Mariah Chapman
When I take a photograph, I try to imagine the picture I want. Does it come out the way I hoped? No, but there is something there that is art. I turn to art to express myself when I can’t really talk about something, or be honest about how I really feel, or express how lost I truly am. Art is also a way to look at different points of view from different angles, so you can put yourself in others’ shoes and try to understand where they are coming from. I am inspired by the world, the people around me, and my dad. The world is a very colorful place with so many things to see, witness, experience, and fall in love with. People today are very interesting to observe and to attempt to understand. There’s a lot going on in the world, and photography is a way to capture, in the moment, what’s going on. My dad is an artist, and he’s inspired me to love my mistakes and to work on them, instead of deleting them. I’m never truly sure what I want to take a picture of, but I hope that whatever I do take pictures of is fun and interesting for people to see and discuss. I really hope to become like Gordon Parks. He had a deep connection to social justice. His photography is rooted in culture, race, music, and movement—I hope to capture this as well one day. I hope that my work will be as exceptional and remarkable as his.
Top of the Day, 2020Quarantine Madness, 2020