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Just Fabulous
515 N. Palm Canyon Dr.
Palm Springs, CA
M-S 9 - 6
The Wind and Water Series
Schmidt Artists Lofts
4th Floor Landing
900 W. 7th St.
St. Paul, MN
The Water Series
Real/Unreal
"Once Upon a Time...."
We are taught, from the moment we can learn, with stories. We are raised on stories to teach us right from wrong, that good will always conquer evil and that we will live happily ever after. Many of us are also put on to our religious path learning the story of how the earth was created and the great flood and miracles performed and how we will be treated after death. (really doesn't matter which religion, they all cover those things)
But in fifth grade, Terry learned about Greek Mythology. He learned the stories of these gods and goddesses. He also learned that this mythology was once someone's religion. It was at that point that he wondered when his religion would become mythology.
Another interesting thing in Terry's childhood, lying was refered to as "telling stories". "Mom, uncle Jimmy says the moon is made of cheese. Is that true?" "You're uncle Jimmy is telling stories again." Teasing was a common pracitice of the uncles to the nieces and nephews, often times about spiders or ghosts or other scary things, and when a child couldn't handle it anymore they would go running back to mom or gramma and be consoled with "Pay no attention to them, they were just telling stories"
Storytelling became an important part of Terry's life during college as he pursued a degree in Theatre. Here is the art form of telling stories. Nothing is real, yet the audience is expected to believe that what is being presented is real. When Terry first started photography in Minnesota, once he got a few photography basics under his belt, he began shooting stories, Greek and Roman gods, Aesops fables, fairy tales. He created the book "Bella Donna" with famed female illusionist (drag queen) Miss BeBe Zahara Benet. Terry and BeBe would create fantastical characters and stories together. Building sets inside Terry's apartment, with outfits created out of sparkles and baubles or even just hair.
In the Fall of 2009, Terry moves to Palm Springs CA. No longer faced with 6 months of freezing winter and the unpredictability of summer, Terry can now shoot outside year round. All the lighting equipment and backdrops and props are packed into a closet and Terry sets out on a journey of shooting only in Nature and with natural light. Terry is first drawn out to the wind farms just north of town. The Wind is "harvested" to create electricity. Growing up in Minnesota, wind was usually a destructive force with all the tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that rolled through every summer. But here, the wind's force is used for good.
Living in Palm Springs, the next fascination that piques Terry's interest were swimming pools. Water is a source of life, and too much water, a source of death. And inbetween "magic". To an artist, water is magical. The natural reflections and refractions created by its movement with sunlight is amazing, but can only be appreciated if that instant is captured in a photo.
During a time of self reflection, Terry notices that he has shot Wind and Water and it would be only natural to shoot Earth and Fire. But why? What did the Four Elements have to do with him. And then it occurred to him that the Four Elements are actually the constants to life, the only actual REAL things. In a world of stories, lies, and false truths you have these universal truths. Not even truths, they just are. So his move to Palm Springs finally had answers. His previous life of stories anchored. Terry will now explore both sides of real and unreal, truth and untruth, actual and made up. He will question WHY people believe untruths, when it is so easy to see the TRUTH.
