THE AMERICAN RESCUE ART GRANT / 2021-2022

THANK YOU IOWA ARTS COUNCIL FOR AWARDING ME A GRANT OF $5,000 TO CONTINUE MY PROJECT 

LOST IN THE MIDWEST

“These recovery grants represent a significant investment in Iowa’s creative workforce,” Iowa Arts Council Administrator David Schmitz said. “In addition to the grants awarded directly to artists, many arts organizations received support to hire or bring back artistic personnel, many of whom lost jobs, gigs and income during the pandemic.”

Lost in the Midwest will be exhibited in 2022/2023 (postponed bc of Covid) at the BORZELLO GALLERY, KNOX COLLEGE, Galesburg, IL.

"With an eye for the strange and beautiful, artist Sandra Dyas presents an immersive experience in her latest series of photographs documenting people and places in Lost in the Midwest, a visual diary of contemporary Midwest life embellished with a sense of nostalgia. Dyas looks closely at the Midwest’s cultural landscape and the complexity of living here, with the intent of showing what is present and what is slowly vanishing.

Dyas is an intense observer and often finds that she becomes fully absorbed by her subjects, lost in the places and the lives of the people in the images. Popping colors, timeless details, and sensitive portraits define her best known works in the exhibition. Presented with dozens of new images, Lost in the Midwest continues to grow and evolve over time while maintaining a palpable intimacy and familiarity." 

                                                    (from Dubuque Museum of Art publicity for Lost in the Midwest, 2018)

my eyes are not shut

my eyes are not shut by Sandra Louise Dyas | Make Your Own Book

Katy, Queen of Her Garden, Iowa City, Iowa 2011

LENSCRATCH is Aline Smithson's photography blog. Talented and well-known photographer Aline is also a blogger who helps to promote other photographers' work. She has regular calls (free) for photographs which she posts online. Today - January 1st, 2012 - is a new exhibition called YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH OF 2011.

The work is really exceptional. There are 5 individual parts - you can reach each part by going to the end of the blog and pressing "Older Posts". My fave photo is of my friend Katy Hoffer. I took it early this fall in Katy's garden. This photograph is part of my Lost in the Midwest series. The photo is in Aline's 3rd part of 5 parts.

Katie Roche and Stella

In early March 2011, Katie Roche and her daughter Stella agreed to work with me to make new portraits. I wanted to photograph Katie again...this time she was/is still....pregnant. The stark landscape in the backyard of their home in Iowa City became an important part of this portrait. Life is coming...it is nearly spring.... Portraits are always a collaboration for me. It was a brief shoot -- life moves so quickly -- I always feel very lucky I am invited into someone's home to make their portrait. Thank you Katie and Stella. New pictures to be included in my project called "Lost in the Midwest".

Francisco Antonio Romero, near Iowa City, Iowa

Francisco Antonio Romero agreed to have his portrait taken just a few weeks ago. Liz Preciado and I were outside of Iowa City doing a portrait shoot of Liz and I was struck by "Frankie's" (as he is called) presence. Frankie is originally from New Mexico and has been living near Iowa City for a few years I think.

Liz Preciado - Lost in the Midwest

I had the honor and fun of photographing LIZ PRECIADO last week. We have known each other for well over ten years. She is my newest participant in my project LOST in the MIDWEST.

LOST IN THE MIDWEST

In 2009, I started a new portrait project. Just recently I decided on a title for the work - Lost in the Midwest. This work is about the unknown. It is about finding oneself and at the same time, losing oneself. Rebecca Solnit writes in her book A Field Guide to Getting Lost that we should celebrate the unknown rather than fear it. Losing things, losing ourselves, is part of our human experience. Instead we want control over our lives and this severely limits discovery and knowledge.

The Midwest is often times overlooked or missed entirely. Geographically we are in-between. People from either coast tend to just fly over us. This body of work will explore the complexities of life in the Midwest. The portraits I am interested in making are one on one and collaborative. I do not have a fixed idea before I begin. There is my subject, the lighting and the environment. I go by feel. I do not have a road map. The elements must come together and inspire me to shoot the photograph.

More than anything I am fascinated with people. I want to convey something deeper about my subjects than mere documentation. It is my intent for this work to reveal a tiny bit of the unspoken, the poetic, the immense mystery of being human. Curiosity pushes me to ask permission to photograph someone. My camera gives me a certain license to go inside, to reach beyond the surface.

I made these portraits recently of Tom Caufield and his dog, Norman Judd. I am very happy with the photographs and Tom likes them too. What I like best is that I think we captured a real essence --something very beautiful and real -- about who Tom is and also about his relationship with Norman Judd. And it got me thinking about the people I am photographing....some have been Iowans since birth - like me - but many of my subjects/friends are people who have moved to Iowa or the Midwest and made it their home. They uprooted and transplanted themselves. They adapted to being midwesterners. More to think about...how this landscape forms and informs who we are and who we become.