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Atelier 33 | Sandy Hill

Posted on March 17, 2021

Atelier 33 artist Sandy Hill created her series American Decor during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to create a connection with the people in her community despite the way our country has been physically and ideologically divided over the past year. Her work is on display in the Griffin Main Gallery until March 26, 2021. We asked Sandy a few questions to learn more about her collection.

woman with horse statue

© Sandy Hill – Untitled 10

Which of these images was the impetus for this series? How did it inform how you completed the series?

I would say the image of the woman with the horse statue was probably the one that captured my heart photographically and got the ball rolling. It was   partially hidden by the bushes and seemed humble and worn, like a toy well loved. I also enjoyed the little skeletons and the angel nearby. It is a spot and a house I’ve driven past many times without noticing the horse and it kind of captured my curiosity. While the initial impetus for taking the photos was a purely visual response to interesting items, it became more about  the people who lived there.

How has your photography changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic? Has the Atelier been a motivator to persevere through these trying times?

I’ve become more cautious about approaching people safely and conscious about keeping distant physically while taking portraits. I knock on the door or ring the bell and step far back and I also don’t spend as much time doing portraits for safety purposes. The Atelier has really been a light for me in difficult times. It made me examine different styles and stretch my visual skills. I had been struggling to find a way to start a project I’m excited about, and thanks to this class, I have.

woman with colorful house decorations

© Sandy Hill – Untitled 1

How is this method of photographing the scenery and people around you different in our current world?

I’ve felt since last spring that people are pausing more, stopping to chat during walks, not as busy and preoccupied. Appreciative of the opportunity to talk to someone in person, something we’ve perhaps taken for granted. Most agreed to my request for a portrait and even those who did not want to be photographed would spend time telling me about their decorations. Many were proud or excited to talk about their art. One man opened his garage to show me his woodworking set up, a mom and daughter told me how they were able to collect free doors to replace the fence that had been falling down, a woman in an apartment in Haverhill had a little Christmas tree and decorations set up on the sidewalk and explained that she does it for the children in the area. The stories were wonderful and varied.

children in front of a barn

© Sandy Hill – Untitled 8

What do you hope we as viewers take away from viewing your work?

That we can find connections even during times that seem to be driving us apart. That even if it’s something as simple as a lawn decoration we can find ways to appreciate one another.

Tell us what is next for you creatively.

I hope to continue with this project for awhile—it’s kind of a treasure hunt of sorts! I have a few people who I will photograph soon and once Covid restrictions aren’t a concern I would like to explore NH and maybe other states too looking for other unique decorations and people. After that—lots of ideas! (Thank you Atelier!)

To see more of Sandy Hill, be sure to visit her website and her Instagram, @Sandy_Hill_Photography.

Filed Under: Atelier, Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: Artist Talk, atelier 33, Photographers on Photography

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MENU
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    • Hours
    • Admission
    • Directions
    • Handicap Accessability
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    • FAQs
  • Exhibitions
    • Griffin Museum Galleries
    • Griffin Museum Satellite Galleries
    • Griffin Museum Virtual Galleries
    • Exhibition Archive
  • Events
    • Online Programs
    • Receptions
    • Focus Awards
  • Learn
    • Education
    • Photography Atelier
    • Education Policies
    • Arthur Griffin Photo Archive
    • Griffin State of Mind
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    • Become a Member
    • Donate
    • Leave a Legacy
    • Bring Photography to Life! 2020-2021 Annual Appeal Fund
    • When are the member portfolio reviews scheduled?
    • John Chervinsky Emerging Photographer Scholarship
  • Shop
  • Buy Tickets
    • Admission
    • Membership
  • Get Involved
    • Staff
    • Griffin Museum Board of Directors
    • About the Griffin
    • Members in Focus
    • Get in Touch

Floor Plan

Amy Rindskopf's Terra Novus

At the market, I pick each one up, pulled in by the shapes as they sit together, waiting. I feel its heft in my hand, enjoy the textures of the skin or peel, and begin to look closer and closer. The patterns on each individual surface marks them as distinct. I push further still, discovering territory unseen by the casual observer, a new land. I am like a satellite orbiting a distant planet, taking the first-ever images of this newly envisioned place.

This project started as an homage to Edward Weston’s Pepper No. 30 (I am, ironically, allergic to peppers). As I looked for my subject matter at the market, I found that I wasn’t drawn to just one single fruit or vegetable. There were so many choices, appealing to both hand and eye. I decided to print in black and white to help make the images visually more about the shapes, and not about guessing which fruit is smoothest, which vegetable is greenest.

Artistic Purpose/Intent

Artistic Purpose/Intent

Tricia Gahagan

 

Photography has been paramount in my personal path of healing from disease and

connecting with consciousness. The intention of my work is to overcome the limits of the

mind and engage the spirit. Like a Zen koan, my images are paradoxes hidden in plain

sight. They are intended to be sat with meditatively, eventually revealing greater truths

about the world and about one’s self.

 

John Chervinsky’s photography is a testament to pensive work without simple answers;

it connects by encouraging discovery and altering perspectives. I see this scholarship

as a potential to continue his legacy and evolve the boundaries of how photography can

explore the human condition.

 

Growing my artistic skill and voice as an emerging photographer is critical, I see this as

a rare opportunity to strengthen my foundation and transition towards an established

and influential future. I am thirsty to engage viewers and provide a transformative

experience through my work. I have been honing my current project and building a plan

for its complete execution. The incredible Griffin community of mentors and the

generous funds would be instrumental for its development. I deeply recognize the

hallmark moment this could be for the introduction of the work. Thank you for providing

this incredible opportunity for budding visions and artists that know they have something

greater to share with the world.

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