallery in the Hoogland until June 19th. Don't miss the amazing work by Becky, Barb Maddox, and Ruthann Mazrim.
Where were these images taken?
All of the
images for Curiosities were taken in Southern Illinois, at Ferne Clyffe State
Park and Giant City State Park and surrounding areas. My husband Rick and I
love to camp and hike the trails and each year we try to attend the very fun
Turkey Vulture Festival on the third weekend in October, in Makanda. It is a
weekend, full of artists and musicians from many areas, amazing crafts and even
a “rescue” Turkey Vulture or two, in case you have never experienced one of
those up close. It is always entertaining and inspirational.
What type of camera do you use?
Normally I
would use my Canon AE1, an old fashioned 35mm with a standard lens and a Sigma
zoom lens – 75-200mm. I work between the
two lenses, using whichever I thought might get the best result for me.
However, the
majority of the images in “Curiosities” happen to be digital thanks to the
generosity of my dear friend Ann Frescura, who allowed Rick and me to borrow
her Canon EOS Rebel. I realize the day of film is fast going by the wayside.
Venues to affordably purchase and process film are hard to find. I am in the process of purchasing my first digital
camera, a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, with two lenses – a macro .25 m / .08 ft and a
zoom 75-300mm.
I am a huge
fan of black and white photography though and absolutely adored dark room work
so I will keep my film cameras, along with my
stored darkroom equipment (enlarger, trays, safe lights, reels and tanks) as I hope to resurrect them someday. I would love to teach others the joys of doing the entire process for yourself, from shooting a roll of 35mm, using manual settings, to loading your film in total darkness, developing and printing. I always believed it to be magical.
stored darkroom equipment (enlarger, trays, safe lights, reels and tanks) as I hope to resurrect them someday. I would love to teach others the joys of doing the entire process for yourself, from shooting a roll of 35mm, using manual settings, to loading your film in total darkness, developing and printing. I always believed it to be magical.
Do you enhance your photographs?
In this
exhibit none of the photo images are altered, though I have added paint and
word to a few of the pieces. I only show my classic and purist prints,
unaltered and as they are, when exhibiting at the Gallery. However, I view
photoshop as a great artistic tool. I am usually moved by the image when it
comes to this. Sometimes they are just “right” as they are, but other times
there is something that still longs to be “tickled” out of an image – something
that needs to be altered, ever so slightly, to have it say what needs to be
said, if you will. I liken it to the dark room work I spoke of earlier. I was
very fond of the “dodge and burn” techniques. I also liked to overlay negatives
when enlarging to get some other-worldly effects and the digital advantage in
photoshop makes this type of manipulation much easier.
What is “Flaming Buffalo” an image of?
Flaming
buffalo was actually a side view of a dark recessed area inside of the natural
amphitheatre at Ferne Clyffe State Park. It had some rich warm tones and I
crept back into the overhang area and shot the
image horizontally. When I got out into the sunshine and looked at it
from another angle I thought “Wow! This looks like a buffalo running through
flames.” Later, when it was enlarged I discovered what I think is a woman,
swaying and riding on the back of that buffalo, her long gray hair flowing as
she rides. This is where my kids would be making fun of me, but hey, I can use
my imagination even if I am a senior citizen – LOL! In fact, what better time
to indulge in your imagination, right?! I’m sure that the colors are there
because of years of damp, lack of sun and mold, but it is a lovely cave
painting to me, and I did not enhance it one iota.
What is the inspiration and story behind
Earthen Goddess?
The little
“goddesses” are clay figurines that were being sold by one of the artist
attending last year’s Turkey Vulture Festival. Her name is Rebekah Klitzke, and
her stuff is very unusual to say the least. I was really drawn to them, they
seemed to have some strange energy, but totally positive, even though their
appearance was a bit odd. They were some cross between earthy bird figurines
and aliens! I loved them, and they had hair as well as personality, so I asked
Rebekah if I could photograph them and use them in some type of art. She agreed
and I promised to give her credit, send a picture, and let her know when and
where they were being shown. She seems pleased with the outcome, and that makes
me happy.
What drew you to the sculpture figures that
just called you to photograph them?
Rick and I
have collected rocks and dried wood all of our lives, so when we met and
figured out that we both had a collection of assorted driftwood and stone that
needed some enhancement we discovered a talented friend, Dave Dardis, who owns
and operates a metal smith and eclectic art shop on the Makanda boardwalk, to
help us decorate these pieces. Dave has made us multiple little copper people,
one of his specialties, to climb and sit and walk on our collection of wood and
stone. He has a lovely garden behind his shop that is full of unique and
wonderful metal work and sculptures. I asked his permission to shoot
photographs of and include those images in this display, and like Rebekah, he
generously agreed. I love his sculptures because they seem to have “spirit” in
them also. I feel something when I see them, some energy. And I hoped
that this is conveyed in what I am showing.
What came first the artwork or the poem?
The lovely
little women came first with the Earthen Goddesses image. They inspired me to
write something describing how they made me feel when I viewed them. They are
something to behold, and they seem to have some alien wisdom to share, and I
wanted to say that as well as show them to others who could appreciate their
uniqueness and the craftsmanship that went into bringing them into being.
What is next for you as an artist?
I hope to
bond with my new camera and play outdoors, finding whatever gifts God puts in
front of my eyes. If I am lucky, and blessed, I hope to be able to share those
new images with everyone again in a few years. Thanks so much, for giving me
this opportunity, right here, right now. It means the world to me!
