About my photographs

My photographs have appeared in group and solo shows since 1980. My entry to the Pro Arts annual auction in 2007 was purchased, in 2006 was sponsored and in 2005 was purchased. A selection of my note cards was sold in the Pro Arts gallery store. The Oakland Museum of California has purchased my cards for sale in the museum store.

I have known that I am an artist since I was in third grade. That year, a drawing I did was included in a large exhibition titled Oakland as Seen by its Students. I realized then that people just like me created the beautiful artwork on display in museums, other public buildings and in books. I knew that I would like to show my work in such places.

I began making photographs in spring of 1979 when I took a beginning class in black and white photography required for my graphic design major. Although I was not looking forward to the challenge, I discovered that I could do the work well and enjoyed the process. By the time I finished my intermediate course, I was hooked on photography as my medium of choice.

Flowers, gardens and images of light and shadow are my most frequent images. I have loved them since early childhood. Wildflowers (also known as weeds) were my favorites because I could pick as many of them as I wished.

The Hamadryads Series,
a Flight of Fancy

Dryads are tree nymphs in Greek mythology. In Greek drys signifies 'oak,' from an Indo-European root *derew(o)- 'tree' or 'wood'. Thus dryads are specifically the nymphs of oak trees, though the term has come to be used for all tree nymphs in general. "Such deities are very much overshadowed by the divine figures defined through poetry and cult," Walter Burkert remarked of Greek nature deities (Burkert 1986, p174). Normally considered to be very shy creatures, except around the goddess Artemis, who was known to be a friend to most nymphs.[1]

Hamadryads: Dryads, like all nymphs, were supernaturally long-lived and tied to their homes, but some were a step beyond most nymphs. These were the hamadryads who were an integral part of their trees, such that if the tree died, the hamadryad associated with it died as well. For these reasons, dryads and the Greek gods punished any mortals who harmed trees without first propitiating the tree nymphs.[3]

Both paragraphs are from www.wikipedia.org as of March 24, 2009

I began this series as a simple study of the textures and subtle color changes in tree bark. Much to my surprise the first two photographs showed clear outlines of facial features in the patterns. Remembering my high school mythology studies I researched Dryads and found the information provided above. Obviously the hamadryads in these trees had come to the surface to greet me! The following photographs also included evidence of the presence of their hamadryads. Sometimes the outlines were clear (like the first two), sometimes the outlines were partially hidden and sometimes the hamadryad was so shy that she hid her face completely (however I could discern her presence in the beauty of the tree bark).

Hopefully the viewer will suspend disbelief long enough to see the hamadryads too. Among those with whom I previewed the photographs, some people saw the hamadryads with no prompting while others recognized them when I pointed out the outlines.

The title and signature line indicate my suggested image bottom. If you are moved to change the point of view, feel free to do so.

Thank you for sharing my fantasy,
Maggie Cockrell
March 24, 2009