Image Credit: Pandemic Pod © Linda Enger
Arizona Photography Alliance’s 2nd Juried Theme Gallery online exhibition is a huge success. Part of the prize was the opportunity for the winning photographers to share their thoughts about the work they submitted in relation to the theme “Still Life.” Here is Honorable Mention 1 winner, Linda Enger.
AZPA: How did you get started in photography?
LE: My parents owned a very well know portrait studio in St Louis, Missouri. It seems ever since I was around seven, I had my own camera. Amazing when I think how little I was when my dad let me use his heavy twin lens reflex camera! Money was never an object in my parents mind …when it came to film!
AZPA: What are your thoughts on the theme gallery for AZPA?
LE: For the majority of my life (including professionally), I did not spend a great deal of focus on still life imagery. My “Cross Pollination” series is the first body of work I have done working with still lives. This theme was perfect for this series that I have been and continue to be focusing on. I like that AZPA is creating themed galleries because there are MANY ways of viewing a theme!
AZPA: What was your process in selecting your image (s) for “Still Life” theme?
LE: There is always an internal dialogue I have when entering an art show of any kind, “Should I enter what has been accepted and shown before (including at a Contemporary Art Museum)? Should I show something new and see what happens?” For this theme, I did enter two images that I have shown before, Life Out Of Balance #2 and Pandemic Pod, and then chose a third image that I am considering including in a one person show next year Time Stood Still, Now Making Lemonade. Honestly it never stops amusing me when my entries are selected or not chosen, and I do the horrible process of comparing to what is included and shown.
AZPA: What are your thoughts on being selected for an Honorable Mention?
LE: I appreciate Pandemic Pod being chosen as an honorable mention for this still life theme and also feel it keeps getting noted when I submit it to shows. I appreciate how many excellent photogs there are in the show and the judge’s work who made the decision. This image seems to consistently draw an interest, especially in person when people want to touch it because of the texture and dimension in the metal print. The irony of this honorable mention is the timing. I was notified of the honorable mention within a day of testing Covid positive for the first time. Yes, in 2024! I guess I should have been wearing a mask and necklace of garlic while I was traveling.