Sarah

Artist Statement

Photography presents two dimensions of reality ~ the seen and unseen. The process of crafting a photograph has become an obsession for a raw unfiltered experience to connect with the conceptual meanings. Using paper arrangements and sculptural structures I , I capture scenes from my own memories. The 2D and 3D worlds are juxtaposed to create both a cross over of dimensions, and a parallel meaning for photography and paper as mediums. My Black and White abstract photographic work brings viewers into a dream-like space. A moment to examine perceptions and feel memories. It is in the forms and gradations of grays that empower viewers to experience the past and present simultaneously. Identifying and perceiving comforting feelings as the eye travels the lines, edges, forms. The comfort of this self directed exploration connects us through our shared experiences, culture, and narratives.


My personal narratives live in these paper-based abstractions. There is a collective narrative that threads us together. These secretive, unshared stories find a place in the play between positive and negative space. Here in the design meaning: I use the principles of bi-stable imagery and push the paper, manipulating sheets dampened, creased and folded, torn and taped; I create timeless abstract arrangements to mimic places I see in my memories. My space- the appearance of nothingness, almost void of any identifiable marker - is mixed with elements of blacks, grays, and white tones. I wait for the opportunities that combine ambient light and shadows for a greater depth of field. I want the viewer to feel the senses in their memories. Viewers are beckoned to remember.

Biography

Behind the role as a librarian, Sarah Brown is a photographer. After completing her BFA with David Schienbaum and the Santa Fe photographic community, Brown fell into the work of exhibiting and commercial work. She spent several years studying Contemplative Photography and fine art printing with George DeWolfe-learning to use mindfulness, listen, and see from inside out to create a photograph. With undertones of commentary on the photographic process and contemplative practice, Brown's work presents spaces we all can connect with; the stories and memories that live in our subconscious and intertwine us together. She has worked with the Palm Beach Photographic Center in West Palm Beach, Florida; Special Collections, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida; the Museum of Glades, Belle Glade, Florida; the Marion Center for Photographic Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and assisted Lauren Greenfield with her social documentary entitled,"Thin." Sarah's photographic work has been exhibited widely, most recently her well known landscapes of Lake Okeechobee and the Loxahatchee River.

Exhibition History (CV)