“The rugged and often remote ‘wilds’ of the western U.S. are my studio: The unspoiled deserts, mountains, and forests of spectacular wilderness areas, public parklands and in some cases, private tracts, offer a myriad of photo opportunities, while the deep, dark nighttime in these places offer even more: solace, awe, and something akin to a private showing of the majestic natural world that is offered to us. I hope you can experience some of this in my work.”
Artist Statement
I’m an outdoors person. That’s really where I am most happy, so it’s not surprising that I always gravitated towards landscape photography, in spite of an extensive background in studio photography. About 25 years ago, I took an interest in creating painted-light, as a quirky and fun self-experimentation in creative photography. I decided to combine that edgy side of light-painting with the classic passion of landscape photography, and this continues to make sense to me.
About
Thomas Wheeler has been passionate about photography in some form or another since childhood. His first photo art class was in 1987 at Stanford University and later took courses at UCLA Extension, Otis College of Art and Design, and Santa Monica College (Photojournalism with the Corsair Weekly and Large Format studio photography). He later worked briefly with Our Times (A Los Angeles Times Section) and also assisted in studios with various LA advertising and magazine photographers. In 2014 he has showed in the CA Open (Nat’l juried-TAG Gallery), The PV Art Center, Gallery 1650 (L.A.), The South Bay Contemporary Gallery, the L.A. Center for Digital Art (LA), and recently had a solo show at the Vanderbuilt University Saratt Gallery.
