Lauren Athalia-Photographer

LaurenAthalia creates amazing photographs that tell stories. Symbolism and allegory abound in her images; they tell one story but allude to other ones. I got tospend some time with her in the studio and watch her at work.

What is the main theme of your work?

I focus on telling a story in my personal series. I want to bring to life what I see in my head and what I dream about at night. 

What inspires your work?

My work is inspired by fairy tales, folklore, books, movies, fashion, paintings and other photographers. Also, on occasion, I’m simply inspired by the challenge of creating something new.

What are your goals for your work?

Earlier in my career my goals were just to create a solid image - something beautiful and instantly rewarding. But lately my focus is on how I get to the end result. For instance, maybe it’s about how the set was created and who I collaborated with in order achieve the finished photos. Also, I’ve noticed that after each series is complete I’m ready to try again. Take a bigger risk and try something harder than last time. Maybe that means a more elaborate set, trying a difficult lighting technique or brainstorming with a new team of talent. This realization has made it clear that my goals have become more about connecting with others and constantly challenging my insatiable need to create rather than rushing towards then end; a nice photograph. Don’t get me wrong - the photos are an amazing part but it’s not the entire reward and it has taken me a while to realize the importance of this.

What are your thoughts on the visual arts scene in Nashville?

I believe there is more of a visual art scene than people originally think. Nashville is known for it’s music and rightly so but over the years I’ve noticed the visual artists begin to form a community. They are reaching out to each other via workshops, co-op workspaces, creative events, social media or just over coffee. I think artists like to see that they aren’t going at this alone and in turn this has brought more talented people out of the woodwork. I’m excited to see how the visual art scene will continue to grow and support each other.

To learn more about Lauren's work visit her website at http://www.laurenathalia.com