Conversations with Mary Gavan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Gavan.

Hi Mary, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In my 20s, I held a day job that provided financial stability, but left me feeling uncertain whether it was the right path for me. Given my appreciation of the arts, I decided to quit my job and pursue a degree in Fine Arts at Arizona State University. After college, I focused on creating and installing unique textile pieces. That’s when photography entered my life. It was the 1970s, when film slides were an essential component for submitting applications to art shows and for use in marketing materials. Computers were rare, and the Internet didn’t exist. I acquired my camera skills from searching resources at the library. My camera became my constant companion. It also gave me an excuse to spend more time outdoors exploring the landscape. I could not have foreseen that I would be a photographer.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been challenging moments both personally and financially. The hours are long, there is no steady income, and sales can fluctuate from month to month, year to year—there is never certainty. Feeling overwhelmed and overworked, I found it difficult to plan time for friends and family. My solution was to create a studio schedule to balance my work and personal life, and learn to budget for savings. Savings provided a financial cushion for slow periods. I admit there were times when I wanted to quit, but I’m so happy that I continued doing what I love.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
After learning how to operate a camera, I found myself spending more and more time developing my photography skills. I gradually became absorbed in photography and began to move away from the textile arts. I love to travel, so I’ve set up my SUV for camping and can now comfortably spend long periods on the road, capturing the scenery and experiences of my adventures with a lens. I’m dedicated to capturing beautiful landscapes and the wild inhabitants of our amazing planet. I often wait for hours for the perfect behavior shot of an animal, like the Sandhill Cranes that winter in Arizona. With my camera connected to a tripod, I wait for a Crane to jump up and down—known as dancing, a courtship performance. If I take my eye from the camera’s viewfinder for a minute, I may miss the great shot I’ve been waiting for. And I have!

My time is now primarily dedicated to photography, although I’m still recognized for designing decorative textiles. Honestly, it’s been hard for me to let go of my past in textiles. I teach various dye and textile techniques to support my passion for fibers.

Working in textiles taught me the importance of creating something that is distinctly my own. Drawing from nature, I integrated the 5-point shape of a sea urchin fossil into Southwest wall art. The palette was a result of applying color theory to achieve harmony for the Southwest aesthetic. When photographing, I intentionally ignore the rule of thirds. An example of this is negative space, such as an off-center subject. If I’m looking for an abstract effect, I focus on shapes, colors, and textures rather than a traditional subject. A few examples of this are a dune, a hot spring, and colorful rock formations. I’ve found that my background in textiles has provided me with a unique advantage in nature photography.

When I compare my earlier photographs to recent ones and see the growth and development I have achieved, I feel proud of my accomplishments. Much of this progress is due to learning to be patient; waiting for the perfect light, paying attention to composition, and taking the time to observe an animal’s behavior. This is what allows me to produce visually stunning images.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Growing up in Michigan in the 1950s. Our family home sat on a small acreage on the edge of town. Fruit trees grew on a vacant lot next door to us, and the ground was teeming with sweet little strawberries when in season. In summertime, we (my siblings and I) climbed the trees to feast on the apples and pears, and foraged the landscape for wild strawberries.

We also had a large vegetable garden and a row of raspberry bushes. Mom was busy in the summer, canning vegetables, while the garden provided us kids with material for rotten tomato fights (all in good spirits). In winter, Dad prepared a hill behind the house for sledding… sometimes we used cardboard boxes, and he transformed the front yard into an ice skating rink. In the summer, Dad and Mom spent many weekends taking us to the beach.

Eventually, we moved to Phoenix for Dad’s new job. Our home was on a city lot with a fence around the backyard. It was the 1960s. I’ll leave it there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marygavan.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marygavanphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryGavanPhotography
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-gavan-96844825/
• Twitter: https://x.com/gavan_mary