honorable mention
Amy Kanka Valadarsky united states
title
Misthaven
The title, Misthaven, is a nod to The Enchanted Forest, one of many magical books that inspired me to change my role from reader to visual writer. Far from being forgotten, these stories stayed with me long after childhood became a distant memory. It is with hindsight that I realize how much these fairy tales balanced and added color to an otherwise strict and regimented youth. Besides being (still) among my favorite reads, the spirit of these stories strongly informs both the form and the mood of my art.
Misthaven made me realize how much I have changed. Rather than being a passive observer in worlds created by others, I dare write my own story with lenses and light. There is still magic, but this time, I am the magician.
Amy’s work has been featured in SHOTS, Adore Noir, Black &White Magazine, Lenscratch and exhibited in a variety of galleries and photo festivals such as PhotoLa 2016, Los Angeles Center for Photography, dnj and bG galleries in Bergamot Station, Santa Monica.
She lives with her husband and two cats in Santa Monica, California, while the rest of her family (including the dog) wait patiently for her to return to Israel.
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entry description
Misthaven is an allegory for my journey as an artist, a journey that changed my life. It took me away from the business world and closer to knowing the deeper, real me. The convenience of the familiar and the predictable replaced by uncertainty and childlike wonder. This is a story of self-discovery and transformation, combining adult sensitivities and experience with the magic dust of childhood fairy tales.The title, Misthaven, is a nod to The Enchanted Forest, one of many magical books that inspired me to change my role from reader to visual writer. Far from being forgotten, these stories stayed with me long after childhood became a distant memory. It is with hindsight that I realize how much these fairy tales balanced and added color to an otherwise strict and regimented youth. Besides being (still) among my favorite reads, the spirit of these stories strongly informs both the form and the mood of my art.
Misthaven made me realize how much I have changed. Rather than being a passive observer in worlds created by others, I dare write my own story with lenses and light. There is still magic, but this time, I am the magician.
about the photographer
Amy Kanka Valadarsky was born in Communist Romania and raised in Israel. After graduating as a software engineer, she worked in the Telecommunication industry and spent the next 25+ years traveling around the globe designing software solutions that address the challenges of an increasingly interconnected world. In 2014, after leaving the hi-tech world, Amy returned to her creative roots and began a career as a fine art photographer.Amy’s work has been featured in SHOTS, Adore Noir, Black &White Magazine, Lenscratch and exhibited in a variety of galleries and photo festivals such as PhotoLa 2016, Los Angeles Center for Photography, dnj and bG galleries in Bergamot Station, Santa Monica.
She lives with her husband and two cats in Santa Monica, California, while the rest of her family (including the dog) wait patiently for her to return to Israel.
back to gallery