Nan Stombaugh

My digital photography is a fusion of Surrrealistic images and Spiritality.

n Angels and Orbs, (2010-11)  I am investing the phenomena of ORBS, anomalies that occured while on a shooting expedition to NOLA this past summer--ghosts, energies, spirits.   

I am simultaneously working on a body of digital images ....Coming Home Coming Home (2010-12) will consist of 25-30 digital collages using appropriated images (in this case) my grandfather's 2-1/4 negatives and photographs taken while stationed in North Africa during WWII and subsequent return to rural Indiana (1940s-60s) where I grew up and my own digital photographs of  New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio. These collages will examine my own history and an opportunity for the audience to contemplate their history(ies), culture(s), and familie(s). 

In The Healing Collection, I incorporated my own photographs with appropriate ones --a juxtaposition of unexpected and at times humorous images to investigate the various aspects of my (our) lives that creates a seemingly seamless whole--  life purpose,  identity and spirituality-- issues I examined defined and redefined during a prolonged illness several year ago.  These image were a catharsis, a healing space for me as I returned to full health.  My work then is intended for the viewer to interrogate their own beliefs and assumptions creating a dialogue between the image and its audience.