Meet Elaine Kessler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaine Kessler.

Hi Elaine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ask any mixed-race individuals and they will tell you the story of what it is to be a pioneer; always seeing potential; always pushing boundaries. As a product of the war in Southeast Asia, I am distinctly situated in this world living life “on the hyphen.” I was raised in a home that spoke two languages, practiced two faiths, embraced two cultures, and included multiple races, generations, ethnicities, and nationalities. I am proud of how I grew up and the perspective that emerged because of this upbringing. This perspective informs and enriches everything I do – from my photography work to my approach to teaching to the production of art exhibits curated to empower, enlighten, and engage.

I stumbled my way here, tripping often over my own two feet and being blindsided by my health and my ego.

Humbled time and time again, I am proud today to own a few endeavors that bring me joy: a photography business I started in 2010 and the production and curation of interactive art exhibits which I started in 2014. As an educator at the university level, I am honored to uplift the academic experience of many students.

Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 22, I have lived over half my life knowing how precarious living can actually be. As a result, I have formulated what I believe in and that looks like this: I believe in the power of chemistry and that health imbalances can sometimes, when designed deliberately and with care, be addressed with pharmaceutical-grade assistance.

I believe in the power of community which, when open, is the catalyst for belonging, change, and peace. I believe in the power of the natural world which reminds us daily of our infinite possibilities. I believe in the power of arts and culture, to inspire, influence, and ignite all matters of understanding, comprehension, consideration, and compassion.

While beliefs are fundamental to living our purpose, they really don’t matter unless one takes action on them. To that end, here is how I take action on these beliefs: HEALTH: I have an agreement with my family that I will pursue and persist with medication for the sake of my health and for their peace of mind.

COMMUNITY: I serve the community in multiple capacities. I teach students in higher education and I mentor creatives in a variety of ways. I am a member of the Board of Directors for 3 organizations: the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, HD South – Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, and Gilbert Sister Cities. I am also a Flinn-Brown Fellow with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.

NATURE: I value and spend time in nature on a daily basis. I walk in the world and I photograph birds, flowers, sunsets, and landscapes. I make it a point to take in the world with all my senses every day.

ARTS + CULTURE: As a professional commercial photographer, I value and spend most of my time photographing people, places, and events in a way that captures the significance and beauty of who/what they are.

As an educator, I help to shape the academic experiences of students in the realm of arts, design, and culture. I currently teach commercial photography as well as proposal development and strategy in the creative industries. In the past, I have taught the business of entertainment, art, and social change, the politics and poetics of intercultural communication, several topics in Asian American studies, and visual arts and design. I intend to teach for as long as I can.

As a curator and producer of interactive art exhibits, I design experiences intended to move people into spaces they haven’t been in before regarding topics we all might take for granted such as democracy, voting, poverty, the American Dream, education, and success. I collaborate with artists, designers, and facilitators to produce events that inspire, enlighten, and generate new perspectives.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth is subjective.

In past moments, there have been pain points. One of those includes managing my health in such a way that I continue to live. People with bipolar disorder are 10-30 times more at risk to die by suicide. I have a family and a community that I want to live for and because I am well enough today to know this, I take actions consistent with this desire.

This doesn’t always feel authentic, which complicates my feelings about life, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to grapple with these matters.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I had the opportunity to meet and photograph one of my favorite authors and Ted speakers, Eric Liu.

We had a brief exchange in which I shared the highlights of who I am with him and while he was responding to someone’s question during the Q+A session of his talk, he gestured toward me and says: “Take Elaine, our photographer: she isn’t just a photographer – she also teaches at ASU employing design thinking in her proposal development and strategy class and she practices civic engagement with interactive art exhibits, and is proving that you don’t have to silo disciplines to have an impact on art, education, and the community.”

That sums up well who I am and what I do. I avoid silos; I explore intersections of identity and discipline; and I promote integration and connection wherever I can.

We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
I have a high-risk tolerance. I value this about myself. Generally speaking, I am, often delusionally, optimistic. I started taking incredible risks early in life that I attribute to a chemical imbalance. As I matured and developed mental consistency, I continued to take risks but these were, perhaps, a bit more calculated.

I started my photography business as a self-taught artist-entrepreneur in 2010. I was a mother to two young kids jumping out on a limb in hopes of finding peace in my passion and pride in my pursuits. Pursuing a career in the arts as a new mother seemed scary and thrilling both at once. I believe that the risk I took to start my business proved to my daughters what’s possible for women in the world. They see me as committed to making a difference with my art and creating a livelihood out of it. It is the biggest and best payoff from this risk – knowing that my kids know that you can be both passionate and profitable.

Life is too short to wonder whether something can be achieved. I believe taking risks is healthy and beneficial – even if the risk proves to be low yielding, there’s value in that experience that can better equip one to take future, better risks.

Pricing:

• Mini Sessions start at $165+tx
• Commercial/Branding/Portrait sessions start at $400+tx
• Event photography starts at $175+tx

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elainekesslerphotography.com
• Instagram: @elainekessler
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElaineKesslerPhotography/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainekessler/
• Other: https://book.usesession.com/i/FBBR4fvvN

Image Credits
Elaine Kessler Photography and Elise Johns Hold Fast Visuals