CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN BEAUTY- Diana H. Bloomfield & Christina Z. Anderson > First Place: Maureen Ruddy Burkhart ‘The Last Rookery’ #1
First Place: Maureen Ruddy Burkhart ‘The Last Rookery’ #1
Maureen Ruddy Burkhart/The Last Rookery #1
FIRST PLACE
FIRST PLACE
MAUREEN RUDDY BURKHART
Review by Juror Christina Z. Anderson:
"The image is artfully composed and full of love and beauty. I imagine it is shimmery in person with the addition of gold leat. The birds are communing in nature, building a nest for their young, and there is hope as life goes on as it has for millenia, birds doing their thing in the wild untouched by human presence. Yet as many beauty trends today, there is that overt or implied notion of transience (gather ye rosebuds while ye may) that makes the experience of this scene all the more beautiful."
Review by Juror Diana H. Bloomfield:
"I found this series of birds stunning in its sheer beauty. The printing choices and the gold-leaf gilding on vellum are both thoughtful and inspired, meshing perfectly with the delicate nature of these images. I really appreciated the smart, minimalist compositions and beautiful lighting, which truly showcased the birds and their habitats. These were all so well done. I particularly loved the first-place image - that golden light fading into pale blue and the interaction of the two birds atop their seemingly haphazardly-built nest. Everything about it just works. I also found these images a little sad- heartbreaking in their sweetness, innocence, and the overriding thought that it might all disappear."
Questions from Diana H. Bloomfield-
"Maureen, I’m a big fan of this work.
Is this an ongoing series? Why and when did you begin it?"
Maureeen Ruddy Burkhart: "Yes, this is an ongoing series, which wasn’t always my intention. I began this during the pandemic, after countless long walks in nature. Due to the relative silence around me, I noticed the sounds of nature, specifically the birds. This, in turn, led to me noticing their behaviors and how often their gestures mimicked our own human behaviors—when they call plaintively for mates, when they sacrifice anything to feed their offspring, when they protect what is theirs—these were scenes that spoke to me and sparked my interest enough to learn more about them. Eventually, after watching their habitats disappear right before my eyes, I became passionate about their preservation.
I read about birds in history, literature and mythology and I think this helped me hone my vision of how and why I wanted to portray them photographically."
Bloomfield: "Are you an active birder, and do you travel the world to photograph, or are these birds local to your home?"
Burkhart: "Interestingly, I don’t consider myself a traditional “birder” in that I’m more into bird behavior than bird identification. But I’ve learned that identification is necessary for finding birds and so it’s all related. I have no problem with delving into the mysteries of nature, in fact, I believe that understanding nature reveals universal truths like unity, cooperation, and survival. I believe that portraying the beauty of nature creates a longing to understand it.
Most of the birds I’ve portrayed in my current work are local to the Colorado Southwest area, since this is where I live and it’s the place I’m committed to preserving. I would very much like to explore birds of watery coastlines—that seems like a calling that I may pursue as well."
Bloomfield: "I admire the minimalism in your images, and so I wondered if you could talk about that a little— what that requires in editing, and what informs you about making those editing choices. Another great example of your minimalist approach is the little hummingbird in silhouette— so strong in all its simplicity."
Burkhart: "I learned early on with this story-telling to photograph birds isolated or semi-isolated within their background, for example, against a sky or distant mountain. It’s like a “pre-edit”, because I am pre-visualizing my gilding process. I want the eye to hone in on the bird’s gesture or “conversation” and then move out from there. With the hummingbird silhouette, I felt the joyful yet delicate chirp was the point of the photograph. At that moment, like now, I feel privileged to have seen and captured that moment. That feeling of humility is an important part of my practice."
Questions from Christina Z. Anderson
"What was the deciding factor that prompted the series?"
Burkhart: "One day as I was photographing swallows by an open space pond, a city-owned vehicle came by spraying insecticide to control mosquitos. Within a day, all the birds were gone (since they were there for the mosquitos). I thought “where did they go?” and it became my mission to find them. I’ve been searching for (and sometimes finding them) since then. I thought that if I could elevate our local birds in a way that would spark wonder, I could raise awareness of them and eventually save them. That was a moment of commitment to a project."
Anderson: "How will the series continue, e.g. will it at one point be complete, will it be ongoing decades, is something missing?"
Burkhart: "This series is a story and there can be more than one story. Perhaps I can portray it in parts, as the story evolves. For example, one of the rookeries I have followed is on a parcel of land that is for sale and zoned for commercial development—so there might be another story there. I always keep an open mind about where things might go, artistically and environmentally speaking."
Anderson: "Of the series you submitted, is this one your favorite or are you surprised that a different one was not selected?"
Burkhart: "The selected image is my favorite, as it turns out! It seems to exemplify a few of my favorite things: the conversation, the spatial context (I love environmental photography), my favorite early morning light, and lends itself well to the gilding process. Not all of my bird photographs meet my expectations for gilding, so it’s necessary to experiment. And as you surely know, the experimenting is a critical part of the editing and learning process and inevitably involves discovery of all sorts, most especially about ourselves. Many thanks for your examination and appreciation of my work!"
More about Maureen Ruddy Burkhart:
Artist Statement-
"Allegories of Melancholy is a lovingly crafted photographic study of the beauty and fragility of extant birds found in both protected spaces and endangered lands.
A few years ago, I came across a 19th century English print of the now-extinct Great Auk, and that is when I began documenting birds in earnest, motivated by delight, longing, and nostalgia. Also, time. The hand-drawn Great Auk illustration was my inspiration for employing the handmade technique of gold and silver gilding as a way of elevating the status of birds and trees.
Climate change waits for no one. With regard to birds, they are the ‘canary in the coal mine’. Human demands for land, be it farming, housing or transportation, all affect wildlife habitats. It’s an alarming trend, even here in Colorado where protected spaces are plentiful and well funded.
My hope is to celebrate birds and, by extension, trees, in a way that elevates their status and raises awareness of their inherent majesty. In an increasingly ‘dark’ world, I strive to portray beauty for its own sake…and maybe save the world too."
Maureen Ruddy Burkhart is an award-winning and internationally exhibited artist. She received her BFA in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1976 and went on to work in the film industry, TV production, documentary photography, and always came back to her first love—fine art photography.
Burkhart’s work has been shown in Paris, London, The Desert Art Palace in Inner Mongolia, Barcelona, New York, Denver, The Center for Photographic Art…and outer space—courtesy of the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity in Space.
Her work has been featured in Black and White Magazine, The Guardian, All-About-Photo, Slate, Edge of Humanity, & Feature Shoot. Her photographs are in collections in the International Museum of Dance, the MIT Libraries/Collections on Islamic Architecture, The Asia Society Museum in NY, and listed in Art Photo Index.
Images for Sale:
The Last Rookery #1, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding.
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Mating Call #1, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding.
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Nesting Place #1, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Hummingbird #2, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Rookery in Loveland #8, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
Scotch Pine and the Moon, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
www.maureenruddyburkhart.com
https://www.instagram.com/mophotoartist/
-----------------------------------------
HOME:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-christina-z-anderson
FIRST PLACE:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/first-place-maureen-ruddy-burkhart-the-last-rookery-1/1
HONORABLE MENTION:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/honorable-mention-mohan-bhasker-traditional-indian-dancers---/1
BEST SERIES:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/best-series-andy-mattern/1
EXHIBITION:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/exhibition/1
Review by Juror Christina Z. Anderson:
"The image is artfully composed and full of love and beauty. I imagine it is shimmery in person with the addition of gold leat. The birds are communing in nature, building a nest for their young, and there is hope as life goes on as it has for millenia, birds doing their thing in the wild untouched by human presence. Yet as many beauty trends today, there is that overt or implied notion of transience (gather ye rosebuds while ye may) that makes the experience of this scene all the more beautiful."
Review by Juror Diana H. Bloomfield:
"I found this series of birds stunning in its sheer beauty. The printing choices and the gold-leaf gilding on vellum are both thoughtful and inspired, meshing perfectly with the delicate nature of these images. I really appreciated the smart, minimalist compositions and beautiful lighting, which truly showcased the birds and their habitats. These were all so well done. I particularly loved the first-place image - that golden light fading into pale blue and the interaction of the two birds atop their seemingly haphazardly-built nest. Everything about it just works. I also found these images a little sad- heartbreaking in their sweetness, innocence, and the overriding thought that it might all disappear."
Questions from Diana H. Bloomfield-
"Maureen, I’m a big fan of this work.
Is this an ongoing series? Why and when did you begin it?"
Maureeen Ruddy Burkhart: "Yes, this is an ongoing series, which wasn’t always my intention. I began this during the pandemic, after countless long walks in nature. Due to the relative silence around me, I noticed the sounds of nature, specifically the birds. This, in turn, led to me noticing their behaviors and how often their gestures mimicked our own human behaviors—when they call plaintively for mates, when they sacrifice anything to feed their offspring, when they protect what is theirs—these were scenes that spoke to me and sparked my interest enough to learn more about them. Eventually, after watching their habitats disappear right before my eyes, I became passionate about their preservation.
I read about birds in history, literature and mythology and I think this helped me hone my vision of how and why I wanted to portray them photographically."
Bloomfield: "Are you an active birder, and do you travel the world to photograph, or are these birds local to your home?"
Burkhart: "Interestingly, I don’t consider myself a traditional “birder” in that I’m more into bird behavior than bird identification. But I’ve learned that identification is necessary for finding birds and so it’s all related. I have no problem with delving into the mysteries of nature, in fact, I believe that understanding nature reveals universal truths like unity, cooperation, and survival. I believe that portraying the beauty of nature creates a longing to understand it.
Most of the birds I’ve portrayed in my current work are local to the Colorado Southwest area, since this is where I live and it’s the place I’m committed to preserving. I would very much like to explore birds of watery coastlines—that seems like a calling that I may pursue as well."
Bloomfield: "I admire the minimalism in your images, and so I wondered if you could talk about that a little— what that requires in editing, and what informs you about making those editing choices. Another great example of your minimalist approach is the little hummingbird in silhouette— so strong in all its simplicity."
Burkhart: "I learned early on with this story-telling to photograph birds isolated or semi-isolated within their background, for example, against a sky or distant mountain. It’s like a “pre-edit”, because I am pre-visualizing my gilding process. I want the eye to hone in on the bird’s gesture or “conversation” and then move out from there. With the hummingbird silhouette, I felt the joyful yet delicate chirp was the point of the photograph. At that moment, like now, I feel privileged to have seen and captured that moment. That feeling of humility is an important part of my practice."
Questions from Christina Z. Anderson
"What was the deciding factor that prompted the series?"
Burkhart: "One day as I was photographing swallows by an open space pond, a city-owned vehicle came by spraying insecticide to control mosquitos. Within a day, all the birds were gone (since they were there for the mosquitos). I thought “where did they go?” and it became my mission to find them. I’ve been searching for (and sometimes finding them) since then. I thought that if I could elevate our local birds in a way that would spark wonder, I could raise awareness of them and eventually save them. That was a moment of commitment to a project."
Anderson: "How will the series continue, e.g. will it at one point be complete, will it be ongoing decades, is something missing?"
Burkhart: "This series is a story and there can be more than one story. Perhaps I can portray it in parts, as the story evolves. For example, one of the rookeries I have followed is on a parcel of land that is for sale and zoned for commercial development—so there might be another story there. I always keep an open mind about where things might go, artistically and environmentally speaking."
Anderson: "Of the series you submitted, is this one your favorite or are you surprised that a different one was not selected?"
Burkhart: "The selected image is my favorite, as it turns out! It seems to exemplify a few of my favorite things: the conversation, the spatial context (I love environmental photography), my favorite early morning light, and lends itself well to the gilding process. Not all of my bird photographs meet my expectations for gilding, so it’s necessary to experiment. And as you surely know, the experimenting is a critical part of the editing and learning process and inevitably involves discovery of all sorts, most especially about ourselves. Many thanks for your examination and appreciation of my work!"
More about Maureen Ruddy Burkhart:
Artist Statement-
"Allegories of Melancholy is a lovingly crafted photographic study of the beauty and fragility of extant birds found in both protected spaces and endangered lands.
A few years ago, I came across a 19th century English print of the now-extinct Great Auk, and that is when I began documenting birds in earnest, motivated by delight, longing, and nostalgia. Also, time. The hand-drawn Great Auk illustration was my inspiration for employing the handmade technique of gold and silver gilding as a way of elevating the status of birds and trees.
Climate change waits for no one. With regard to birds, they are the ‘canary in the coal mine’. Human demands for land, be it farming, housing or transportation, all affect wildlife habitats. It’s an alarming trend, even here in Colorado where protected spaces are plentiful and well funded.
My hope is to celebrate birds and, by extension, trees, in a way that elevates their status and raises awareness of their inherent majesty. In an increasingly ‘dark’ world, I strive to portray beauty for its own sake…and maybe save the world too."
Maureen Ruddy Burkhart is an award-winning and internationally exhibited artist. She received her BFA in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1976 and went on to work in the film industry, TV production, documentary photography, and always came back to her first love—fine art photography.
Burkhart’s work has been shown in Paris, London, The Desert Art Palace in Inner Mongolia, Barcelona, New York, Denver, The Center for Photographic Art…and outer space—courtesy of the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity in Space.
Her work has been featured in Black and White Magazine, The Guardian, All-About-Photo, Slate, Edge of Humanity, & Feature Shoot. Her photographs are in collections in the International Museum of Dance, the MIT Libraries/Collections on Islamic Architecture, The Asia Society Museum in NY, and listed in Art Photo Index.
Images for Sale:
The Last Rookery #1, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding.
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Mating Call #1, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding.
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Nesting Place #1, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Hummingbird #2, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
The Last Rookery in Loveland #8, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
Scotch Pine and the Moon, (7” x 5” print on 11” x 8.5” paper)
Pigment ink print on archival vellum with 24k gold leaf gilding
$800, unframed
Limited edition of 10
Signed in pencil on bottom right front
www.maureenruddyburkhart.com
https://www.instagram.com/mophotoartist/
-----------------------------------------
HOME:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-christina-z-anderson
FIRST PLACE:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/first-place-maureen-ruddy-burkhart-the-last-rookery-1/1
HONORABLE MENTION:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/honorable-mention-mohan-bhasker-traditional-indian-dancers---/1
BEST SERIES:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/best-series-andy-mattern/1
EXHIBITION:
https://laphotocurator.com/contemporary-trends-in-beauty-diana-h-bloomfield-chris-z-anderson/exhibition/1
