The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Paul Elledge

Selma

 I have always reflected on my history to inform and influence my projects.   An ongoing approach in my personal projects is to visit locations that have had influential historical events occur.  When I was a child the civil rights movement played as a continual unfolding story via the news on TV.   I remember seeing with horror the images of abuse of the people attempting to march from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL.  Even then as a child, I wondered  about the madness of how people sometimes treat others.

My project titled Selma starts with those memories of a place and its history.  Although those historical events burned the town of Selma, AL into my mind, this project is not about that particular event.  I traveled to Selma to experience what was going on now, over 50 years later.  Particularly, given the heightened polarization of America currently.

I walked the streets near where the famous images from Life Magazine were taken.  I journeyed by foot to feel the spirit of the place and to meet the people.  The emotions felt on those walks, and the experiences of meeting today’s Selma are what are reflected in this project.   My goal was to create a body of work in Selma that illustrated the dignity and humanity that is in all people, whether historically or more importantly now.

To see more of this project, click here.

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 @SuzanneSeaseInstagram

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