Arts In Rhode Island

This month’s featured member is Diana Brennan of D.S. Brennan Photography. She’s heavily inspired by nature, and loves to experiment with new techniques. Check out her shop here.

dsbrennan

DB: I’ve lived in Rhode Island nearly my whole life, and I love it here. I do have a dream of living farther afield for a little while, we’ll see if that ever happens. My hubby, Matt, and I are new homeowners and are enjoying being able to paint our walls! I’ve got a degree in Environmental Science and Management, and I think my educational background definitely influences my work.

When did you first become interested in your art form?

DB: I always enjoyed playing with my dad’s Minolta SLR. After taking my first photography class in high school, I was completely addicted. I took classes in college as well, but found it difficult to continue after graduation, since I didn’t have a darkroom available. After purchasing a digital SLR, I leapt full force back into photography and haven’t looked back.

What inspires you?

DB: Nature, things that trigger memories or emotions. Things that remind me of how special the world we live in is. I love finding new ways to show people how beautiful the world around them is.

Does living in Rhode Island influence your work in any way?

DB: I certainly am influenced by natural Rhode Island. I don’t think I’d be as interested in taking coastal or ocean-themed photographs if it weren’t for living here. Rhode Island’s history and my own experiences growing up here and going to school at URI are critical influences.

What techniques do you use the most in your work?

DB: I am nearly exclusively a digital photography. The majority of my work in the beginning was black and white. In the past few months, I’ve been doing a lot more color work, and I’m really enjoying it. I love dabbling in new techniques, from sandwiching photos, to digital photograms, to TTV style images, to digital painting.

What do you find most challenging in your work?

DB: Getting over creative blocks is always a challenge. Keeping my work consistent while maintaining the freedom to experiment with different techniques can also be difficult. And of course, the buisiness side of things, like marketing and accounting, are challenging for me – especially when I just want to create!

How did you find Etsy?

DB: I actually followed the artist Annejulie over from deviantART.

Apart from your Etsy work, what do you do?

DB: I’m a wetland consultant two days a week, but someday I hope to do photography full-time.

What's your favorite place in Rhode Island?

DB: It’s hard to pick just one. I love Black Point. I love Wakefield, and I want to live there someday. I’m sure I could list many more places, but I’ll keep it short!