Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethan Wenz.
Ethan, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was raised around the country but primarily in small town Mount Vernon, Iowa. I have always gravitated toward technology and computers, so when I went to my high school art teacher asking for a recommendation for an art class he suggested digital photo. That instructor, Ely Sotillo, became my art mentor and he helped me in beginning to develop my style and skills. After that the rest is history.
In my hunt for colleges, Columbia College Chicago seemed to be the best place to develop my network and continue improving every day. Along with traditional education and mentors, I also have the internet to thank for my success so far. YouTube, Instagram, Lynda.com, and so many other wonderful sources of information has been so vital to me. I am a firm believer in always learning about everything you can; especially when it directly applies to your life/profession.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My art work has a very strong commercial influence. I am very interested in being a vehicle to deliver the beauty of others creations. Product, food, and general studio work is my favorite environment to be shooting in. Me, along with many other people around the world are extremely invested in companies like Apple and Nike. I enjoy exploring those obsessions with images that would belong as an advertisement.
I also strongly enjoy the technical side of photography and want the viewer to see and appreciate the cleanliness and attention to detail that goes into every photograph.
My photos don’t have heavy statements about society or commentaries on life. However, I like being able to make an image that someone could look at and simply enjoy that image.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
I believe that the role of an artist is truly different for every single artist, at any point in time. Personal experiences and environments are two of the hugest things that shape a person.
Being in the golden age of the internet there are changes coming that we still are yet to deal with. I feel that I am more enabled to create things and connect with people all around the world; that fact alone is so impactful, inspiring, and enabling to me.
That being said, having this connectedness means that events at any scale have an impact on me and every single other artist. Personally, at this point in my career I choose not to make political or social statements with my work. My commercial style and tendencies tend to be more guided by fashion trends, industry shifts, and innovations in technology.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I am currently being represented in the eastern Iowa area by Black Earth gallery at blackearthgallery.com. Digitally my work and portfolios can be seen at ethanwenz.com and @ethanwenz on Instagram.
Sharing, commenting, telling friends, are all great ways to help support me. I am always looking to partner up and start making something beautiful!
Contact Info:
- Website: ethanwenz.com
- Phone: 8158781310
- Email: me@ethanwenz.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/ethanwenz
- Twitter: twitter.com/ethan_wenz
Image Credit:
Personal Photo by Halie Parkinson.
All other images are my own.
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