Artist Statement
The varied natural landscapes of Georgia are what interest me - from the biological brews of the languid black-water in the Okefenokee Swamp to the vast sea of green forests in the Appalachian Mountains. Georgia has five varied ecosystems: Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Piedmont, Coastal Plains and Barrier Islands. Each of these environments has a tremendous diversity of plant and animal life that has fascinated me for over thirty years. Process Statement
We are all familiar with the flora and fauna of own backyard but sometimes imagery can depict a scene in a way that awakens our sense of familiarity and settled way of seeing. Many of the natural areas I photograph have remained relatively unchanged for ages and it is the mysterious and primordial appearance of these places that I attempt to convey in my images. Often, we seem to loose the connection with our natural surroundings and we seem very complacent to allow these sanctuaries to disappear. I would like for my pictures to show that these places are worthy of our attention, because we don’t keep what we don’t value.

 

 

For many years Diane Kirkland worked as the marketing photographer for the State of Georgia. She produced the images used in Georgia’s advertising campaigns, promotional publications, and travel features for newspapers and magazines , including Lenswork, Black & White, The New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, Southern Living, and the Times of London. Kirkland was also the exclusive photographer for two large photographic books: “Oglethorpe’s Dream, A Picture of Georgia” and “Democracy Restored, A History of the Georgia State Capitol”. For the past few years she has been working as a freelance photographer with a special emphasis on natural landscapes and historic preservation. Kirkland has been selected by a juried panel to join the Georgia Council for the Arts, the Fulton County Arts Council and the Southern Arts Federation, which is a multi-media internet registry that spotlights outstanding artists who live and work in the South. Her photographs have received numerous awards and are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (Atlanta, GA); the Photographic Center (Tucson, AZ); the Georgia Museum of Art (Athens, GA); Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta Airport International Terminal; and the Shepard Spinal Center (Atlanta, GA). She was awarded the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Artist in Residence grant for Ossabaw Island, and continues to enjoy hiking and photographing in the remote and beautiful places of the South. < dianekirklandphoto.com >