Circle Press: Artist in Profile: Kristie Arden

Circle Press: Artist in Profile: Kristie Arden: This month I had the privilege to interview Kristie Arden, a photographer and active member of the Amityville Artists Circle.  Kristie's sol...

The Summer Wind ---of 2011

           This summer has been a great experience. I have met some amazing people and have had the opportunity to photography some very interesting subjects.

 

"September Path" (Vertical)

           

        For example, I met this sweet woman who purchase two of my giclee prints. They were both of the beach. Traditional beach shots of the jetty and the drift wood beach fences. Upon delivering them to her home, she gave me a tour. When we entered the kitchen she said, " this is were you work will hang".  It was in front of her little kitchen table. She told me that, " this is were I spend most of my day, talking on the phone, paying bills, etc. I used to have a view of the beach until they built that multi-million dollar building across from me. Now, all I see are the bricks of that building. I though your pictures would give me a sense of the beach and a feeling of calm." I was so touched that she wanted to look as my pictures every day.

        I also met this sweet retired couple. Every time I see them at art shows they make me smile. They are always holding hands seem so in-love. He told me that my cards are "cheaper than Hallmarks and are much better." She told me, that even thought she "is Jewish, she love my Christmas cards because they make her laugh". This one is her favorite.




"Lifeguard Chair"



           I also met a Captain this year.  Captain Joe, is a fluke fisherman who has this amazing life. He fishes for fluke that get shipped live to Japan each day. During the month of November he captains a boat in Alaska. His boat is named after his wife, JoAnn and he wanted a surprise to his wife with a photograph of it.  

          I went out every morning for a week and photographed his boat, the " My JoAnn".  I loved getting up at 6 am to photograph. The light was so beautiful, everything had this crisp golden glow. It was just perfect. I was finally able to get the winning shot with the orange sun rising above his beloved.



"My JoAnn"



"Take the Wheel"

           I also have this wonder client who has bought several nautical prints from me. In passing she told me about her wonderful Italian grandma, Nonna. Nonna and her spent one day crushing their tomatoes and then canning them for the year.  It sounded like a fun experience.

          Well, at the end of a very long day at an art show the client returns. She brought me a can of her Nonna's tomatoes, pasta and homemade meat balls. A dinner fit for  king---or at lest of tired artist and he her roadie husband. Wow, I was so touched by her generosity and kindness. She was sharing her art with me.

         

         It has been a fantastic summer and I had met some a truly amazing people and such talented artists. They inspire me all the time and always challenging me to do better. There are just too many people to list, but I guess the one who I was deeply touched with was this elderly woman. She was so polished, she looked like a late Jacqueline Kennedy in her lavender blouse. Her family had taking her out of the the nursing home and was pushing her around the Plaza in her wheel chair. The elderly woman did not speak very much, but when she saw a picture of a tulip she smiled and told me it was pretty.

         That is the best compliment and artist can ever receive.

 

"Tulip"



PS: The tulip picture is now in her room.



Kristie Arden

ArdenDesigns.com



Always Designing

             I was talking to a woman the other day about my work. She asked about my past jobs and why I became a photographer. Afterwards she said, " Well, it all makes sense. You were a designer for Lord and Taylor's. You dressed mannequins and set up little scenes in windows. You  are doing the same thing now but with you photographs."

          This statement has stayed with me for quite a while. I thought that my various jobs all has start and end dates. Now I realize that one job does flows into another. I now create similar work with my photographs and cards. I love to set up scenes. Such as with my Holiday cards from 2009. I took my in-laws Adirondack chairs, my champagne glass and several props from my home and created what a perfect Christmas would be for me.



" Holiday Toast"



          In 2007 I need a generator. I wanted to show what it would look like if Santa Claus took some time off and was skinny dipping. Kevin and I had a lot of fun making this card. We borrowed the Santa costume from his job, got Christmas lights and rented a generator. We lugged all of our gear down to the beach one evening in September until we found the perfect lifeguard chair.

          We set up the scene and just starting laughing, because of all the people that were watching us. The residences, in the apartment building behind us, were on their balconies and pointing and tyring to figure out what was going on. I am sure they thought we were a little crazy, but I did not mind. I was having a create time creating this card.



" Lifeguard Chair"



          Even when I creating photographs or cards that do not have an elaborate set up. I am always thinking about the final product. What it will it look like? What text can I use for the card I am about to create? Or how will it look all blown up, without any text, and framed in someones home. All this things I am visually designing. Not on mannequins this time, but on film.



"Birthday Party"




"Throw Me Something"




" Sunset Strip"



"Wagging Tail"



"Wedding Toast"





"Tulips"



"Sand Castle"


www.ArdenDesigns.com





The Great Art Crash

"Off Duty"

           On June 26th, I was doing an Arts in the Plaza show in Long Beach, NY. It was a great beach day and we did not have a lot of traffic. I was at another artist's booth joking around and then heard a terrible noise. It was like the sound of a car crash---however it was not a car accident---it was the sound of two of my grid walls hitting the ground. ( The grid wall display my framed and canvas work.)

         All the artists ran over immediately  and helping me pick up the pieces. I was in total shock, but need we needed to pick up the glass, frames, etc. off the ground as quickly as possible. Then, the second set of walls crashed to the ground. It was like having a tsunami and then an after-shock wave.

         Now all my work was shatter and in tiny pieces on the ground.

       

        I was so pleasantly surprised how many artists helped me: someone got a broom from Starbucks, another got me a trash can, and the rest started picking up the frames, and photos from the ground. Everyone was so helpful and offered wonderful words of advice and encouragement They  packed me up and helped me get all my stuff home. I am so grateful to everyone of my friends. Friends that I now consider family---a family that meets every Sunday for a few laughs and to support one another.

       When I arrived home, Kevin and I set up a trauma center. We review that damaged and then I mourned a few pieces. The following week we repaired the frames, replaced and glasses and printed new work. I was still very upset but new the work had to be done.

        The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -----Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Dancing Plovers"   (birds that are always working)

         I really pushed myself to get the repairs completed by the following week.
The "Great Art Crash" made me even more determined to make this photography career a success.

"Phoenix Rising"

Hello World




"Anchor"

 

So it goes world. The first day of my blog. My web master, a.k.a. hubby, has been telling me that this is a great way to get my work out there. So after several polite suggestions form him. I am ready to give it s try.

So let me start by saying, this is really what I WANT to do at this point of my life. I was an artist is school and worked as a visual designer for a retail store. I LOVED that job. But the job was very physical so after numerous physical injuries I left and took a desk job. While I was working as a receptionists I taught myself photo shop. I now take pictures when life and the light is good and edit when the skies are dark.

A perfect balance.

So I am photographer that loves great lighting and the beach. The beach is were my  spirit is the happiest.

I love walking the beach with my camera and sometime with my sheepdog, Marley.

So now, you know a little about me and how I got to this place in my life. I am sure you will join the calming feeling of my work and hope it makes you feel like you have the sun on your face and sand in between your toes.



"Sea Grass at Sunset"



"September Path" (horizontal)



"Rainbow Rock"

 http://www.ardendesigns.com/