We recently connected with Selina Roman and have shared our conversation below.
Selina , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had started sooner?
I have thought about the timing of my creative career often. I came to it late, as my undergraduate degree was in journalism. I always loved writing, crafting an interesting story, grabbing readers’ attention and seeing my name in print. The daily adrenaline rush of never knowing how your day will unfold can be addicting. But the tragic stories, late nights and angry readers can wear you down. When I realized I wanted to commit to photography and pursue my MFA degree, I never looked back. After getting my arts degree I thought it would’ve been better to start my art career earlier. However, I realized that my journalism background created a wonderful foundation for my art practice: inquisitiveness, skepticism and attention to details. So starting it late actually worked out best for me because I had another life before art and it made me appreciate it and fight for it all the more.
Selina , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a Florida native — born and raised in west central Florida. I have always been aware of the weird and mythological character of this strange peninsula. Creating is in my blood and from an early age I was drawing, sketching fashion, and writing stories. My path to the art world and photography had a lot of twists and turns. After leaving journalism, I believed my next chapter would be as a fashion designer. But after apprenticing with a talented designer, I quickly realized I despised sewing but adored documenting the designer’s process. I documented her while she worked in her studio, her runway shows and fashion shoots. I was hooked, and eventually became lead photographer on several of her fashion campaigns. While I enjoyed the documentation, I soon realized I wanted to shoot more than just straightforward fashion images. My mind began brimming with ideas and concepts for photographs that went beyond clothes. Those early years in my photography career taught me so much about working with models, having a concept and narrative. To this day, fashion plays a central role in my work. I scour thrift stores and vintage shops for quirky clothes and objects in various textures, hues and silhouettes. Each item of clothing or prop that I include in my photographs carry narrative potential. I don’t always know what that is and that’s what excites me — I leave those interpretations to the viewer. While my works address various themes relating to femininity and power, I constantly challenge myself to leave the works open ended; to raise more questions than provide answers. I want viewers to feel attracted to the work, draw them in with the vibrant colors, strange props, costumes and locations…and then I also want to repel them, make them feel uncomfortable, uneasy. This push and pull is at the center of a lot of my work – it’s this attraction/revulsion that fuels me and that I hope keeps my viewers interested.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I am in intoxicated by the constant notion of possibility. Working as a practicing artist and as a studio art professor, everything always seems possible and infinite. My first mission is to make something I enjoy, something I want to see out in the world. When I succeed at that, the rest falls into place. As an artist, it is tempting to repeat a formula once it’s proven effective (through recognition and/or sales). And while that may work for a lot of creatives, I get bored easily and need to constantly feel challenged. I thrive in the uncomfortable. I realize that when I venture into new territory, whether thematic or materially, that it may not be for everyone. But that’s a risk I am willing to take. I have faith that my work will connect with the right people — for those who find it offers them something like an escape or a new way of looking. Additionally, I find it thrilling when people connect with it and bring their own experiences, memories and histories to the work. It’s like I create the initial meaning, and then my viewers create their own layers of meaning.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.selinaroman.com
- Instagram: selinaroman
Image Credits
All images by Selina Roman