Conversations with Madeline Wilson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Wilson

Hi Madeline, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Thank you. I am a fine arts photographer living in Boulder, Colorado, and I work in the field with the camera, and in my studio at Artworks Center for Contemporary Art in Loveland, Colorado. I spend a good deal of time of time in the great outdoors, a source of inspiration for my work. Other inspiration comes from music, friends, and travel – and artists Stephen Shore, William Eggleston, Lorna Simpson, Diane Arbus, Joel Sternfeld, Alex Webb and Martin Parr, among many others.
I have been practicing photography since high school, moving from black and white darkroom imagery, through cibachrome and color negative, to digital imagery. The digital process conveys my color sense perfectly, presenting the ability to fine-tune color properties using Lightroom and Photoshop software and Epson inks to express the richness of meaning that the color holds on the paper.
I am fascinated by abandoned places; recent work is an exploration of our imprint on the landscape: man-made structures succumb to time and the environment as they retreat back into nature through a process of decomposition. A current project places images of recent ancestors into abandoned spaces, working with themes of secrecy and family history.
My artistic practice includes working with found objects to create mixed-media work. Like the photographs, materials and objects are discovered and then crafted into works addressing questions of permanence, obfuscation, deconstruction and reconstruction, and natural reclamation. The ability to capture and hold objects of the past in the present, in a new form, creates the basis of my artistic pursuits.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Anything worth pursuing will have its challenges. Beginning a career in photography in the 1970’s presented the struggle to push through the prejudices against photography as a viable fine-art medium. Such artists as Man Ray, Edward Steichen and Stephen Shore broke those boundaries to elevate photography to “fine art” status, but it was a dynamic time and eventually the photographic arts were accepted into the “white wall” establishment. Another challenge was entering the world of commercial photography as a woman. I was told by prospective employers that women “couldn’t carry the equipment” and, in one early job, “We need to replace you with a man because the other (male) staff members don’t feel they can speak freely around you during the morning coffee break”. At the time I was flabbergasted, but, looking back, it’s really quite funny. I don’t believe these roadblocks are any more severe than what I may have encountered in any profession during that transitional time for the arts and for women in the workplace in general. Eventually I found my professional home as an educator: heading up the art department in an international boarding school that focused on the arts – a dream job, really.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
After exploring many areas of my medium throughout my career I always come back to color photography. This has been my main interest since the late 70’s, when color was just beginning to be recognized as a viable medium. I love rich, vibrant, very saturated color; this is my visual language. I am most influenced by the Color Field Photographers: Stephen Shore, Joel Meyerowitz, Joel Sternfeld, and Martin Parr. I have carried this aesthetic through a number of personal projects. Whether shooting cultural landscapes, abandoned factories, or daily bites on the iPhone, the use of color is predominate in my compositions and it carries the message of each individual image. My work is known for capturing the patina of nostalgic scenes of Americana, and for bringing abandoned spaces to life. What may set me apart from others is my rich knowledge of the medium, spanning several decades, and my reverence for my place in the lineage of photography, as I was fortunate to be trained and influenced by some of the masters of photography of the 2oth century.

Any big plans?
I have just moved my studio back to Artworks, in Loveland, after several years in North Boulder. I am looking forward to rejoining a vibrant community of generous, spirited contemporary artists and delving into some experimental work. My current project is an exploration of themes of secrecy, family and ancestors. I have been combining images from an old family album with some of my abandoned spaces in an effort to make sense of my history. From the artist statement: “When I struggle to fill in the blanks I create narratives based on secrets and disinformation; bits of dialogue overheard in dark hallways, scraps of stories shared then quickly hushed. “Secrets” is a series of images fabricated in a vacuum created by deception, in an attempt to create a family history, previously unknown.” I would like to take these concepts into a more global sphere and create work around current concerns on the political and environmental landscape. Any new space feels like a new beginning and I’m excited to tackle this blank slate.

Pricing:

• Prints vary in price, depending on size, from $125 for 8 x 10 to $750 for 20 x 24

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.madelinewilson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reachmadwilson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/synseye/

Image Credits
My portrait: Robin Enright Salcido