ENTRY DESCRIPTION
My life experiences comprise both challenges and transitions ranging from managing my life partner's long-term medical care, leaving the corporate world, and entering the art world as a professional artist. A significant transition occurred later in life when I finally started to live my life as a transgender woman. The combination of these experiences not only allowed me to develop a unique set of skills that personalizes my artwork, but also reflects who I am—a confident, strong, compassionate, caring, and creative woman.

In 2011, the oyster mushroom captured my imagination because of its bizarre and varied shape, alien texture, and intricate detail. More recently, I expanded the range of mushroom images to include wild varieties, such as the lobster and pine mushrooms. The uniqueness of each mushroom provides me the opportunity to push my creativity allowing to tell a story with their poetic voice.

While it has been said that my mushroom images are reminiscent of Edward Weston's “Bell Pepper” series and that my photographic style echoes the Group f/64, the development of the unique set of skills allows me to personalize my images.

Working in the studio allows me to experiment and control the staging and lighting of the subject. Normally, I will create at least one image from the single mushroom cluster.

Rather than giving a separate title to each photograph, I number the images sequentially to allow the viewer to form their own interpretation of the photograph. The mushroom images are an ongoing series of silver gelatin prints.

AUTHOR
Contemporary fine art photographer Dale M Reid took charge of her destiny by making a commitment to herself and her life partner and soulmate.

Reid’s belief in herself has allowed her to chart a new course in life as a full-time professional artist and transgender woman. As Dale transitioned through her new life journey, she developed technical skills, questioned convention, trusted her instincts, and with her passion, was able to craft a distinctive artistic voice. Her artwork ranges from classical to sensual to erotic and engages the viewer to question what they see.

Owning who we are, respecting and trusting our character, and engaging people has allowed Dale to be accepted as a respected woman and professional artist.

Inspired by studying other photographers’ work and other art forms, her artwork has been compared to classical photographers such as Edward Weston, Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams, as well as to contemporary photographers such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Cindy Sherman.

In creating her artwork, Dale exclusively uses black & white film and traditional photography methods. She believes that the lack of color allows the viewer to focus on the variety of textures and the richness of interesting lines and shapes that engage in an elegant, visual synthesis in each photograph.

Today, her artwork is primarily created in the studio where she imbues botanical subjects with unimaginable personality and emotion. Working in the controlled studio environment has allowed Dale more flexibility to experiment with composition and lighting.

Dale’s artwork continues to be recognized internationally by juried art competitions resulting in group exhibitions, nominations and awards. This international exposure has earned Dale several invitations to participate in art fairs throughout North America, Europe and the Far East.

Dale M Reid is currently based in Toronto, Canada.

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