The Artist
Image Courtesy of Rick GargiuloMy love for photography started when I was a child growing up in the country. Being small and loving the outdoors, I was always drawn to the small details of nature. I wanted to capture them and remember their beauty always. But my little Fisher-Price camera didn’t preserve the images I took :>). In 1991 when I started my Art Education degree I took a photography class. I knew I had found my passion!
It’s only fitting that my work is centered around nature. My desire to view and expose nature’s little intricacies sometimes leads to abstractions of nature. Sometimes this happens with a single shot of something so up close its identity is left questionable, or arranging a single image of nature repeatedly in a kaleidoscope image, or taking bits and pieces of my nature photographs and collaging them together to create unique characters. The later is the focus of my recent work.
Image Courtesy of Rick GargiuloI often find myself becoming one with nature whether I am on a neighborhood walk with my young boys or in the woods for hours by myself. I hear and speak to the Characters of Nature, as I like to call them, I find their hair in a twisted piece of vine, their body in a dried up piece of Queen Ann’s lace, or their mouth in a mushroom. I then add quotes to capture their personalities. They may even remind you of yourself or someone you know.
Currently I am working on a series of children’s books. The books will consist of unique animal characters made in the same way as my current characters. The stories will be social stories to guide, support, and honor children who have social difficulties.
Wishing Great Discoveries,
Daniele Ippoliti-DeShaw
Daniele is also a member of the Strolling Village
Artisan Gallery in Ballston Spa, NY. Visit the
gallery at strollingvillageartisans.com
View the feature published in the November 2007 issue of Spirit of Saratoga on Daniele Ippoliti-DeShaw and Character of Nature