Art & Life with Sara Goodnick

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Goodnick.

Sara, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I grew up playing outdoors along the creek in our backyard in Texas, so I learned to love nature early on. My dad was a serious amateur photographer and gave me his older Minolta STRs when in college I became interested in photography. I kept on photographing and taking classes off and on, but in 1998 I decided to raise the bar and strive to get to a professional level. I studied portraiture, joined the Arizona Professional Photographers Association, then the Professional Photographers of America. Next, I became a volunteer Photo Guide with Arizona Highways PhotoScapes.

I finally narrowed my photography attention to:
Nature: because I am often out there either on horseback, hiking, or camping.
Horses: a major love since I can remember.
Still life: keeps me cool in my studio in the summer, is challenging, and fun to paint with light.
Experimental: a chance to go into new areas such as photo encaustic and milk painting.
Macro: which includes flowers, insects, and a myriad of cool subjects.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Exploring what can be difficult for others to notice, I hope to arouse curiosity, wonder, delight and encourage viewers to create their own stories.

Our natural world holds so much beauty. Once I read these words from a part of the Navajo Way Blessing Ceremony:

“In beauty, I walk
With beauty before me, I walk
With beauty behind me, I walk
With beauty above me, I walk
With beauty around me, I walk
It has become beauty again.”

The words have had a profound effect on me which I hope my photography and art will reflect.

Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I believe it is easier for artists to find an audience because of social media, but harder because there are now so many of us doing exactly that. The Phoenix area has a large group of artists under the umbrella of the Arizona Arts Alliance which is wonderful. Shows are great, but matching the right buyers to the artists is always a challenge.

I would like to see even more art classes for adults. Art classes encourage growth, fellowship, and creativity among artists from beginning to advanced. Classes ranging from new techniques and media to improvement in the basics should always be available.

Educating the public regarding the prices we charge for our work would be helpful. Not only is photography a skill that must be practiced constantly, editing and finishing a photograph also takes time and skill. Most of us are constantly working to improve in one area or another taking classes and workshops. Equipment is expensive and must be replaced occasionally and insured. Printing, mounting and presenting adds to our costs, and the shows and galleries take a (well-earned) percentage of work sold.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have recently joined the Sonoran Arts League and the Fountain Hills Art League. They have many shows, and I have begun participating in some of them. The work is always for sale.

Memberships:
Arizona Professional Photographers Association AZPPA), Professional Photographers of America (PPA), American Society of Photographers (ASP), Arizona Highways PhotoScapes Photo Guide, Sonoran Arts League, Fountain Hills Art League

Honors and Awards:
Master of Photography, Professional Photographers of America
Certified Professional Photographer, Professional Photographers of America

Contact Info:

• Website: www.goodnickphotography.com
• Phone: 4805958188
• Email: sara@goodnickphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sara_goodnick/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RavenseyeArt/

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.