Like stills from a movie I have never seen, Erin Tyner’s small dioramas are disconnected narratives – a fragment of a story, if only I knew what was going on. I am quite captivated by them.
Little scenes of real possibilities, surreal for their pretence – in the artificiality of the figures, and in their scale that somehow doesn’t quite gel with their surroundings. They are dark images with a sense of disquiet, and you get the feeling that it is one small figure up against something unknown and enormous.
Currently based in Seattle, Erin Tyner has a background in the field of mental health with degrees in Psychology, Criminal Studies and a Masters in Social Work. Before taking up photography she worked as a behavioral therapist, and she says that “Now I am creating and selling photography, my interest in human behavior continues to influence my work.”
Erin Tyner – (from the series Half Awake) – Rose
“While I enjoy exploring different photographic genres, I believe I am a storyteller at heart. I am always searching for new ways to use the camera to generate narratives. I find myself drawn to subjects possessing bittersweet qualities. Whether photographing abandoned places, natural settings or doing macro work, I attempt to emphasize the vulnerability of the subject through spare and often minimal compositions. Recent work has focused on creating scenes versus documenting what exists.
“The inspiration for Half Awake is rooted in my lifelong love of storytelling as well as my background in human sciences. Working in a miniature scale allows me to depict a range of complex emotions in a playful manner. I construct the vignettes by pairing figures and handmade scenes to develop characters engaged in an unfolding narrative. The traits of the figures are mirrored by the sparse landscapes, which offer clues to the nature of each character’s circumstance.”
Erin Tyner – (from the series Half Awake) – Sometimes
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have mostly positive experiences as an artist! One negative experience was finding a website selling my photography as their own. I was able to get the issue resolved but it was an awful feeling to know how easily that can happen. The internet is a wonderful tool for getting your work out into the world and sharing with admirers and collectors. The downside is that it also makes creative work vulnerable to theft and copyright violation. That event has made me extra vigilant about looking for copyright violations of my work as well as violations against other artists, crafters and designers.” {I am SO aware of this issue, and always do my best to respect sources of work I feature on this blog. It’s the reason I also support IAMTHELAB’s Design Respect initiative.}
Erin Tyner – (from the series Half Awake) – Buoy
Erin Tyner – (from the series Half Awake) – Tides
And the best advice Erin’s ever been given? “The best piece of advice I’ve received was from my dear friend Peder who passed away from pancreatic cancer earlier this year. It was simple advice – not to put off doing the things I want to do in life. After he passed away, I started putting his advice into action immediately and it has resulted in some major changes in my life and in my outlook. I wish that my friend were still here, but I know that he would be excited for me and the positive changes he helped to inspire.”
Erin’s work has been featured in many places, including Blanket Magazine, Design*Sponge, Apartment Therapy, Photography Served, the Hey Hot Shot blog, Wired Italy, Decor8, as well as being an Etsy Featured Seller
You can find more of Erin’s work in her Etsy shop, as well as on her own site, ErinTyner.com
*
With thanks to Erin for sharing her words and images here.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks