Hello,
Many of you know me as a jewelry artist and the owner of FOUNDWEAR. The other creative hat that I wear is that of a photographer. Photography has been a passion of mine since I was 16, when my dad gave me one of his 35mm film cameras. It was an East German camera with a beautiful Meyer-Optik Oreston 50mm 1.8 lens. I was in heaven. Photographing people has always captured my imagination, the story of a life is in a person's face.
I've been on a mission to dive deeper into my creative endeavors. With jewelry, I want to continue to spend my time at the bench making beautiful and meaningful pieces for my collectors. Jewelry worthy of 25 years of practice. For my photography, I want to tell visual stories in a compelling way and share them with you. The other aspect of growth is to bring my values and the work that I do closer together. There is no road map, and I like it that way. The journey of discovery is what keeps me curious and present.
I believe that art can play a transformative role in our personal lives and society, it can motivate us to act or inspire change in how we see the world. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I've wanted to contribute in a meaningful way using my creativity.
On January 25th I'll put down my jeweler's hammer for a camera and travel to Ukraine to photograph the daily lives of Ukrainians amid the chaos of war.
I will look to meet the baker who is determined to make bread every morning for her customers and the musician who continues to make music in defiance of air raid sirens. My focus will be on the light within people, the stories of human dignity, strength and resilience that emerge during times of darkness.
The second part of my project will be when I return, after editing and curating the photos, I will look for venues to exhibit and share my photo essay.
If you're interested in being a part of my project, all jewelry purchases for the next 2 weeks will help to fund my trip. You can also contribute at my GoFundMe.
The money will help me to hire a Ukrainian interpreter and guide as well as purchase solar lights to give to those that I meet.
Please share with someone if you're inspired.
Have a Happy and Fulfilling New Year
Scott