Plans for a new photo project have given way to an abundance of introspection lately on art and self, and how the two intertwine.  The past two years represent an incubating period for my work, a time of smaller-scale projects to keep active as the next exciting idea worked its way to my doorstep.  While far from meaningless, these images still tend to portray scenes and subject matter I enjoyed photographing.  Here I emphasize the fact that the first few sessions or rolls preceded the complete formation of the idea.

Recently, a larger idea has preceded actual photographs and I've been preparing myself for a lengthier, heavier project.  As happy as I am for the breath of fresh air and the flood of new inspiration, this project means something far beyond rolls of film and aesthetic infatuations that got me thinking.

Stretching even farther, I would say I now want to create art with far more personal meaning, work that expresses fundamental aspects of self I've previously left unexplored.  Though I consider my series of nighttime industrial scenes as well as my reclamation images fairly well-developed projects, they act much like I do in everyday life: they make compelling insights, but don't necessarily bare the soul of the artist.

Artists play many roles, but most importantly they encourage the audience to consider a subject in a different light.  Visual art challenges our assumptions and preconceptions.  It questions common ideas and images.  But what happens when we bump up against subject matter that lies outside our comfort zone.  What if, in the process of discovering the images, we find we are less comfortable than we thought with the inherent publicness of art?

The images we create are intrinsically linked to our selves, a visual representation of our thought processes.  My feeling has always been that the best work is done just outside our comfort zones.  Just like you should always apply for a few jobs you're underqualified for, you should never be afraid to challenge yourself with a new project you're not quite sure how to manage.

I'm interested to know any current or historic examples of how introverted artists approach their work.  Is personal subject matter somewhat more abstract, just as we tend to speak more abstractly to suggest at -- but still skirt around -- an issue?  What about more thoughtful, but external, content, like lonely buildings or decaying industrial structures?  Or do many artists find it easier to express themselves directly through art?  It all stretches in front of me, to be discovered over the course of an exciting new project.  You can expect lots of writing and preliminary photos in months to come.