Michaela Gaffke / Winonan
Award-winning photographer Joyce Meyer is displaying her work in the Ben Miller Lobby at the Page Theatre on St. Mary’s University’s campus. The gallery’s reception was Saturday, Jan. 9, and Meyer’s works are on display until Feb. 14 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday.
A total of 10 pieces of her work are on display; nine of them are featured on wrap-around canvas and the 10th piece is printed on a metal sheet displayed on a table.
“I chose to put my work on wrap-around canvas because it gives it more of a 3D quality, so you can imagine you are there,” Meyer said.
Meyer’s work has been featured on nine national magazine covers. She has also been in other state and national publications, billboards and on television photography shows.
Her work can also be found on the cover of The Voice for Health, Inspire(d) Magazine, Country Magazine, Country Extra, Birds and Blooms, Backyard Living, Iowa Gardening and many others.
The pieces displayed in the Page Theatre are all of scenes related to nature.
“I’m particularly drawn to light and water, and felt this collection best represented my work,” Meyer said.
Meyer said she uses her work to capture the beauty of the nature we live in.
“Nature inspires me. It is good for the soul,” Meyer said. “To be immersed in the quiet of the woods or sitting by the lake reflecting rejuvenates me. And I hope by capturing that feeling and putting it on canvas that others can take that feeling with them, hang it in their office, home or a spa-like place to release their tension as they look up into that ‘window’ and imagine being there, and help calm themselves from the hectic life many of us lead.”
Meyer said many of the works were done in HDR, high dynamic range, where she took multiple camera shots with different settings. She then merged the photos together, which gives the photo more detail and brightness than just a regular digital photo.
She wants her work to take viewers on a journey through nature, and help them take in the beauty of the Midwest.
Meyer’s photography started as a hobby and turned into a career. She ended up changing careers from a high school librarian to a writer, photojournalist and nature photographer.
“I never imagined someday I would be seeing my work in national magazines, I was just driven to record and share the everyday beauty that surrounds us,” Meyer said.
“The chance to record a special moment in time, the challenge of waiting for the perfect light, and being able to record the many moods of Mother Nature is why I chose the art of photography. Every day is exciting, filled with new experiences, exploring our world and trying to capture it,” Meyer said.
To view Meyer’s work, visit her website at http://joycemeyer.me/ or visit the gallery that is open until Feb. 14 in the Ben Miller Lobby.
