Meet Wendy Garfinkel

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wendy Garfinkel . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Wendy, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic was always strong and when I went to college for a second degree, I studied graphic design. My hardworking soul was ready to commit to whatever it took to create wonderful communications and I was fortunate to have teachers whose background included a strong sense of design understanding at a school in Switzerland called the Schule für Gestaltung Basel (Basel School of Design). I was fascinated by typographic form and I was ready to grow a strong foundation. I also have to credit both of my parents for their example too, as both of them truly loved what they did and I know they got a lot of joy from their professions.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a creative soul who enjoys experimenting with lighting for photography whether it be in the studio with strobes or outdoors with the sun. Light is very important for obtaining the look and feel of the photographs I create and I am always challenging myself. I am always looking for models and actors willing to pose for my work. Currently, I want to expand into more alternative photography processes such as Holga plastic cameras, pinhole boxes, and collodion tintype. I am interested in working with other creative souls who want to be in front of the camera lens – actors or models who want to expand their emotional range and creative expression. I also work with makeup artists and clothing designers. I have traveled in the past to various locations to shoot as it is important to me to have a sense of place where the models can express themselves.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I have been involved in the arts my entire life. I was fortunate to experience a series of events that helped me along my creative path. The three are as follows: Attending the now-defunct Atlanta College of Art for a summer camp, attending The Rhode Island School of Design for college, and later, in my early thirties, attending The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. These past experiences helped me build my lifelong career in the arts and for that, I am very grateful.

During my junior to senior year of high school, I went to The Atlanta College of Art which is now SCAD – The Savannah College of Art and Design. The Atlanta High Museum had a summer intensive program in 1978 and I was able to experience working with various media from developing my first photo negative to painting with oils and creating prints in the printmaking lab. It was this experience that helped me grow a portfolio typically required for getting into arts programs in colleges and universities. I was accepted into The Rhode Island School of Design in the early 1980s. I loved photography very much but was unsure of what career path to choose, there were so many things that I loved. I was also very interested in graphic design as well as filmmaking. I think I got creative overload and had a hard time choosing a career for a lifetime. I spent my freshman and sophomore years at RISD then transferred to NYU Tisch School of the Arts and graduated in 1984. I was very anxious to live in NYC. The art scene was very vibrant and active in NYC in the 1980s with Soho being developed into the place to be and many art galleries opening in the East Village. It was a time when artists could still live and work and afford NYC, barely. I loved being there at that time.

I stayed in NYC until the very early 1990s as I was working in the field of advertising and film production for TV commercials still trying to decide if I wanted to stay on this path. I finally made up my mind that I wanted to study design to get a stronger foundation in design and to have some autonomy in my work. I was accepted into the graphic design program at the University of the Arts and they were some of the best three years of my life. I had exceptional professors who had studied at the Basel School of Design in Basel, Switzerland. (the Schule für Gestaltung Basel) where the design program was very structured and one would grow in understanding of design year after year. I have to say that my strong background in design taught me everything I needed to know for any artwork I would choose to create. School may not be for everyone but I do think getting a structured, layered understanding of design is crucial and once studied and understood is an amazing foundation for visual art. It could also help with music composition. I listen to Hans Zimmer who writes music for film and when I hear his work I feel like he uses sound the way a designer would use image and type. Fascinating when I realized this. I am sure other designers, painters, and architects would understand where I am coming from.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
As an artistic portrait photographer, I am always looking for creative models, actors, and expressive people young and old, make-up artists, seamstresses, and carpenters. At times I do have a budget. I’d like to grow my work to include more scenic looks but it does require a team. People are welcome to connect with me on my website or my Instagram pages.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
The woman with her arms crossed wearing the angel halo is Billy C., the man in the black hat is Carter Peace, The lady in brown is Gazelle and the girl in green is Katie. Thank you

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