Mobile Photography & Art – ‘Intimate Interview’ with Amy Ecenbarger from Indiana, United States
We have decided to launch a new intimate style of interview into TheAppWhisperer – the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website. We feel it is important that our community feel close to each other, as it is this support that helps us to nurture one another, gain confidence and continue to grow.
This is our thirteenth interview, to read the others, please go here. Today, we are publishing this exuberant, intelligent and irresistible interview with talented mobile artist Amy Ecenbarger from Indiana, United States. Enjoy.
All images ©Amy Ecenbarger
What was your childhood or earliest ambition?
I loved learning new languages, and hoped to someday be an interpreter at the U.N. It all sounded so exciting and glamorous.
First Recognition
While in college, I did some translating work for a professor who was writing a chapter in a textbook. I was surprised and honoured when she recognized me in the forward to her chapter.
First job?
I worked many odd jobs while in college, but my first job once I graduated was as a document manager for an international shipping company. Looking back, it now sounds kind of dry, but at the time I remember loving it.
Private or state school?
I attended public schools.
University or Work?
University.
Who was or still is your mentor?
I’ve had many, but my earliest mentor was a neighbour- she was several years older than me, but she kind of took me under her wing. From her I learned about women’s rights, racial discrimination, creative freedom, music and so much more. Happily, I’ve been able to reconnect with her through Facebook.
How physically fit are you?
I was never an athlete… but as I’ve gotten older I realize how important it is to remain active. I’m still not an athlete, but I do exercise each week. Not a fanatic by any means, but I focus on strength and flexibility. Hopefully I’ll be able to continue gardening and traveling well into my older years.
Ambition or Talent: What matters more to success?
For me, they go hand in hand. When I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll tend to work and focus more- which usually results in uncovering creative ideas and talents that might have otherwise remained hidden. I also believe that talents can be transferred from one endeavour to another. Math can transfer to music, which can transfer to art.
How politically committed are you?
I admit I’m a newly minted political junkie- ever since our U.S. presidential election of 2016.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
I can’t think of anything- truly.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Travel and Chanel No. 5.
In what place are you happiest?
Two places- embarking on a new travel adventure and returning home.
What ambitions do you still have?
There are still many places I’d like to see and experience. India, Vietnam, Scotland, Slovenia to name a few.
What drives you on?
I want to stay healthy and relevant. I want to always be learning new things.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
No question- my children are my greatest source of pride.
What do you find most irritating in other people?
Small mindedness.
If your 20 year old self could see you now, what would she think?
She’d be thrilled.
Which object that you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
I wish I still had all of my old record albums.
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
We’ve become so divided- it’s sad and troublesome. If we were not so divided and angry with each other, we could at least have discussions about solving some of our most pressing issues. Climate change, racial division, poverty and hunger will require global cooperation… but the appetite for that is in very short supply today.
Do you believe in an afterlife?
Yes I do- I can’t see it or feel it, but I know it’s there.
If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, out of 10, what would you score?
I‘m happy and healthy… my children are fine and they have beautiful families of their own, I live in a place that brings me great peace… I really couldn’t ask for more.
Contact Details for Amy Ecenbarger
Please help us…
TheAppWhisperer has always had a dual mission: to promote the most talented mobile artists of the day and to support ambitious, inquisitive viewers the world over. As the years passTheAppWhisperer has gained readers and viewers and found new venues for that exchange. All this work thrives with the support of our community.
Please consider making a donation to TheAppWhisperer as this New Year commences because your support helps protect our independence and it means we can keep delivering the promotion of mobile artists that’s open for everyone around the world. Every contribution, however big or small, is so valuable for our future.
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)
