Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Clara DeWeese is a photographer who seeks to unveil psychological truth through portraying moments with loved ones. Shouldering the responsibility to communicate visually, she seeks to promote vulnerability, empathy, and expression. She has been an active artist since 2014, when moving to Montana spoiled her with transcendent nature and brilliant friendships. Since then she has held two solo shows, in addition to participating in a number of group exhibitions nationally and internationally. She received her BA in photography from Montana State University in 2018 and is currently an MFA candidate at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, pursuing art as her greatest passion.
For the Sake of the Song
In my recent series “For the Sake of the Song,” I recount moments shared with dear friends and family from the past two years. In this unsettling and deflated time in history, humanity is fixated on seeking pleasure however possible. For this reason, I focus on occasions of leisure. I concentrate on our fortune in having freedom to choose how to spend our time, while highlighting the struggle to find satisfaction. These concepts are expressed visually by photographing people in my life who promote compassion and empathy; I seek to convey the significance of human connection as a means for growth. With the goal to depict an honest interpretation of my contemporary reality, I refrain from manipulating the setting within the frame of the photograph. Using a thirty five millimeter point and shoot camera allows me to focus less on technicalities and more on the psychology of the person present.
To view more of Clara B DeWeese’s work please visit her website.