natasha nicholson: PHOTOGRAPHY

Cyclamen

In the late 1990's I began making photographs of objects from my various collections using a tourist camera and printing one-color sepia prints. It was not until I started research in 1998 on the Cabinets of Curiosities project that my passion for Dutch still life painting and Botanicals of all ages was renewed. At that time I decided to try painting with the camera in an attempt to achieve the beauty and mystery of the 'Still Life. ' While my vision for the works I would compose was strong, my knowledge and experience with the camera was not. Tom Jones, a long time friend and artist came to my rescue by collaborating with me on the 'Botanical Series.' I would arrange the still life and Tom would use his large format camera for the shoots. In some of the later works Thomas Garver, my husband would also step in as the photographer.

Each still life was created in a box as that had been the structure for my work from the beginning of my artistic life. This manner of working, the enclosing of objects implies secrets and and a sense of mystery that belies the commonness of the subject matter. In the use of photography I found I could create shadows and depth similar to the paintings I so admired. This was also the first time I began using full color in my work and that revelation and the subsequent awareness of my abilities as a colorist certainly helped me when I began making necklaces. After using flowers as a medium it was a small step into fruits and vegetables. Dining may be the next focus, combining my passion for the sensuousness of a great meal while recalling the great paintings of the groaning board filled with all manner of foodstuffs and their equally glorious presentations.

Parrot Tulips Falling