honorable mention
Heidi Clapp-Temple united states
title
Until Then is Now
The first part of my creative process is the creation of tabletops sets for the camera. I make drawings which I cut from paper and then add multiple types of papers, glass, and various objects to the sets. In my studio I put a sheet of white paper in front of the sets and illuminate them from behind to create scenes seen through the white paper. Working with shadow, light, silhouettes, and reflections I create a final composition that I photograph. The resulting images are printed in my studio using archival pigment inks on fine art museum etching paper.
My images draw from personal experiences and of those around me. I stage visual narratives depicting situations, emotions, dreams, and memories. My work is driven by the desire to show those things we can't see yet know. Those inner thoughts that play in our minds that words are unable to fully express. By creating a visceral language I endeavor to take the conversation to a deeper level. I use photography as my vehicle and voice. Entwining truth and fiction together I create artwork that explores the complexities of our existence.
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entry description
Until Then is Now is a project based on personal and shared experiences of growing older in a youth centric American society. For many of us, even since childhood, there is a sense of fear and even dread of growing older. We associate it with declining physique and appeal, increased risk of health and mental problems, and eventually not being able to care for ourselves. Until Then is Now refers to a sense of denial we experience that getting old will not happen to us anytime soon or ever. In American culture, unlike other cultures, there isn’t typically a lot of respect for our older generations. There seems to be a sense of pity and discomfort that they are the inevitable reality that we ourselves do not want to face. There is a huge market of anti aging products aimed at people of all ages that promise prevention and even cures. One’s appearance is the first identifier of their age and how they may be treated because of it. However, once someone crosses the threshold of no longer being considered young anymore, their fears do to start to come true. There is a gradual sense of being seen as less relevant, capable, and appealing. For women in particular, studies show that by their late 40’s many women start to actually feel invisible in this society. We are flooded with advertising and images in all media that mostly feature people younger than ourselves. It’s a disconcerting and even alienating experience that both older men and women experience in varying degrees. This work is a portrayal of my experience becoming middle aged in a society that is in endless pursuit of the “fountain of youth”.about the photographer
I am a photographically based artist with a BFA in Fine Art Photography from Syracuse University. Several years ago I relocated from New England to the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I have a diverse background in fine arts, including drawing, jewelry making, painting, and sculpting. My art practice combines these mediums in the creation of the scenes that I make for the camera.The first part of my creative process is the creation of tabletops sets for the camera. I make drawings which I cut from paper and then add multiple types of papers, glass, and various objects to the sets. In my studio I put a sheet of white paper in front of the sets and illuminate them from behind to create scenes seen through the white paper. Working with shadow, light, silhouettes, and reflections I create a final composition that I photograph. The resulting images are printed in my studio using archival pigment inks on fine art museum etching paper.
My images draw from personal experiences and of those around me. I stage visual narratives depicting situations, emotions, dreams, and memories. My work is driven by the desire to show those things we can't see yet know. Those inner thoughts that play in our minds that words are unable to fully express. By creating a visceral language I endeavor to take the conversation to a deeper level. I use photography as my vehicle and voice. Entwining truth and fiction together I create artwork that explores the complexities of our existence.
back to gallery