Alison Bur is an arts manager, darkroom photographer, and educator, who is passionate about amplifying artist’s abilities to gain access to the resources needed to create. Bur graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Saginaw Valley State University and a Master’s degree in Arts Management from American University. Bur is a native of northern MI where she developed a deep connection to the natural landscape and an appreciation for the communal nature of rural life. She hopes to use her skills in arts management to foster connections between rural communities and arts and cultural resources. Her recent artistic work is dedicated to exploring love in the digital era. She is currently working on a book with her friend David Janssen Jr., entitled Harbor which explores this topic. You'll often find her in antique stores, with at least two cameras around her neck, and actively listening to others share their goals and life experiences.

ARTIST STATEMENT 

Photography’s ability to completely immerse the viewer in an image has always captivated me. Every image is a visual dialogue, combining the formal elements with the risk, chance, and mystery photography allows. With so many different techniques, variations, and possibilities, the results are endless for what photography can convey. Using both film and digital methods I love to experiment by combining processes and techniques to create something unique. 

The most important element of my work is conceptual depth, so that my images are more than just an arrangement of elements or documentation, but a means of expression and communication. I pay careful attention to the formal elements in my work, including line and shape, and arrange them in a way that highlights my view of the world. I am also very drawn to shadows and reflections, and the ways in which they add dimension to my work and challenge the viewer to question the integrity of the image. What I enjoy most about experimentation in photography is that it allows me to reexamine the tangible world and work with not only what is real but also with what I can imagine.

The element of chance is also crucial to my work. Rather than discard an image because of a mistake, the mistake simply becomes a part of the image and something I can build off of. There is risk and mystery involved in not always knowing what exactly the camera will capture. I take this mystery with me when I create my images, and try to create an abstract image the viewer can construct a story to.

Overall, my images focus strongly on narrative. I want them to reveal something, examine a concept, and tell a story. They are based strongly on initial feelings and ideas I find very important. Photography is an act of release for my thoughts; things I’ve been thinking about get placed in front of the camera and I compose to show my point of view. I am interested by many topics and am inspired by what is currently happening in my life and the emotions and perceptions attached. Some reoccurring themes that dominate my work are vulnerability, transience, and the natural landscape. My goal is to always gain a new perspective by reevaluation through the lens. The camera provides a focused reality that points my view in a different direction and allows me to think and perceive differently. This is my goal in all of my work, both creative and professional.