User:Photostew/Stewart Isbell
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Stewart Isbell (b. February 24, 1972) is an American photographer.
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[edit] Background
Stewart Isbell was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas to Donald R. Isbell & Wanda (May) Isbell. Brother- Toby Isbell & Sister- Carrie Isbell. Mother passed away in 1983. Father remarried to Becky (Carter) Isbell (1984-2003). Grew up in Sherwood, AR a small suburb outside of Little Rock, AR until the age of 17 (1988) when family moved 40 miles south to Bryant, AR. Spent one year of College at UCA Conway, AR. Moved back to Little Rock (1991) and began working for his fathers painting company Isbell Inc. (1991-1997). Traveled to Berlin for the first time at the age of 20. Bought first home at 401 South Johnson St. in Little Rock at the age of 23 & lived there for 3 years. Took second trip to Europe (24) visiting London, Paris & Rome. After extensive road trips across the United States, Canada (1994-95), twice to New York (1996) and Burkina Faso, Africa (1997).
He decided to change his career and life by moving to New York in 1997 (age 27) to attend School of Visual Arts for a BFA in photography. Held various small jobs while working his way through school, eventually began assisting various photographers and gaining commercial/editorial work focusing mainly on music. Moved to Prospect Heights, Brooklyn January 2001, where he currently resides and works.
[edit] Early Photography
[edit] 1986-1990
Bought his first camera, a Minolta XG-M, at the age of 14 (1986). At the time he was mostly interested in Freestyle BMX, he was inspired by magazine photos of the riders, particularly Spike Jonze. In 1987 he started learning how to use a darkroom and to print his own work. This led to producing a small zine containing only photography, drawing and photocopy art work called "Raw Sample". From 1987-1990 he was involved with shooting for his schools yearbook & newspaper, winning various regional journalism awards.
[edit] 1990-1991
This continued until he left for college at UCA (1990-1991). His photography changed subject matter from bicycles to landscapes & self portraiture. During this time he also began experimenting more with darkroom techniques and color copy machines. He dropped out of UCA in May, 1991 because of lack of classes dedicated to photography. He moved back to Bryant, AR without any plans for education, but with a new sense of photography and a a small body of work. Summer of 1991, after his camera equipment was stolen enrolled for a semester at University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the fall. This ended during the spring of 1992.
[edit] 1992-1997
He began working for his father's painting company after moving back to Little Rock. Bought a used Nikon 8008 with a few lenses and began shooting again. During 1992-1996 his work focused many subjects. Spring of 1992 he began the ongoing Flamingo Project. A series of 3 shows at Vino's Gallery were mainly centered around still lifes, colors, patterns, & textures. After the purchase of home on Johnson Street in July 1992, a series of portraits spanning 3 years of every person who slept at the house started. In 1994 he shot a music video on 8mm film for the band 2 Minutes Hate and the next year (1995-1996) he produced a video magazine of live underground local music titled "The Update". This centered mainly around the time period he opened a warehouse (800 State St.) to underground indie bands to play. During the winter of 1996-1997 he held on last show of work at Vino's before traveling to Africa and then Moving to New York for education at School of Visual Arts in 1997.
[edit] Education
[edit] 1997-2001
School Of Visual Arts, New York July 1997, sold home and moved to New York by train. First year focused mainly on black & white street photography but concentrating more on shape, form, and contrasting tones. Found influences in Andre Kertez, Walker Evans. Moved home during the summers to work & pay his way through school. Began a series of portraits of friends who were musicians and spent summer documenting one of the employees at his job. He also started a project based on Arkansas. 2nd Year Focused on more street photography, portraits, & color printing. 3rd year had anonymous show of Flamingo photos at Vinos Gallery with a write up in the Little Rock Free Press newspaper. Finished 3 year project of Arkansas and during 4th year had show at SVA. January 2001, moved to Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Graduated in May 2001 as a BFA in photography with a 3.9 GPA.
[edit] Career
[edit] 1999-Present
1999 (3rd Year at School of Visual Arts) began working commercially, doing music portraiture, for a New York based music magazines such as Shout, Revolver, Spin, & Guitar World, Alternative Press, Bass Player, & Drum!. Work has also been shown in New York Times, The Source, Vibe, Entertainment Weekly, NME, Blender. Publicity and Artwork for Wind-up, Koch, Drive-Thru, Tooth & Nail, Sony Records, and the movie poster for the film "Assisted Living". Has been featured in two books by omnibus publishers about The Strokes and The White Stripes.
[edit] Personal Work
===Flamingo Project===
A series of portraits of a plastic pink flamingo in front of tourist locations around the world. It was stolen from a neighbor (1992) as a prank but eventually turn into a serious project. The portraits have become a documentation the photographers travel as seen through the flamingo. The project is about the idea of the tourist and the need to document there place and time in the world. society's fascination as the tourist and the traveller. The project plays with the idea of a particular location in the world being seen by society as a destination or a point of referance to peoples lives. By placing the flamingo instead of the tourist into the situation it removes the sense of acheivement and personal recognition of place and time by the documentation of a portrait.
[edit] Finding Home
A 3 year project documenting the disappearing roadside culture and architecture in Arkansas. An examination of culture through signs, topography, & landscape. Visited every small town, more than 500 and less than 2500 people in all of Arkansas. This project came about after moving away from Arkansas and coming back after an amount of time to notice the subtle but numerous changes that had taken place in his familiar surroundings. There became a need to document the unique, distinctness of the small towns, highways, iconic scenery, building, and architecture, that brought about nostalgia for the photographer before it disappeared. This introduced the idea of "Can we ever go home again?" "Once we leave what was familar, will it ever be the same again, or will we ever view it with the same eyes again?" Many of the structures have been torn down, remodeled, repainted, updated or moved since the photos were taken. A similar project is in progress focusing on Brooklyn, New York.
[edit] Sci-Fi Project
Based on growing up watching science fiction movies. A series of landscape portraits each based on a particular movie or theme. Certain movies have been such a distinct part of a modern day mythology that small referances in the portraits can lend to the bigger idea of information based on this mythology. Many of these stories and movies have become commonplace refferance points to conversation. These portraits are a homage and exploration of those moments that have become a starting point for a certain niche in pop culture.
