Mobile Photography and Art Interview – Hope In Adversity Interview with Phyllis Shenny from New Jersey, United States
I am currently shielding for twelve weeks and in my home, we have all had to make adaptions to adjust to this pandemic, although, at least, currently, we are all well. I’ve been recalling many of the good words our dear friend and talented artist Carolyn Hall Young shared with us, not least ‘in any given situation we can always choose, hope over fear‘ – let’s all choose hope.
I am aware there are many others also in a similar situation at the moment and I felt it would be a good idea to create an interview, reflecting these times with stunning imagery. This is a new series of interview with mobile photographers and artists discovering what they’re creating and how in these difficult times. Our seventh interview is with talented mobile photographer, Phyllis Shenny from New Jersey, United States. You may also know of her work from her popular Instagram account @phyllisshenny. Shenny writes with some restraint but between the words the emotional impact of this pandemic sneaks up on you. Enjoy!
If you are social distancing or social isolating at this time, are you using any additional time you may have to create mobile digital art or photography?
I hadn’t been doing too much art for some months and now being home life is a bit more simplified and I have been doing more. That said I’ve worked from home for many years so that part is the same. The difference is not being able to go places and meet people.
If so, have you noticed the style of art that you’re creating changing from what you would normally create?
Actually not till you asked this question and looked back a bit. But I’d say yes. I hope to evolve while creating more.
If yes, to the above, can you explain how your art has changed?
If yes, to the above, can you explain how your art has changed I actually went back to some things I used to do years ago and took photos of things right in front of me in the house and then edited them. I’ve also been working on images i had marked to work on with a style I’ve decided to use more. But as i review i see some newer styles. In addition I used an app to place my posters in room settings for my new Shopify store. I’ve had to refocus this to home use from spa, medical etc in light of the virus.
Have you found additional inspiration to create at this time?
Yes definitely without many people around going into myself to create is a great companion. Taking the time to review photos I’ve meant to work on was also a great inspirational reminder.
Is creating mobile digital art/photography, helping you at this time specially, how and why?
As I said above it’s keeping me company especially at night when I stay up later. I feel like I’m putting some future there by creating. I was supposed to be in some shows but 2 were cancelled and the third we will see. But starting new projects or redoing older ones is comforting. Doing artwork just for my pleasure is always helpful to me.
Do you feel that sharing mobile art/photography at this time is spreading a unity of peace?
Yes definitely. If you noticed I launched my Shopify page to sell my healing art posters. I will soon put that art on t-shirts and mugs. They are positive and encouraging and something for people while they are at home.
Anything else you would personally like to add…?
We need to support artists and each other. Anyway we can. Whether it’s looking at art and acknowledging or purchasing art. Or taking the time to share ideas and techniques. We need to try to get through this with tools to expand again. My new site is shop.artnsoul.biz
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]
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