Sarah Skwira

What is your senior thesis?

My work this semester is about my childhood and trying to hold onto the past. It’s about how my life and my family have changed since then and wanting to go back to a time when everything seemed to be perfect.

What motivated you to start this project? What inspires your creative process?

My family and my childhood are topics that have come up a few times in past projects, but I have never completely invested in them. The previous ideas I had for projects this semester have ultimately led me back to this topic.

Do you work in film or digital? Please describe any technique or process relevant to your project.

I shoot 4x5 color film and scan it to print digitally.

Is this a new project or a continuation of previous work?

This is a new project but it includes elements from my previous work.

How has your work developed or changed over time?

I started this semester wanting to photograph people in places where traumatic events happened. I had envisioned these people to be in natural environments and when this project didn’t work out, I decided to focus on people in nature. This led me to try to figure out what it was about nature that I liked, during which I realized that it reminded me of being home and being a child. Because this idea had come up a few times in my work before, I decided that this was a good time to fully commit to it.

What artists works of art have inspired or influenced you?

Some of my favorites are Justine Kurland, Katy Grannon, and Phillip-Lorca diCorcia. Also, as cheesy as it sounds, I am often inspired by my fellow classmates.

What kind of response do you hope to get from your viewers? Is there a certain experience you want people to take away from your photographs?

I hope that people can relate to my idea and appreciate my images.

What is the ideal setting to view your work? Do you picture your photographs in a book? In a gallery?

A gallery is the ideal setting but think it could also work in a book.

Do you have any ideas or plans for future work?

I don’t have an specific ideas for the future, but along with continuing to do more specific projects, landscape photography is something I will always be drawn to and enjoy doing.

What do you see yourself doing after graduation?

After graduation my plan is to move to New York City to continue making art and hopefully become a productive member of society.