I feel like I’ve always known I would pursue some sort of path as a creative, even as a young child. I have always been one that enjoys working with my imagination and that imagination has always been a little bit in the clouds. I was often found crafting projects, writing plays, and designing outfits for me and my friends. It was a way to pass the time in a very different, slow-paced world from what we have access to now. As technology has changed, so has my art and creative influence. I’ve dabbled in a little bit of it all. Everything from music, digital art, sculptures, and jewelry making, but nothing has my heart quite like photography.

Photography is a “place” where my imagination can run wild. I really enjoy storytelling with my images and whimsical surreal art is really where I seem to gravitate.

As a child, I always had disposable cameras and slowly stepped up my camera game in time. My parents bought me my first Kodak film camera when I was in 6th or 7th grade and my love of photography blossomed from there. In the early 2000’s I got my first digital camera, it was a horrible point-and-shoot, but it opened a lot of doors and the world of digital editing. This was before I even had access to Photoshop. I upgraded a few times from there and decided I was worthy of my first DSLR in 2007 after I had my first son. I knew I needed better equipment to document his life and our growing family. That was the moment my photography journey really changed. With a better camera came so much more possibilities with lenses, settings, and digital creation. Over those years, I found several editing programs but ultimately fell in love with the flow of Photoshop for most of my image tweaking. I’ve been teaching myself how to use it for nearly 17 years now and still don’t know how to use half of the tools correctly. It’s a vast place of creation, imagination, and possibilities.

As my confidence bloomed with shooting and editing I started to shoot images for friends and family, slowly gaining the value in myself to start charging for sessions. With that confidence came my willingness to start sending my images to magazines and other contests. Of course, I found myself weaved into a web of good and bad criticism but it helped me get my feet on the ground and navigate the harsh world of putting yourself out there. I started out being just a self-taught, meek photographer from a small town, and now I find myself somehow being a several time over published photographer. I have had my images in several publications, I’ve gotten to do a few interviews, and even have had my work displayed in a few local art galleries. I still have a very long way to go before I’m anywhere near the photographer I dream of being, but that’s something I think I will chase until the end of my time. Does any artist ever feel truly satisfied with their work? A big part of being a creative is being humble enough to know there’s always room for growth.

I think any good artist is always striving to create the next piece, which makes me think of the quote from Imogen Cunningham. . .”Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.” That’s accurate. I’m always excited to see what I create next and how much I continue to grow.

I’m Kate,  a self-taught creative located in Northern Indiana. I’m a wife to my amazing husband, Christopher, and 4 children. We also have several pets furry and scally. They can all be seen featured in a lot of my creative works. I love nature, camping, animals, and true crime.  I consider myself a photographer and jewelry designer most of the time but recently started to dabble in sculptures. I am a published photographer and have had my work shared in magazines, websites, commercials, and my latest accomplishment of having my sculpture featured at the SBMA gallery.

I specialize in concept and composite photography and fine art. I like to tell a story with my photographs and enjoy making series shoots out of those. Sometimes they go full circle and other times they stop with just a shoot or two. I have two big series shoots I am hoping to finish up in the next year. The first one I have been working on going on 8 years, after the passing of my father. I needed something to keep my mind busy, that was just the distraction I needed. Looking back over my work, I found that I accidentally photographed the stages of grief. My latest series is based off of the dream sequence I used for the previous shoot. Some of the characters branch into another “world.”

I’m also a junkie for band and event images. I really enjoy shooting bands and events because they are so unpredictable and I suppose with a controlled shoot you don’t get that rush. It’s also a lot of fun lighting and movement, so you get a chance to really play with colors and contrast. Music is also a pretty dear art form to me, but I have stage fright, so this is my way to soak up some of the stage life while hiding behind my camera. Annie Leibovitz is a great inspiration to me for that reason. She can transform from gritty band images to delicate works of art seamlessly.

My jewelry creations usually start with DNA elements like breastmilk, placenta, cremains, and blood that can be worn or displayed. That work can be seen as macabre to some, but it really brings peace to those I create for. I like to think of it as similar to heirloom or mourning jewelry and décor. Sometimes it’s hard to let go, so we hold on to a little part that gives us peace.

I’ve only recently started making sculptures, but really enjoy trying my hand at new forms of art to see what I can come up with. I seem to find myself working with bones, bugs, and nature-related content.

Art as a whole has always had a big place in my life for healing, happiness, and preserving my own mortality and memories. Creating stories, props, and wearable art for shoots has always been a happy place and recharging for my soul.

I feel like that ability to bring a concept to life with different aspects of art really sets me apart and makes me noteworthy when people find my art. I don’t just bring photography, I bring an overall experience. When clients book me or buy my art, they usually note my attention to detail and surreal worlds. I’m known for my surreal images with either light whimsical or macabre undertones. And my Treemen shoots are gaining a lot more popularity these days.

As a mother, my kids have grown fast, so having their lives documented through photography and other art is very dear to me. That’s something no one can replace for me and likely them and their future children. Knowing something lives on is a lovely feeling to do for anyone, be it myself, or a stranger who trusts me with their special task through photography OR jewelry. You can’t match bringing someone peace through an image or keepsake.

My most proud moments with my art have been the time I got to take photos for my dad’s band when they played at the Morris in South Bend. It was not only a great time because I got to shoot band photos at the Morris, but I got to be with my dad, on stage during one of HIS most proud moments. I was then asked by the drummer for Rare Earth to take photos of them too, it was an overall great experience and moment encased in my mind. I didn’t know it then, but it prepared me for a lot more upcoming shoots. I learned SO much that night.

The next few proud notes have occurred in the past 2 years, it was a good few for me. I had my first museum exhibition with my first-ever sculpture and in the same month had my first 4-page magazine feature along with a small interview. The interviews keep coming. It’s really fun to feel like maybe my art is speaking to someone out there. I think deep down that’s the biggest thing any artist wants; their art to really resonate with someone.

This has been a very slow-going part of my journey, gaining a natural following has taken me years, but it feels good to know the people following me are genuinely there and not a bunch of bots. In this line of work, you are often bombarded by people wanting to take advantage of you by promising likes, comments, sales, and so on. I never understood why you’d pay for likes when it really doesn’t gain you much for your algorithm other than other people seeing a big following number. When you look at those page’s statistics, they aren’t a whole lot different from yours. It’s fairly easy to spot the pages that buy their likes or a page that earns them from genuine viewers.

I have found that just staying in my own “lane” has been the best method. Buying likes is nothing more than boosting like numbers and you don’t have anyone more interacting with you.

I prefer getting to know the people who follow me and support me. You start to recognize people who often like, comment, and support you. That’s really cool.

My best advice for getting your social media out there is to promote, promote, promote yourself. Shameless self-promotion is your friend. Network with other businesses, reach out to get yourself locally out there and the internet is a vast place where your options are nearly endless.

Join groups, take part in community events when you can, and just keep being real. I find my honest posts about just being a real person behind my art help to bring my page interaction. Don’t get frustrated it seems to go in bursts, at least for me.

As I’ve just rebranded this part of my life, I’m anxious to see what comes next. I feel like, with hard work, it can only continue to go up from here.