Wil's profile
A photograph is a statement made by the artist. It encapsulates an individual reaction to a place, a person, or a thing encountered in the world. Once sent into the world, the photograph becomes a link between the maker and the usually unseen viewer, who makes it their own. The power of photography lies in that transformative moment.
Thirty years as a museum educator at the National Gallery of Art kept me in constant contact with the work of great photographers. One of the first exhibitions after I joined the Gallery staff was devoted to the large-scale landscape prints of Ansel Adams. Leading groups of more than one hundred visitors through the exhibition made the impact photography had obvious to me.
The digital age changed everything in 2007 on a trip to Prague. Almost instant gratification. Perfect for my hyperactive travel style. I sold a photo taken on that trip. Most importantly, colleagues at the Gallery encouraged me, and I realized I could connect with others in a way that was meaningful and rewarding to me and to them.
Since about 2010, I have carried a camera most of the time. The entire world from my doorstep to Brasil and Japan provides constant opportunities to make new photographs. Following my recent retirement from the National Gallery, I have taken up to 1,000 new photographs a month, studied photography with others, and exhibited my work from Los Angeles to Budapest. Making photographs has become a journey that I’m sure will carry me to the end of my days.
