Objective

Simplicity through complexity is at the heart of my work. This group of work serves as an exploration of basic design elements and principles. I have always been drawn to these artistic cornerstones, and they heavily influence all of my work. The wet plate collodion process provides a return to the handmade photograph from 150 years ago. The characteristics of the chemicals directly contribute to the organic nature of the images. However, I depart from the traditional still lifes and portraits that are popular for the process. Combining hand cut darkroom stencils and shapes with a small bit of exposure math creates complex mechanical-like patterns and shapes. The fleeting sensitivity of the chemicals can produce uneven and unpredictable organic results creating a biomorphic composition of control and chaos.