Personal Projects are crucial in showing potential buyers how you think creatively on your own. I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or show something I have never seen before. In this revised column, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: projects are found and submissions are not accepted.
Today’s personal project: Tom Hussey
http://www.tomhussey.com/PROJECTS/NORTHERN-LIGHT/thumbs
“Northern Lights” is a project conceived due to my love of things handcrafted. Vermont has a great number of artisans working a craft that long ago was outsourced or taken over by machinery. When I started planning the trip it was referred to as a “Cheese Tour”. I wanted to get to know and photograph the people raising the animals, making the cheese, and taking it to the world market. As I was researching the cheese process I came to discover that there were numerous other handcrafts happening in Vermont — thus the scope of the project expanded a bit. I did photograph six different cheese producers — loving every one for different reasons. However, along the way, I met other craftspeople, I met Calley Hastings, a wonderful woman who instead of making cheese from goat’s milk, took another approach and has a rapidly growing business creating craft caramel made with goat’s milk. I also discovered Timothy Clark Furniture. Tim hand crafts incredible Windsor style chairs and benches. White Room Custom Skis, owned by Vin Faraci, creates bespoke skis to fit each customer including gorgeous custom hardwood laminated designs on the ski tops. I spent a truly enjoyable 5 days crisscrossing Vermont, photographing people that were passionate about their craft and their process. These hardy New Englanders are keeping the tradition of hand creation alive and well — even thriving. I was inspired by the journey, the people I met along the way, and the goods they produce.
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APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration industry since the mid 80s. After establishing the art buying department at The Martin Agency, then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies, she decided to be a consultant in 1999. She has a new Twitter feed with helpful marketing information because she believes that marketing should be driven by brand and not by specialty. Follow her at @SuzanneSease.