Ellen Jantzen- Artist of the Month- May

This month we have selected a photographer by the name of Ellen Jantzen. When looking at her website, it's clear that she has a deep connection with nature. Nature is raw, it is our home and our sanctuary, so we as humans are drawn to it. However, these are not your average landscape photographs, there is something much deeper here than a simple appreciation for nature.

Whetting the Waters - Ellen Jantzen

Her most recent series, Disturbing the Spirits, feels like a dream...one where your mind lands you in the middle of some remote, natural territory and no matter how hard you try to blink your surroundings into clarity, there's still bits that are in flux.

Alameda- Ellen Jantzen

This work feels melancholy and bittersweet, as if someone or something you love is fading away right in front of you and you become lost. Ellen achieves these complex emotions through her thoughtful and deliberate photo manipulation.

Promise of Spring - Ellen Jantzen

I have heard Darryll mention many times that when he manipulates the camera while taking photos there isn't a single movement that is arbitrary. It is clear to me that Ellen is making the same kind of choices, in order to get the final image to really say what she wants it to. Each picture feels like it has a different message, yet speaks to her bigger message in some way. Read part of her statement below:

"In 'Disturbing the Spirits' I am using imagery to convey my feelings about the state of nature, the nature of trees, and how to express their connection to past, present and future. By obscuring a portion of the image through a veil, I strive to heighten the remaining reality through discovery and reflection."

Threshold- Ellen Jantzen

Ellen takes in her surroundings, captures them, and injects her unique vision into them. It is this kind of delicate process that allows an artist to not only define their work, but also themselves.

Please be sure to check out the rest of Ellen's work on her website: www.ellenjantzen.com
Her work can be found at these galleries currently representing her:

The Susan Spiritus Gallery in Newport Beach CA: http://susanspiritusgallery.com/

The Bruno David Gallery in St. Louis MO: http://www.brunodavidgallery.com

-Chelsea