Thursday, June 5, 2008

about the artist, kevin b schnepp

if what i do must be labeled, i believe 'observer' would better suit me than photographer. for years i have enjoyed wonders of the natural world, and to be able to share what i see through photography is only a bonus. my true hope is that my works will bring understanding and connection to those who see them.

i purchased my first camera in 2004 at the age of 31. during the following years i enjoyed a new avenue to express what i see in nature. after sharing my shots with family and friends for enjoyment, we realized i had developed a decent portfolio, though not intentionally. from there we decided to try to gain acceptance into juried art fairs. my first such experience, at art on the wabash 2007 in west lafayette, indiana, was a wonderful one during which i won the peoples' choice award. from there, my wife and i decided to set up a summer tour for 2008 at juried art fairs in indiana, illinois, wisonsin, michigan, ohio and kentucky.

the human side of photography has grown over time also, in the form of wedding and portrait photography. after shooting a few family weddings, i was invited to photograph one of someone i did not know and the results were well-received. my goal as a wedding photographer is to help the clients remain relaxed and comfortable while documenting their event as well as possible in a fine art style.

my first gallery appearance occured in october 2008 at ross fine art and framing in dowtown lafayette, indiana. the event was enjoyable and educational, and i was able to take my artwork to another level after understanding more about professional framing.

so far this year my focus has been on getting back into nature more both for enjoyment and photography, for the art world can steal away one's time with mother earth as quickly as any other. my web sites have done most of the leg work for me thus far insomuch as i have not physically attended any juried art fairs in 2009.

after trying several means of creating our own businesses the past several years, we do believe a nice mixture of diverse sources of income have been laid out before us. in addition to my photography, we have: raised cut flowers for local markets and florists; raised goats for milk and cheese; fermented meades, beers, yogurts and other culinary treats; canned and preserved homegrown vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds; and worked to develop our 7th generation family farm into a sustainable living environment for humans, plants and animals alike.

our newest project is the creation of an earth kitchen, which will include an earth oven, grill, flat rock for cooking/food prep, seating, storage and work/social areas. this will be a fantastic addition to the farm and should help immensely in moving us toward some of our goals of using less grid electricity and lowering environmental impact while providing a wonderful social atmosphere we hope many come to use and enjoy.