honorable mention
Wendi Schneider united states
title
States of Grace: the Aviary: Owls
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entry description
Tucked into bed as a child, I would often hear the soothing conversations of Great Horned Owls from our neighbor's farm. Thus began a fascination with the mystery, inferred wisdom and inherent beauty of owls. I began incorporating birds of prey as subjects in 2012, a desire re-ignited by a rough drive-by capture of a Red Tailed Hawk in flight in west Texas. While wings had been in my photographic radar as early as 1987, most of my work was still life and figurative. I traveled outside of Calgary at the end of January, 2016, to photograph these exquisite creatures. Our local falconer found Snowies and a Northern Hawk Owl. Alas, the Great Grey ghost did not appear for me. Climate change was evident in the lack of snow and warmer than expected weather. Fluctuating temperatures affect both habitat and prey of these owls and their futures may depend on adaptability. This series glorifies the grace of the natural world. I am drawn to the sinuous lines of natural forms and strive to capture the fleeting beauty that is often overlooked, to preserve that magical moment that takes my breath away. I photograph intuitively - what I feel, as much as what I see. Informed by a background in oil painting and art history, I portray a personal interpretation, rather than a strict representation, to find a balance between the real and the imagined. These images are layered with textures digitally and printed with archival pigment ink on vellum; white gold or silver leaf is hand-applied to the back of the prints, illuminating the treasured subjects with the intrinsic reverence and value of gilding. Within the editions, the print may differ in color or texture, and, as the gilding varies, each of these limited edition prints is unique.about the photographer
Wendi Schneider is an award-winning artist whose sensual photographs are best known for their graceful composition and delicate balance between the real and the imagined. Her images are inspired by the sinuous lines of organic forms, a background in painting and art history and the lush beauty of her southern heritage. A major contributor to the original Victoria Magazine, her portfolio also includes nearly 100 book covers and the re-creation of the 1901 Picayune’s Creole Cook Book. She moved from New York to Denver in 1994, continuing to photograph for magazines, book covers and annual reports, adding design, art direction, and photography, primarily for the luxurious Pura Vida Fitness and Spa. She recently relegated that work to an agency to immerse in her fine art photography. Schneider’s latest body of work, “States of Grace” illuminates fleeting impressions of figura, flora and fauna, layering image, texture and color digitally. She creates pigment ink prints on vellum and hand applies 24k gold, white gold or silver leaf on verso to create texture and luminosity, suffusing the intrinsic value of the treasured subjects with the historic spirituality and sanctity of the precious metals. Her photographs have been exhibited and collected internationally. She is represented by A Gallery For Fine Photography in New Orleans and Galeria Photo/Graphic is San Miguel de Allende.back to gallery