Sara G. Umemoto artscenetoday featured artist

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sara g. umemoto

Sara G. Umemoto-MANIFESTO.jpg

3rd PLACE WINNER: words, words, words Competition

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sara g. umemoto

kyoto/japan

MANIFESTO

photography

contact for price

http://sara_g_umemoto.photoworkshop.com/

sgmail41-d@yahoo.com

artist statement

I have two areas of interest: straight photography and processed photography aka photo manipulation to produce Digital Imaging. It's important for me to have a good collection of photos for I use my stock in new digital composites. When I saw the call of Art Scene Today "Words, Words, Words" I reviewed my wide stock and I chose the most appropriate photos to participate in this competition.

bio

Born in 1965 and raised in Mexico City. I am a self-taught digital artist and photographer who since childhood was interested in visual expression. My first stage of artistic training was drawing and painting during the period 1980-1985 at an art academy.

Later in 1995, I was graduated with diploma in graphic design BA. I moved to Japan in 1996. Since 2000 I began to produce a collection of digital photography and I started to participate in competitions with my works of digital imaging.

In 2006 there was a hiatus on my digital imaging activity because I wanted to learn photo journal, so I became member of a dutch project called Woophy (World of Photography), an international photo community with monthly competitions for aficionados. In the month of June I was featured as Amateur Photographer wining the First Prize. At Woophy I learned a lot about documentary photography, the jurors some of them are renowned photographers-, virtually they were my teachers.

From 2007 to 2009 I built a more professional portfolio of digital imaging using my photo collection. I won competitions in this area with my works and since then I've been participating in some group shows. Finally, in this year 2009 I published my first book of digital imaging.

ArtSceneToday Q&A

Q: Where do you see yourself in the art scene today?

A: I see myself finishing the beginning and starting half the way to go as an artist of digital photography.

Q: What is your inspiration?

A: I found inspiration in many things but mainly the news on world problems, traveling, psychology, surrealism, conceptualism, and post-modern art.

Q: What are your challenges?

A: For me competitions are the best way to learn more. Also to be featured helps to get more exposure and recognition.

Q: How did you/do you choose your medium?

A: In my college days in workshops of analog photography I fell in love with the camera. I wanted to be photographer but I also was convinced to be a graphic designer. However when I finished my BA I was disappointed with graphic design in my home country because it is considered a sub profession particularly in the central region of Mexico. So I took a break, meanwhile I was married and moved to Japan so little by little I resumed the artistic activity with my camera, at this time switched to digital. At the beginning having fun and learning to make digital imaging, I sent those digital works to competitions to see what happen. To my surprise I won prizes, so in this form I've arrived at this circle.

Q: Which artist has influenced you the most?

A: There are many names to mention, I prefer to say in straight photography I'm influenced -mainly by journalist photographers, although I also do practice in other genres. In respect of digital imaging as contemporary pop art movement some of my fountains are: surrealism and conceptual art.