ARTIST STATEMENT: Fabyan Gardens: Recent Past

I visit Fabyan Forest Preserve often, finding it a place of refuge. This series of photographs were taken in the years 1989 to 1998. During that time, the gardens were less tended to and grew wild. Revisiting the forest over a period of time has taught me patience; to sit and wait for the gifts of Nature.

This work is meant to convey the mystery and reverie inherent in uncultivated Nature. For me, the garden is a paradise where magic happens. I feel a life spirit in the plants and the trees that can transport me into an exalted state. New ideas are planted; dreams take root.

My vision is to intertwine my personal history with the history of the locale I photograph. Using my camera, Nature, models and costumes, I create something personal for my own pleasure and then give it over to the viewer to complete the moment.

These works were made specifically to celebrate the 100 years of the Japanese Tea Gardens at Fabyan Forest Preserve. The photographs are printed onto white Komabrite, which is a type of plastic that holds ink; and then mounted onto plywood and coated with a layer of marine paint. This process renders these prints completely waterproof. They were created to live in these gardens.

Shauna Angel Blue

« IMAGES: Fabyan Gardens