Artist Statement

Brady Wilks began his creative work with photography as a self-educated student using film in 1996. Shortly thereafter, he started working professionally as a photographer and graphic designer with deep roots in commercial, nature and conservation work. In 2004, he decided to attend the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelors degree in order to support his photography and design business in 2008. Shortly after completing this degree he began teaching college level photography courses in Maryland and is working to attain a Masters of Fine Arts in Photography from the Academy of Art University. Education has always been very important and he will continue to educate himself as both an artist and educator.

There are a number of current and historically important ‘masters of photography’ that have inspired Brady such as Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, and Michael Kenna among others. Some have inspired him to shoot in a particular style, while others have inspired him through their dedication to the field. Although Brady’s work isn’t a direct reflection of these influences, they have instilled a level of importance into his own philosophical and creative approach.

As an artist, he uses elements of composition and a unique visual language consistent throughout the series. This work is a reflection of that artistic intent. All pieces are created using the vertical aspect ratio. This shifts the landscape into a narrow window. Careful attention ensures that most of the strong formal elements are higher in the frame and that there is a large amount of foreground or otherwise negative space. These exaggerated traits shift the photograph into a surreal and sometimes minimalist landscape depending on the series. The work exemplifies a consistent and cohesive body of work by making use of these compositional traits to formulate a specific style and continuity throughout the series.

Brady continues to build and add compositions to three new bodies of work: B&W Minimalist Landscapes, Color Pictorialist Landscapes and Straight Photography silver prints. He focuses on these styles because they inspire one another and all effectively communicate his own visual aesthetic preferences. All forms of photography are embraced in order to support the work, carefully balancing between analog and digital platforms for certain unique aesthetic qualities.