Shawna Ankenbrandt
Shawna Ankenbrandt is a multi-technique photographer who has exhibited across the United States, especially in California. Notable exhibitions in California include solo exhibitions at Gallery 169 in Santa Monica and Bonbright Gallery in Brentwood as well as showings at CASA of Los Angeles and UNICEF Next Gen Art, also in L.A. Her works remain in both public and private collections throughout the United States.
Although Shawna works with many techniques and series, for the purposes of the article we will be focusing on her Integrative Nudes series. Using both analogue photography and digital as well as an array of techniques ranging from tintypes to ambrotypes, the viewer should take note that none of Shawna’s photography uses any post production alteration techniques such as Photoshop. These ‘organic’ photos rely on natural light and atmosphere depicting unlikely circumstances such as a model swimming with a fever of stingrays or pools of ocean water with such deep pigments which appear similar to a description from a Jules Verne fantasy novel.
The Integrative Nudes series can range from adventurous to sensual in depiction of the natural female form against a backdrop of selective landscapes. The scenery remains unusual as if hidden away in some remote location and discovered by the artist. From sporadic, archaic waterfalls to limestone-appearing cliff formations, Shawna reveals compositions which induce a heightened sense of appreciation for natural environments. With great composure, the women frolic playfully with their surroundings as if the landscape were their natural habitat. Shawna fuses the deep aesthetics of aqua with the riveting naturalistic poses of models to create relaxed scenery void of any tension or friction.
One of the pieces from the Integrative Nudes series (pictured above) depicts a model sprinting against a backdrop of monstrously-sized trees which are probably Sierra redwoods. The sunlight penetrates deeply through the foliage in the forest with a grand shadow from the Sierra redwood becoming cast upon the female figure. Rarely does a monochromatic image instill a sense of stimulation and excitement having the viewer engage in a sense of heightened adventurism.
Shawna Ankenbrandt discovers the fusion between humanity and nature through intricate photographs revealing an exploration of exotic and remote locales. Through poetic devices of natural format, the raw, unaltered photography depicts an authentic visual experience rarely captured in such grandiosity. Instilling both naturality and engagement, the photography captures a deep spirit within the viewer towards appreciation of serene environments. Whether through monochromatic depictions or deep infusion with color, Shawna Ankernbrandt creates visual verses which guide the viewer towards primal instincts.
