Terri Froelich

Cocoon

Photography has been a huge passion since my youth, however the evolution of digital photography created a void in regards to the precision and tactility of film photography. In 2002, I started experimenting and “painting” with my photography. My earlier work was mostly collages of my own photographic images, which gradually transformed over time to mixed media paintings with only hints of photography. Photography remains a huge part of my life and a preferred way of recording abstract observations of color, design, textures, lines, shapes and more. The inspiration for my work is found in details discovered during exploration and travel – nature, beach, water, architecture, rust, topography - to name a few sources! Shapes and color are my focus, no pun intended! This is how my mind works as I explore. I view the chaos of a scene through the camera lens, organize the components and extract the details in a simplified order. The practice of photography, seeing the balance and composition through my lens, is like a muscle memory that guides my painting and intuition. I feel my work will continue to be molded by an awareness of my surroundings. The enjoyment comes from not only the discovery, but also the replication of rustic details. My challenge is to reconcile diverse and sometimes conflicting experiences into a balanced piece of art that exposes strong personal meaning.