www.ambershields.com is a peek into my world. On this website you will find documentation of my life in the forms of photography and video installation. Self-exploratory in nature, my artwork is the product of viewing, analyzing and wrestling with components that make up my life: family, lovers, photography, places, and experiences.
I was born in Texas. My grandmother, mother and sister were the most predominate influences during my formative years. As a kid, I had a speech impediment which caused me to gravitate towards the visual world. I first discovered photography while attending Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana. I discovered my passion for video installation while earning a MFA from San Jose State University in California. I rounded out my exploratory years with a four-year stint in New York City – the best things coming from those grueling years being: unlimited access to William Eggleston’s archive and meeting my husband. Unable to adapt to the ways and weather of the North, I moved back to Texas to pursue a creative life and wear shorts in October. For the last few years, I have been working on completing a 15-year project on my grandmother entitled Visions of Johanne.
With my photography and video installations, I strive to document my personal explorations through life with honesty, sincerity and a bit of humor. I welcome opportunities for exhibition and space to create.