Kristie’s Focus - Graduating Student Exhibition in Library
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – In the Department of Fine Arts, senior students organize an exhibition of his or her work. The student is responsible for artist statements, wall text, wall labels and a reception. This semester, this traditional requirement – an important rite of passage from student to professional life – is fulfilled exclusively by one of the University’s top photography students. Kristie Baxter will present a one-woman show in the small but fine exhibition space in the UMES Library.
Photography is her passion, which she would not trade for any other career opportunity in the world. Baxter strongly believes that desire is a critical element to success. A photographer has to have the motivation to catch that one shot he or she is looking for, without giving up. She also believes photographers have to be patient and hardworking while out in the field. Without consistency a photographer will not flourish. Baxter’s self-confidence stems from her lifetime passion for photography and her personal determination.
As she did in childhood, Baxter keeps a camera close at hand virtually at all times. She loves every moment of the photographic process and each eye-catching, high contrast image is a source of delight.
“I’ve been shooting since 2000. My first 35mm SLR was a Minolta STsi. I enrolled into photography I my junior year in high school and absolutely fell in love with the art,” she says. “It didn’t hit me until my senior year in high school that I wanted to do this for my career.”
Today Baxter uses a Nikon d70 digital SLRk. She has launched a small business, providing modeling, family and senior portraits and commercial, fine art and wedding photography (www.KristieBaxterPhotography.com). In addition to owning her own business, Baxter’s ultimate goal has always been sports photography. Recent exposure to fashion photography has captured her interest, however. Her exhibition reflects not only her long-time interests, but new ones, as well.
“I’m extremely grateful that I was able to attend UMES to study photography,” she said. “There are so many possibilities when it comes to producing a photographic print. Just learning the history alone is incredible. Professor (Michel) Demanche has taught me this over the years.”
Kristie Baxter’s one-woman photography exhibit will be on display beginning December 4 in the Mosely Gallery Special Collections Room on the second floor of the Thomas Briggs Arts and Technology Center on the UMES campus. A closing reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 14.
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Dr. Anke Van Wagenberg, director, UMES Mosely Gallery, 410-651-7770, aavanwagenberg@umes.edu.
Contact: Maureen McNeill, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-7580, memcneill@umes.edu.