The artistic journey is a deeply personal and evolving process, but it all starts with your initiative. Especially when you're just beginning, every step you take fuels your growth and opens new possibilities. Keep pushing forward, don’t wait for luck or for anyone to offer or give you some opportunities.

The best advice is to believe in what you do and not lose heart if the results don't arrive immediately. A lot of perseverance and willpower goes into this job.

Be authentic and do not be afraid to truly express yourself. This applies not only when you create art, but also in your way of being and living this life - that is your power. YOU are the creator of your life’s journey here, do not let others take away that power from you because of fear of what they think. Be authentic and raw in your art and way of living no matter what.

Congratulations to Alain Schroeder for earning his place as the 10th Edition Winner of the Boynes Artist Award! Photographers often speak about the birth of their career - the first time they picked up a camera; their first assignment, but restarting or reimagining a career decades later can be just as significant.

I would say my artwork is like myself, gently balanced between chaos and quiet, light and dark, and full of passion, anxiety, and questions. My favorite word to describe my work though is juicy! Whatever I am, I do not want to be watered down or thin. I crave lusciousness, intensity, and power.

Artists should try their best to practice and create in a quiet and peaceful environment. Art is not for showing off and fame, but for your own love for art itself. An artist's life is full of hardships and challenges. He must be able to endure hardships while maintaining optimism and endurance. It is crucial to have a lifelong learning attitude.

It ended up taking me a year to finish the series. I learned that creating doesn't need to be on a timeline. Even more importantly, I learned not to give up. Through creating and writing about the series I was able to process my grief that I didn't know I was still carrying so heavily. The series is the most rewarding art I have created. The feedback and connections I made from it will forever stay with me.

One piece of advice I wish I had known at the start of my career is the importance of perseverance and resilience. It's essential to never give up on your artistic journey, even when faced with challenge…

One piece of advice I wish I had known at the start of my career is the importance of perseverance and resilience. It's essential to never give up on your artistic journey, even when faced with challenges or setbacks. There may be moments of self-imposed pressure or societal expectations that tempt you to quit, but remember to stay steadfast in your passion.

Stay true to your vision and persistent in your practice. Embrace the ebb and flow of creativity with patience, and always keep the dialogue between your art and audience open.

Never stop being curious, observe, don’t be shy, talk to people, study the masterpieces of classic photographers as well as those of today, be open minded, do experience, and remember they can be positive or negative, but both are useful.

Truth. Always truth. And beauty. Beauty - not as superficial or pretty or hollow or vapid. My definition of beauty entails truth, wellness, learning, growth, collaboration and love as an essential way of “being” in the world. Art and beauty saves lives - I believe this. Art celebrates life and shows us the way. Artists light the path for others through their art with their own internal lantern. I hope to communicate all of this through my art.

Photography is an ongoing learning process. One significant lesson was understanding that failure is intrinsic to growth. Embracing mistakes and continuous practice are crucial for improvement.

I think I would advise that if your goal is to pursue art professionally don’t rely on motivation or inspiration to strike to start making art. Motivation is volatile and unreliable. Like any profession, it requires a level of discipline that will help you in the long run and give you good work ethic habits.

Do what you love. Every single day. Don’t allow social media, others, or yourself to dictate the passion that you have burning within. Did you know that you have a superpower? You’re literally able to create something that never existed in the world, until you made it! How awesome is that? And no one else, no matter how hard they try, can replicate it, because they aren’t you.

My subjects have included urban scenes in New York, Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans, but I still prefer the sedate, yet captivating, landscapes of the Midwest. Rural compositions of rolling hills, farmlands, red barns, and the like characterize my earliest unique style. I'm particularly fond of the symmetry and beauty of buildings and other structures, both urban and rural. In recent years my work has taken on new and unique personalities with more vibrant colors, symmetry, and compelling presentation.

It is a sequential work, the first piece having the subject sit in front of a mirror - feeling that first loss of sense of self identity. Moving on to the subject in front of the window - here she is putting up a front to the world, trying to go about her life normally. Lastly, we have the subject trying to break out of the relationship.

Never underestimate your value as an artist and the good you are contributing to the world. You are serving others by uplifting their spirits, transporting them into the present moment, and inspiring a better world through the light of your self-expression. Never give up, stay committed, and acknowledge your achievements along the way, no matter how large.

Never underestimate your value as an artist and the good you are contributing to the world. You are serving others by uplifting their spirits, transporting them into the present moment, and inspiring a better world through the light of your self-expression. Never give up, stay committed, and acknowledge your achievements along the way, no matter how large or small.

Learn from acknowledged artists as well as from your fellow artists. Keep practicing. Learn from your mistakes. Accept mistakes as steps to improvement. And most of all enjoy what you do.