Inspiration is derived from all sorts of things. As an artist and photographer my inspiration comes from the very visual things that I encounter every day.
Last summer while biking in Menemsha on Martha’s Vineyard, I found myself surrounded by beautiful nets and rope. The bold color of the nets was a striking contrast against the rusted steel and created some great imagery. A large rusted fishing spool dripping with color was the shot that hooked me in (no pun intended!). I spent more time shooting…stacks of lobster traps, twisted rope, aging metal and lots of nets. With a full day of sun, biking and camera work behind us, we headed out in search of the ultimate lobster roll.
I returned to the docks a few more times to capture different light levels and see if any new fishing boats had come in. The results were very powerful images with strong contrast, vibrant color and interesting texture. Inspired by the fishing spool, what followed was the culmination of a series titled: “Menemsha”.
In a few weeks we will be back on the Vineyard with a list of places to explore for new inspiration!
The “Menemsha” series is part of a two person exhibit with Nanci Hersh at the Transformation Gallery in Metuchen, New Jersey on September 21, 2013.