As a child growing up in the Shenandoah Valley, Stacey Evans says she was inspired by the scene through her bedroom window of hills, trees, cows, a pond where geese landed during migration, and the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Now she brings similar landscapes and nature to life through her photography.
What are you most thankful for about being an artist rooted in Central Virginia?
The Charlottesville community accepts me and provides numerous opportunities for me to experiment and grow, from working as a freelance photographer -- photographing attic rooms at Monticello -- to learning printmaking at the Virginia Book Arts Center. What I am most thankful for are the relationships I have formed. I have a community of people who support me. Being in a smaller art community rather than a big city allows me to connect with cool people in a variety of ways. I meet new, wonderful people every year. I'm lucky.
Are there particular landscapes, seasons, or places here that always spark your creativity?
There is not just one spot, although the Albemarle High School parking lot has beautiful sky views. I live right around the corner, and we don't have a big sky view. When I was working on my “For the Love of Clouds” project and noticed magical light in my backyard, I'd head there.
There is a rhythm to the seasons I appreciate in Central Virginia. When I lived in Georgia, seasonal change was not as dramatic; my soul craves this rhythm. I love deciduous trees and observing their process of dropping leaves, becoming dormant, and the sap rising in spring. It's regenerative.
Do you find that thankfulness plays a role in how you approach your photography or painting?
Photography has given me a direction in life that fulfills me. I realize not everyone is fortunate enough to find a career they feel passionate about. Being an artist, working with cameras and photographic processes, and creating [is what I'm grateful for].
What is something small or ordinary in this area -- maybe a detail most people overlook -- that you find yourself thankful for and inspired by?
My artworks focus on the ordinary, rather than the extraordinary, showcasing subtle shifts in light, season, and time. One thing that comes to mind, which is not necessarily related to this area, but to all areas, is light. When I taught at PVCC, one of my first assignments given to students was to photograph the same place at three different times of day. It could be a windowsill in your home, a place on your commute to work, just find an ordinary place and notice how the light changes. Students always came back very grateful after this experience because I shared with them the gift of seeing light and how it shapes our surroundings.
Who in the local community are you grateful for -- people who've encouraged, collaborated with, or influenced your work?
Goodness, if I listed everyone in this community I am grateful for, this would be a very long list. So, to everyone out there who has hired me, worked with me, purchased artwork, taken a class, or met with me to chat about hopes and dreams, I appreciate you for joining me on this journey.
Do you have a favorite memory of photographing something here that made you pause and feel thankful for the moment?
Photographing from trains for my “Passenger” project is all about precise moments. It's about anticipating what's coming and relinquishing control to a giant moving machine. Over the years, I've gotten to know the route between Charlottesville and Washington, DC pretty well. I knew I wanted a snowy scene and took the train to DC on such a day. This trip was early in the project, so I was not as intentional when choosing my seat and ended up facing east. I knew the Barboursville crossing was coming by our location, and [heard] the sound of the train whistle. I prepared myself.
This was one of those magical moments when all the elements align. I captured the flashing red light, motion, the street, and the surrounding buildings. And, the real magic happened when I saw a woman walking and was able to focus on her in a split second.
The next thankful moment in this story was during an exhibition where this photograph was on view. Fred and Beth Nichols were there and walked up to me. We'd known each other for years, as I admired his work and had worked a couple of times for Beth at their gallery. Beth was the one walking in this scene.
How do you hope your art makes others feel thankful?
I hope others feel a connection with my work, notice something familiar; giving someone a place to look deeply might help bring this out into their daily lives.
When you look back at your career so far, is there a moment or project that feels like a gift -- something you're especially grateful for?
One summer, National Geographic photographer Sam Abell had an exhibition, and I got to know and work with him. He recommended me to be a judge for a high school photography contest, which would take shape in the form of a book, “Our View.” John Grant was a judge and the designer of the book. A few years later, I asked John to join me on my first overnight train trip from Charlottesville to West Glacier, Montana. I wanted to photograph power lines from the train, and we'd been dating on and off for over a year. I have photographed on forty-four Amtrak trips across the United States, as well as routes in Scandinavia, Canada, and France, creating over 15,000 born-digital photographs. John has traveled with me on many of these trips, and we've been married for twelve years. John is an artist as well, and we have studios in our home. I am grateful for that summer.
What I am most thankful for are the relationships I have formed. I have a community of people who support me.