2024 Year-in-Review
A look back at an eventful year
As 2024 draws to a close, here's a quick look at the highlights of my creative endeavors over the past 12 months.
A Site to Behold
The most significant development of the year was the launch of this new version of my website, which has not only provided expanded options for how I present my work, but also how I communicate about it through the addition of a journal/blog (cue a quick shout out to the folks at Kirby and Zero One whose platforms are used to drive the site).
Local Flavors
For myself and my wife, this past fall marked the completion of our third year living in the Champaign-Urbana area in central Illinois. We have enjoyed the many benefits of a comparatively larger metro area versus the small town we lived in previously. This includes a variety of great local parks which this year have again provided a convenient way to apply Deja View.
A particular local favorite is Meadowbrook Park, due to the inclusion of the Wandell Sculpture Garden. Taking photos of the sculptures from different perspectives across varying conditions has become an ongoing pet project. This year I started "zooming in" to capture isolated parts of selected works, which offers a more abstract and intimate feel.
Getting out into the rural Illinois countryside offers a meditative experience and the chance to capture idyllic midwestern views.
A wet and wild spring offered unique opportunities at nearby Homer Lake and during the Illinois Marathon.
Way Outta Town
A May trip to Prescott AZ to attend my sister-in-law's PhD graduation also allowed time to visit nearby Watson Lake.
And the following month saw me making waves in Florida at my first ever photo workshop.
Mashing It Up
Along with traditional single-image photography, this year I continued to add to and refine my mashup artworks. This past fall while every other photographer was out chasing fall colors, I traveled to Indiana and Minnesota to capture source images of junk cars, resulting in a major refresh of the Driven gallery.
A significant addition to the Higher Plane gallery was a set of more minimalist images integrating planes and skies in creative ways, dubbed "High Altitude."
Back in the Studio
This fall my wife and I also were excited to find a space in a nearby small town to rent as an art studio. This has allowed me to resume my "analog" work in painting and drawing, the first fruits of which are included below. Upon completion of a few more of these I plan to add a new gallery to the website early next year.
That's a wrap!
With some solid directions established across all my creative outlets, I'm thankful for a busy and successful 2024 and looking forward to what lies ahead in 2025. Stay tuned here and on my Instagram for new stuff as it develops.
