National Juried Exhibition photographer: Tonya Tubbs

Today, we're starting our profiles of each photographer selected by our National Juried Exhibition juror, Andy Adams of FlakPhoto.  Andy selected twenty-four pieces from eighteen photographers; we received 282 entries from across the country.

Check back every weekday for an introduction to a different artist, links to their other work, and a digital preview of their selected piece(s).

Our first artist is Tonya Tubbs.

Foggy Creek, digital photograph, 22" x 28"   [$275]

I was born in Wisconsin and grew up there with a brother and a sister. We had a lot of family times outside, camping, playing sports, fishing, etc. So I have always had an appreciation of Nature. I have always been creative, however, not an artist before this time in my life. 
I am married now and have been blessed with five wonderful children that inspire and amaze me everyday. Yes, of course, they also make me crazy sometimes too! I am a normal Mom!  I owe this newfound love of photography to my children. After years of staying home with them, I found I needed something creative and challenging for myself, to preserve the "me" in the "Mom". So, seeing that I had five great subjects around me, I decided to ask Santa for a camera one year. From that moment on you can say it was "love at first sight". I was totally hooked and constantly had the camera in my hand.

I then began to study with a fine art photographer, Peter Thompson, whom had studied with many of the great photographers from the past. He patiently, but persistently guided me into learning the technical side of photography. Since that time, my passion has grown right along side my technical experience. The moments right before making a photograph and the actual "click" of the shutter, are incredible and almost like a time machine. I am momentarily transported to another world, a world of color, texture and immense feelings. It is a sensory overload!  All other distractions from Life, such as kids yelling, To Do Lists, laundry baskets, dishes, etc. are not existent at the moment of my "click". 

The way I find my "subjects" is easy. Whatever catches my eye and stimulates my heart and mind is deserving of a photograph. That is why my "style" is so diverse. I, myself, am very diverse and therefore the things in this world that interest me are diverse. For me, photography has really allowed me to fully "see" what is around me in this beautiful world we live in. Before photography, I didn't really see - I was just looking at things that passed me by.  

So please take a moment to "see" and enjoy my photographs.

See more of Tonya's work at TonyaTubbs.com.

The exhibit opens on February 28 and runs until April 8.  Join us at the opening reception March 4 from 6-9pm at the Steenbock Gallery, 1922 University Avenue in Madison WI.