Photographing Nature From the Inside Out

media release: PhotoMidwest Third Thursday presentations are free and open to the public.

It’s a joy to connect with nature through photography. Usually this is done with a documentary approach; going out in nature, finding something colorful, intriguing or beautiful and documenting it. But we can also start from an internal, philosophical approach, where nature reflects an inner experience or idea. Instead of photographing by looking through a window onto the world, the world becomes a mirror, reflecting back an inner reality that we hold. This talk will show Rebecca Pavlenko’s photographic explorations of nature from the inside out.

This presentation will be via Zoom only at 7pm CST. Please do not come to the PhotoMidwest Studio; no one will be there!

Meeting ID: 864 4490 5873 Passcode: 449570

About Rebecca Pavlenko

A magical experience in a photography class taught by legendary instructor, Ralph Hattersly, at the Smithsonian Institute, started me on the path of being an artist. To immerse myself in photography I moved to an isolated cabin in West Virginia, where I delved into the history, theory, aesthetics and practice of photography.  After two years of self directed study, I attended the University of Minnesota and earned a B.F.A. in Studio Arts and a B.A. in art history, graduating with honors in both.

I set up a studio in the Rossmor building in downtown St. Paul where I began my work in portraiture. Together with my clients, I created hundreds of uniquely expressive portraits. Additionally, several fine arts portfolios were the result of my collaborative work with local theater groups. I also became an  instructor and taught classes and workshops at a variety of venues. As well, I served as a photography mentor to children, adults and especially women photographers.

WARM, the Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota, an organization that works to promote women’s art  was my primary venue for community engagement. I served as the Vice Chair and Chair, wrote for the newsletter, pitched in on many projects and was the official representative to the International Women’s Conference in Beijing, China. I was also a founding member of WPVA, Women in Photography and Visual Arts, where I hosted meetings, created programs and participated in and coordinated exhibitions. More recently, I worked as a scenic artist for the Guthrie Theater on over 100 productions, which added to my creative repertoire. 

Currently, I have a studio in the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Arts, an artist’s co-op building in the warehouse district of Minneapolis. I now add drawing, painting and film making to my creative pursuits. The portfolio of Japanese Garden Polaroid transfer prints that I have been creating over the last 15 years is becoming a book, Through a Zen Lens: Seasons in Japanese Gardens, thanks to support from a Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Grant. 

My personal fine art projects often grow out of my love of nature, the joy of exploring alternative photographic methods and over 20 years of Zen Buddhist practice.