Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan J Bertram.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’ve always been passionate about taking photos – ever since I bought my first point-and-shoot with babysitting money when I was 9. My BA is in Visual Arts and Communications from UCSD. But, other than taking photos of my kids, my photography lay dormant for years. It wasn’t until a divorce a few years ago that I rediscovered my love for the art. The trauma of my divorce shook me up and made me rethink my whole life. All of my expectations were shattered. But, it was also an opportunity to start over and do the things I love. I bought a professional-grade camera and took some photo classes to reacquaint myself with the technical aspects of the art. The process of creating is healing. Interestingly, someone from your publication noticed my work when I was just getting started in Atlanta, and I was interviewed back in 2016. It’s great to be invited back after my work was featured recently in one of your articles about Atlanta creatives who inspire. Sometimes in the day-to-day grind, it’s hard to feel like I’ve made much progress. But, now I’m selling my art online as well as doing other types of shoots. My art photos are my bliss. I live in the Old Fourth Ward, and there is so much to photograph. My style is somewhat eclectic. There are so many subjects I like to shoot. I see the beauty in little details, especially in the things that people walk by every day without noticing. Being from Southern California, the beach is my happy place, so I take beach shots whenever I get the chance. But, the city is fascinating, and most of my shots are from in and around Atlanta.
Please tell us about your art.
I love the small details in ordinary scenes. The photo that was featured in your recent article was of an old payphone that hangs on the outside of a small store near my house. I pass by it nearly every day when I walk my dog, Jack Bauer. It’s an old, broken down payphone. But, there’s so much beauty in the little gritty details. Recently, an artist painted the side of the market with the phone on it, so now it’s even more beautiful. Through my photos, I try to show people what I see when I look at things. The message I hope to convey is that there’s beauty all around us, but it’s a many-layered thing and sometimes you have to take a closer look to see it. I’m working on learning more about my craft so I can express those layers in a more literal way in my art. Every day I do something to move forward – whether it’s a tutorial, a class, or working on learning a new technique.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
I used to be into politics. I followed everything that was going on. Now I tune it out as much as possible. Most people operate from a place of fear and politicians are great at exploiting that. If my role as an artist is anything, I’d say it’s to help people look away from all of that and embrace life as beautiful, even when it doesn’t feel beautiful. If people worked from a place of love, the whole world would change. I meditate on that thought every day and try to operate from that place. I create beauty. I’ll continue to work to express the beauty that I see. And I’ll continue to work to grow my art and not be afraid of change.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The best place to see my work is on my website and on Instagram. I’ve had my work hanging in some local places, but that’s always changing. The best way to keep up with me is to go to my website and sign up for my newsletter and follow my blog. That’s where I announce any local exhibits where my work can be seen.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.susanjphotography.com
- Email: susan@susanjphotography.com
- Instagram: @susanjphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanjphotography/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanJPhoto
Image Credit:
Susan J
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