I was born in 1961 in New Orleans,
Louisiana. My family moved to Calais, Vermont in 1973. As a young adult I
lived in various parts of the country from Wyoming to Mississippi, Chicago
to Maryland, and made several cross-country hitchhiking trips. By 1985 I
had found that Vermont really was my favorite place to live, and came back
to stay.
My career in photography began at Antioch
College in 1980. I have worked in various fields related to photography,
including as a photographer for a weekly arts newspaper, in graphic arts,
photofinishing, and teaching. I have also worked as a contractor, taxi driver,
and land surveyor, among other things.
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Although I had been
making personal photographs from the start, it was in 1992
that I acquired a 4"x5" view camera. It was a perfect match
for me as I developed a contemplative approach to photography.
Practically all of my previous work with smaller cameras was
forgotten as I fully embraced large format photography. Also
in that year I attended the Zone VI Workshop taught by Fred
Picker. In 2005, with the help of a generous grant from the
Vermont Arts Council I attended a two week workshop with John
Sexton at Anderson Ranch in Colorado. Both workshops have
helped tremendously to sharpen my skills and refine my perception.
I now work exclusively
with 4x5 and 8x10 view cameras, which are well suited for
a contemplative approach. I find a quiet joy in searching
for potential photographs, tending to look for them in places
I simply love being in. Once I've found something of interest,
I experience a centering calm as I visualize the final print,
set up the camera and carefully compose the image on the ground
glass. While printing, I take as much time as I need to produce
a print that feels right. I am an amateur in the true sense
of the word; I make photographs simply because I enjoy doing
it.
Artist's Statement
"To
show something as it truly is...to find subjects
that matter...to listen and let the scene tell
me how to photograph it...to take pride in my
craft...to be grateful for every failure and
success...this is what my artwork is about."
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© Copyright Edward
Pierce, All Rights Reserved
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