Mobile Photography & Art – ‘Intimate Interview’ with MaryJane Rosenfeld from Beaufort, South Carolina, United States
Our sixty fifth interview in this new series of intimate interviews is with talented mobile photographer and artist MaryJane Rosenfeld from Beaufort, South Carolina, United States. I read this interview and savoured every luscious word and every compelling image. This is an interview that will leave you breathless with excitement. Enjoy!
To read the other published interviews in this series including artists, Adria Ellis, Rino Rossi, Mehmet Duyulmus, Alexis Rotella, Lou Ann Sanford Donahue, Irene Oleksiuk, Kerry Mitchell, Filiz Ak, Dale Botha, Lisa Mitchell, M. Cecilia Sao Thiago, Deborah McMillion, Rita Colantonio, Amy Ecenbarger, Jane Schultz, Anca Balaj, Joyce Harkin, Armineh Hovanesian, Kate Zari Roberts, Vicki Cooper, Peter Wilkin, Barbara Braman, Becky Menzies, Sukru Mehmet Omur, Sarah Bichachi, Michel Pretterklieber, Alon Goldsmith, Judy Lurie Whalberg, Andrea Bigiarni, Sean Hayes, Oola Cristina, Kathleen Magner-Rios, Linda Toki, Deb Field, Emilo Nadales, Lydia Cassatt, David Hayes, Jean Hutter, Frederic Deschênes, Mark Schnidman, Fatma Korkut, Fleur Schim, Rob Pearson-Wright, Dieter Gaebel, James Ellis, Marco P Prado, Jeronimo Sanz, Manuela Matos Monteiro, Bleu Chemiko, Manuela Basaldella, Stefania Piccioni, Luis Rodríguez, Marilisa Andriani (@mitrydate) Mayte Balcells (@artofmayte), Nicole Christophe, Jennifer Graham, Cathrine Halsør, Paul Toussaint, Carol Wiebe, Julie Denning, Kim Clayton (@berleyart), Karen Messick, Serap Utaş and myself, go here.
All images ©MaryJane Rosenfeld
What was your childhood or earliest ambition?
I can’t remember having an ambition. I was very serious about school and loved summer vacation. It all seemed like it would last forever.
First Recognition?
I was chosen for the coveted role of Peter Pan in the fifth grade play. At the time, I was very proud and honoured, but in retrospect, I think it was probably because I was the only girl in my class who had short hair and looked like a boy!
First Job?
One Christmas, I worked at a department store, dressed as an elf and taking pictures of children sitting on Santa Clause’s lap. It was great fun.
Private or State/(Public in US) school?
From kindergarten through seventh grade I went to a wonderful private girls school which I adored. Then, for some reason, my parents transferred me to a state school for the rest of junior high and high school. I later found out my mother thought I was becoming too serious and wanted me to have more fun. I didn’t!
University or Work?
University.
Who was or still is your mentor?
I learned a lot from Bruno Bettelheim, who was a psychologist and writer, and directed a school for emotionally disturbed children. I read all his books and then worked as a counselor at the school.
How physically fit are you?
I don’t go to a gym but walk a lot and take care of a large garden.
Ambition or talent: what matters more to success?
Speaking from my own experience, I would say a little of both, but would add focus and perseverance. I had some talent and ambition, but could never decide where to direct it!
How politically committed are you?
Very, but balanced with a fairly pessimistic view of things.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
Lots of things! If I had to pick one, it would be the new Volkswagen minibus coming out in a couple of years. In lime green.
What is your biggest extravagance?
Again, a long list! Clothes, restaurants, travel. But I’ve learned to be strategic and stay within a small budget.
In what place are you happiest?
Wherever I am, darkening skies, the sound of thunder, and the feeling of a coming storm, gives me a great feeling of well being.
What ambitions do you still have?
Again, many! I’m working on learning French and would love to be somewhat fluent. I would also like to live in another culture for a while. And maybe learn to use some new editing apps.
What drives you on?
Besides coffee and wine, I am inspired by the creativity and humor of human beings.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
My friendships, old and new, and the joyous life my husband and I have created.
What do you find most irritating in other people?
Not much irritates me. Which is probably why I have some of the friends I do.
If your 20 year old self could see you now what would she think?
I was recently given a collection of letters my 20 year old self wrote to a boyfriend, so I have a pretty good idea. I actually think she would be a little disappointed that I had not found a career and dedicated myself to it. She was pretty intense, though the seeds of ambivalence were definitely there.
Which object that you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
Once again, there’s a lot to choose from! There was a windbreaker, though, that made me feel positively jubilant. It was left in a roadside cafe in Tennessee.
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
“Challenge” implies hope for success and I don’t have much of that. The exploding population is an overwhelming problem and at this point that can’t even be discussed.
Do you believe in an afterlife?
I’m hopeful that there is more, and that all beings will feel loved. I do not think it is any more unlikely than life before death…which still astounds me.
If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far out of 10 what would you score?
This is a hard one. There were so many opportunities that I deeply regret not taking, yet I’m very contented. So I can not only fluctuate from zero to 10 over time, but can feel both simultaneously! Ultimately, though, I’ve been so fortunate and appreciate how generous the world has been. I would have to say 10.
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
