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: Michael Grecco
My Venice People project started almost 30 years ago, when I moved to LA to work for People Magazine from my staff position at the Boston Herald. I was still doing photojournalism then, but yearned to be more of a portrait shooter, a Celebrity Photographer. The interesting this when I look at this work is, it’s a blend of photojournalism and the commercial portraiture I am known for. For a magazine or commercial client, I gather props, build sets, find environments and then use hair, makeup and wardrobe to tell a controlled story. A conceptual approach to storytelling, as opposed to the realist approach I learned at the Herald. But all of these people come with an interesting story written all over them; they have strong identities that tell a clear story.
I have then in turn, taking the lighting and the drama that is my style and turned in on them in the streets, most Venice, but also Santa Fe and Miami Beach. The more recent work has never been shown except on my website, but now I have an opening of large prints on October 4that the Terrace Restaurant in Venice. Venice on Venice, I guess it’s appropriate.
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. Instagram