Still Life Photographs of Natural Objects By Deb Stoner
Still Life Photographs of Natural Objects
By Deb Stoner
I make high resolution still life photographs of natural objects that tell a simple story of beauty. I use the flora and tiny fauna of a very small region, usually my neighborhood, and work on a flatbed scanner to capture these lush curious compositions at high resolution. My vision isn’t as good as it used to be, so seeing the highly magnified details of natural forms revealed in large prints is thrilling. Working with flora that actively fades, or caterpillars that move, generates challenges that I enjoy responding to.
My complex compositions reward the curious as they discover details of the natural world they may have never seen. Scale of the objects I photograph is important, especially exciting when it introduces confusion with no digital trickery; for example, there are summer days in the garden when a watermelon, picked when very young, is the same size as a grasshopper. Drawn to imperfections in natural objects that point to their lack of artifice, I seek tiny phenomenal and ephemeral events to choreograph in real time.
In this increasingly anxious world, my work grounds me, giving me at least an illusion of being in control if only on the 8.5”x11.7” scanner glass on which I compose. This simple tool allows me to mix traditional photography expertise with contemporary digital technology. Size of the images that I print is important to me in determining the finished object’s nature, whether they become large framed archival pigment prints, or smaller editioned prints housed in handmade portfolio boxes that I make. As an artist with a long background in craft, it’s important to me that my photographs are carefully considered objects.
Last year, I won a competition to create artwork to cover the Palos Verdes Art Center. Wrapping the building with my still life images printed on vinyl has been one of the more interesting things I’ve done as an artist. On view through 2020, it is one of the few art exhibitions that you can visit freely during this time, as it’s outdoors, always open, with plenty of fresh air and parking. I hope you’ll take the opportunity to spend some time looking closely at my work at this unique venue, and that you might experience a moment of calm. Art does that for me, and I wish the same for you.
For the past few years, I’ve been so busy making new artwork that I’ve rarely stepped back to take the time to understand how my work affects others. The connections I’ve made with collectors, with gallerists, and with other artists have allowed me to appreciate the importance a simple concept like beauty can have to others’ lives, and has allowed me to think of my work as being useful, especially during this time of pandemic. I’ve made some print sales during this time, and have been grateful to collectors who understand how crucial their support is.
Creativity comes in so many different ways, this year with a more involved engagement in the garden, in cooking every single meal that we eat, and in attempting to stay engaged with friends and family. In a unique career event, publishing company Pomegranate has created a 1000 piece puzzle featuring one of my favorite images, “Siri’s Lilac”. Caught by surprise by the pandemic, Pomegranate’s puzzle business soared over 850% from prior years. I’m enjoying seeing pictures on Facebook of folks putting their puzzles together.
Link to “Siri’s Lilac”, 1000 piece puzzle from Pomegranate: https://www.pomegranate.com/aa1087.html
I have always embraced change as a motivation to discover new things in my work, so a feeling that things will be different in the future is not an unfamiliar one. I have been so grateful to live in a home that is warm and dry, with a yard to wander around in, with electronic media of all sorts to allow me to reach out and remain safe. I have plenty. And still, mere mortal, I am so often overwhelmed with sadness.
artist bio
Deb holds an MFA in Applied Design from San Diego State University, a BS in Geology from UC Davis, and a decades long teaching career at Oregon College of Art and Craft. She lectures widely, most recently to the Yuma Symposium, the Portland Art Museum, the SPE NW Regional Conference, and the Palos Verdes Art Center; had numerous solo shows and group exhibitions; juried purchases in the permanent public art collections at University of Oregon, OHSU, PCC, and Portland International Airport; is the recipient of grants and residencies; and sells work to enthusiastic collectors.
Website: https://www.debstoner.com/
Live streaming from the Portland International Airport, featuring an hour long presentation of my work: https://www.facebook.com/flypdx/videos/920113238451499/
Link to “Siri’s Lilac”, 1000 piece puzzle from Pomegranate: https://www.pomegranate.com/aa1087.html
For a pictorial on how my artwork for the exterior of the Palos Verdes Art Center came to be, visit here: https://www.debstoner.com/reallybig