Laurie Arends: Dance

Artist’s Statement:

Everything in nature dances. Some more spectacularly than others. While photographing birds I began to observe how some of their movements appeared to take the form of dance. When their motion is stopped, it reveals the spectacular poetry of their movements. And by removing the background of trees and branches and sky, I create a stage in which to flaunt the genius of their beautiful movement. In many, I began to see even more specific forms of dance – ballet, modern, flamenco. I have left the pieces untitled so the viewer can use their own imagination and interpretation of the images.

Artist’s Bio:

Randolph, NJ

I came to art a little bit later in life than most. I am a lover of nature and of beauty in all it’s shapes, sizes and forms in which it chooses to present itself. Becoming a mother, I believe, is what narrowed my focus, first on portraiture, conceptual art and presently my work in nature. Seeing life through a child’s eyes, I discovering the wonderful things in the everyday. A flower, an animal, the color and shape of the clouds in the sky and sometimes discovering that beauty can exist in non-traditionally beautiful things! A box, a wrapper on the ground, dandelions (and oh, the dandelions!) Once my eyes were opened to these things, I didn’t want to let it get away from me! So I started taking pictures.

I have no art degree, however I have been trained and mentored by extraordinarily talented and acclaimed artists in the field of photography who have helped me push my images and the process of catching them, beyond pretty pictures to reveal a deeper work.

My philosophy very simply is, that anything can be art. My challenge as an artist is to present the subject it in its most appealing light. This challenge is something that I embrace and enjoy about my work. I have recently been diagnosed with Lupus which causes pain and trembling in my hands and joints. But being able to create something unique that is my own and that is enjoyed by others; that makes my disability extremely less limiting. It forces me to see outside the technical parameters of an image and opens up new possibilities! Photoshop, computer editing, digital manipulation: these are not bad words to me. They are my freedom! They allow me to pick up a “”brush”” (or a tablet penâ€¦) and become a painter. To take control of my image and remove it, ever so slightly, from this reality to another in very subtle ways. This is my joy and it is a source of pride for me that I am able to do it.

My wish is that people are moved by my work. Whether it be moved to smile, moved to admire or even better, moved to take an extra moment to observe the beauty of this creation around them that can sometimes be missed. That they may find their own small moments of beauty and take time to stop, and experience joy in the the things that live and exist around them. I would like my work’s “”secrets”” to to be accessible to all and maybe if I’m doing it right, move the viewer into a reality that is, perhaps, just a little bit sweeter than the one they knew before.