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Play is an important aspect of the creative process. Artists who play create pieces with a quality of acceptance of the unknown and a willingness to adapt and discover unique ways of expression. Playing is fundamental to exploiting every aspect of one’s creativity. That being said, I do not implement much play into my creative process. As much as I support play and see how it benefits my work, I still struggle with opening myself up to experimentation. Play is imperative, however it is easily constricted by perfectionism and the fear of failure. The role play has in my creative process is not as central as I hope it might be someday. Opening myself up to play will allow for the acceptance of failure and a better understanding of the piece and a closer relationship to the material. Play removes the limits that we unknowingly place on ourselves and allow for the creative process to flourish. I strive to implement more playing into my process because as Albert Einstein once said, “play is the highest form of research”.

The vertical blinds are a bit of a touchy subject for many MCAD students living on campus. Most are annoyed by their brittle quality and habit of malfunctioning. I, however, find them quite nice. I love the way that they rattle in the wind when my window is open, and how the light coming through dances around as they sway. This fluttering of light is difficult to capture in a still photograph, but I tried to catch the variation in light that results. At this moment it is just me and I am transfixed by the flickering blinds.

All of these images center around lighting. I have always been drawn to light. I enjoy the warmth that it exudes and the energy that different lighting creates. These images show the different places where I chase the light and harness it in my work. In exploring the campus and setting up my own personal living space in my dorm, I have discovered these moments when I can catch the light. In the early morning, the sunrise shines golden rays through the blind right onto my desk. The soft glow adds an ethereal aspect to my work. In the back of the library I work undisturbed until the sun beams in through the open window and warms the black leather couches. In the evening, the string lights that adorn my room illuminate the images and memories hanging on the wall. The light frames these sources of inspiration and casts the room in a calm orange hue. Then at night, I play with color and contrast. I love spotting these moments in life and in my work because they pass so quickly. I don’t think light is a constant. It changes every second depending on the time, positioning and surroundings. I think that the ability to capture and notice light is humbling in that it highlights moments and reminds me of the rapidly passing of time.

Studying light and constantly searching for it has helped me better understand it. When you observe something long enough, you grow very familiar with how it functions and relates to the surrounding world. These images help me to capture moments when I feel at peace or in awe and their physical format allows me to revisit that point in time whenever I want. These photos allow the viewer to stay in that singular moment of beauty and inspiration regardless of the ephemeral quality of light.