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Artist Spotlight # 32
Submitted by mimi 05/08/08 5:11 AM GMT
Our next artist to be spotlighted as determined by her peers is none other than our own solita17
Let's all shower her with accolades as we take time to stroll through her varied gallery of images that she has delighted us with.
Yikes! I have been rendered (almost) speechless at being chosen featured artist of the month... It’s both a surprise and a great honor to be so recognised by my Caedes “family”. And I thank you for it.
So..... My full name is Mary Andrist Leech. (‘solita17’ is the nickname (and age) of the main character in my half-written historical novel. I live in Harwichport, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, with my husband of 27 years and our 12-year-old Maltese dog, Miss Lalabelle. We have no children of our own but I have a stepson, Charlie, who like his Dad, is a musician, and who is married with two sons . That makes me a stepgrandmother!
I have always considered myself, first and last, a writer and poet, which was a natural since my father was a writer and a senior editor in NYC... but he was also an ‘amateur’ photographer who took (and developed and printed) photos of his three daughters from birth to adulthood, and I’m sure this is where I first developed an interest in photography. My first camera was a little Ricoh 500 that I got one Christmas when I was attending Boston University. My boyfriend at the time was an artist and photographer, and he gave me my first lessons in the art (he now earns his living as a staff photographer at BU). I used the Ricoh for years ( including a four-year odyssey in a commune , circa 1970-74) until after I got married, when I bought a Pentax... and being an overwhelmingly ‘right-brained’ person, had to take a course to learn how to use it (lol, I think).... Somewhere in the late 80’s I became very ill for several reasons... I had contracted Lyme Disease (carried by deer ticks which positively thrive on Cape Cod) and Fibromyalgia... and Chronic Fatigue... and thyroid disease... and spent several years at home, mostly in bed, forsaking photography, and just about everything else. Constant pain and fatigue became my every-day companions..... Since I have also experienced severe depression and anxiety most of my life, it’s been quite the odyssey back into the land of the living. Although.... being house-bound, I began to discover art-photography sites online... it was a way of experiencing the world I so missed. The first site was DeviantArt. But a friend of mine kept e-mailing me about a site she had discovered called Caedes. She kept saying, “You really must take a look.” So... I took a look... and decided to stay... within months of signing on I took some $$ from an inheritance and bought my first digital camera, a Nikon D80 with an 18-135 mm lens. It was the first time I had used a camera in 15 years... And I’m still learning how to use it!
Today I’m not house-bound, I’m out ‘discovering’ almost every day. Although I continue to experience pain and fatigue, when I’m out on a ‘shoot’ I don’t hurt, instead I feel alive, energized, part of the world... Also, in the last year I’ve discovered more wonderful places and people on Cape Cod than I did in all previous 28 years I’ve lived here! And I owe all of that to my friend and to all of you at Caedes.
What is it about Caedes that has helped me? The friendship and the camaraderie, communicating with fellow artists, wonderful photography and people from around the world, hanging’ out on the wild and crazy ‘Offtopics’ threads, both comments and critiques... although i can’t always take you up on a suggestion since I don’t have a program like Photoshop.... ummm, I’m not quite sure about the dreaded c-index, however I have made a kind of peace with it. I don’t bother it and it doesn’t bother me! (lol again, I think) BTW, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have left comments and critiques on all my photos... because of the Fibro and Lyme, and accompanying ‘brain fog’, I can’t get around to thank each of you in a personal way, but I really value and appreciate each and every thing you all have taken the time to say! Yes!
Do I have a favorite image that I posted? I sort of lean towards Zen simplicity, like ‘Mallard Abstract’ or ‘Shadowdance’, or ‘Red Dinghy Redux’......but they really are like my children, it’s hard to pick favorites.
So.... thank you one and all for your friendship, your encouragement, your suggestions on how to be a better artist, your support, your craziness (Offtopics people, you know who you are), and a special thank you to Caedes and all who see that this site runs so smoothly and beautifully.
- Mary
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Offtopics huh..have to take a look on that...lol....!!
Off Topic you say. I'll have to check that out sometime. ;-)
Rich
I'm so thrilled for you, and I truly enjoyed reading your autobiographical description above. You've certainly been through/and are going through some very hard times and yet you continuously show us the beauty around you in your photographs. Thanks for your bright outlook on life.
I just spent quite a bit of time going through your gallery, most of which is very familiar to me as I look at your pieces every time you post, but Magic Path and of course the beautiful birthday card titled A Green Path for my birthday stood out.
Enjoy this moment in the sun! You more than deserve it!
((HUGS)) :) PJ
Quite the meteoric ... er, let's try this again ... quite the ascension into the, uhm ... once more ... hey! Way to go Mary!!
:oD
Congratulations Mary. :o)
Your work behind the lens is wonderful. And I particularly think that your images are superb examples of compositional strength, to name but one element/facet, in what constitutes a great photo.
Well done. Enjoy your time in the limelight.
And ... thank you ... for sharing with us, your creative efforts and talents. :o)
Congrats again
-Jonathan
BIG congrats Mary!!
Hope and Pray your Health Continues to Improve and that your Best Shots are yet to come.
CONGRATULATIONS !
E J
Joanie
You have my heartfelt best wishes for being in the starlight!!..an honour indeed, more so, because I know you to so kind and gentle and willing to help others, in spite of your own 'troubles'!....
Reap these rewards...you thoroughly deserve the accolades!!!
Love
Bob
You deserve this honour and you honour this award :)
Well done and thank you for all the pleasure you continue to give.
I could never choose a favourite from your gallery but I do love the tranqulity of The Sunset Watchers and it has graced ny desktop many times.
Bask in the warm glow of the spotlight my friend - you richly deserve it :)
Your pictures are truly fabulous! Thanks and congratuations for being the wonderful artist you are and sharing them with all!
Diane
~ Linda
:)
Take care and take a lot more images. I hope the fatigue, fibromyalgia and depression are kept at bay. It is really hard to deal with that pack of enemies, I know that first hand as my wife also falls prey to them.
A million thanks for the excellent pictures you're bringing to us, I will be here to see more coming up. Go ahead, dear friend, keep up the good work!
It's always a pleasure to view your wonderful work!! A well Deserved recognition!!
Best Wishes,
Kate :)
Well done!