We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chelsea Reeck a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Chelsea, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I think all my work is centered around processing significant things in my life. In that way they are all the ‘most meaningful’, in that they are were an invaluable tool to get through my harder moments in life.

I have an ongoing series titled “House Hunting” that has been evolving off and on over the last 10 plus years. The series initially was in response to my parents’ messy divorce. My mother has struggled with addiction since I was a young teenager, and it progressively got worse as those things tend to do. My first year living away from home my parents tore down our childhood home and built a new home from scratch to try and fix the state of their marriage – before I was even home for the summer my dad had moved out. So the dramatic change happened to me seemly overnight. There was a pretty terrible break up in my twenties that shattered me for a few of years, and spent some time with my own substance problems and caught up in some pretty destructive relationships. I think the House Hunting series was this search for this idea of home, security, belonging, family. Themes that had morphed into rather sinister ideas that were mysterious and unattainable to me. The series also branched off into a long running self portrait series that I cringe a little when I look at, however, those were some of the most cathartic images I have ever created.

I think my hardest hurdle though that really changed me the most, was when I was twenty 28, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. So chemo, the whole bit – right smack in the middle of my two years in grad school. Thankfully I had a wonderful support system in my now husband, family, friends etc all were invaluable during that terrible time. (and I only lost 80% my hair) And I made A LOT of work during that time. Work about being sick, more houses, self portraits, houses, always more houses. My forever obsession that now is an activity that brings me calm and peace rather than just catharsis.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I had an interest in photography at a very early age (my mother recently pulled out an old homework assignment from 4th grade in which I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said ‘photographer’) I brought disposables with me everywhere until I was gifted an old 35mm Nikon from my uncle. I took every photo class available and then went to college (Montana State University) and spent 4 years in the dark room getting a degree in film and photography, After graduating I owned/managed an art gallery in White Bear Lake MN for about 5 years where I started my wedding photography business and continued to produce my own work and support local artists in the twin cities. In 2014 I sold the gallery and I started grad school at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Since then I have grown my wedding photography business and continue to grow my fine art practice – luckily my wedding photo business supports my fine art photo business, and also lucky I really enjoy doing both.

My process for the “House Hunting” which has been my focus for the last couple years is done in moments when A). I am able and B). When the weather cooperates. I am pretty particular about when I shoot this series. It is typically between the hours of 3 am and 6 am, and in shit weather. Basically I will only get out of bed for fog or a really good storm, bonus points for heat lighting because I don’t have to get wet. I enjoy the quiet of the late night (early morning) hours. It’s quiet, not many people on the road – this allows me to wander with out ‘getting caught’ people tend not to love having their home photographed in the middle of the night, so I’d rather keep them in the dark about it if I can. I think this method of working is part of the reason I am set apart from other artists. Its not an easy thing to do, get yourself out of bed in the middle of the night in the hopes that the weather is cooperating (it often isn’t), I also feel it needs to be said I have a 1 1/2 year old, so sleep is incredibly coveted at my house. This and wandering around in the middle of the night by myself is something a-lot of people just wouldn’t do since it has its own ‘scary’ connotations. Because I have spent so much time photographing this type of subject matter, in these specific light conditions, I like to believe I have a unique eye for light at night, and see potential in the rather mundane scenes of suburbia.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The creation of art is such an intensely positive thing. I enjoy it, but, I enjoy it like I enjoy exercise. It is incredible for my mental health and overall well-being but it is constant work to stay motivated to do. To create, learn, and share work. So when I stay committed to making work, learning how to better my skill and connect with people in relation to my work it is a pretty unique feeling of accomplishment and elation. To see my progress in the quality of my work over the years is this constant reminder of years of work and dedication.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goals creatively are really just to continue to grow and learn. Making art is an ongoing process that takes dedication and time. Pushing myself to remain creatively motivated ebbs and flows with the different seasons of life so I just hope it’s something I always do. It’s easy to fall away from these creative outlets in the chaos of bills, jobs, kids, general life stresses, especially if you aren’t exclusively making a living off your art. It’s important I make space for it amongst that chaos.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chelseareeckphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseareeck/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chelsea-Reeck-Fine-Art-Photography-107247182002556

Image Credits
Chelsea Reeck Photography