“The Elements” is a series of constructed landscapes created by combining, in a grid, 4-12 single images. This series began because of a major change in my life – transitioning from the stressful role of working full time to taking care of an aging father. On my daily walk, I found myself looking up to the sky or the forest canopy and finding escape and peace. That same refuge became the inspiration for this body of work. The series explores the essence or spirit of each of the four elements: earth, water, air, and fire; the earth’s repeating cycles of vigorous growth and decay, the might and power of the ocean, the playful calm of clouds and the consuming passion of fire. The repetition of images mimics the earth’s continuous cycles of arising and passing. I use multiple exposures of a specific scene as raw material to build a constructed landscape. Focusing on how forms and lines on bordering images match up, I allow the composition to grow organically, the nature of the material itself dictating its line and movement. Digital editing smooths the transitions to allow the forms to flow seamlessly from one image to the next, creating an image that at first glance seems like a naturally occurring scene and yet, the mind feels something is not quite right and engages the viewer in a deeper investigation. I feel there is only one combination for a particular set of photographs that “works” as a compelling composition, and it is my task to uncover that secret combination.
Final prints are large, around 40” x 60”, using the dye sublimation printing process on aluminum.