Introduction
The profundities and oddities of Vivian Maier's life and work have been a great inspiration for those of us who have come to know her through her photographs. One of the most difficult challenges that an artist faces involves how to accommodate life’s basic needs while finding the time and means for the pursuit of making art. The brilliance of Vivian Maier's problem-solving abilities comes to light through her choice of occupation. Working as a nanny allowed her to solve not only life’s hierarchy of needs: food, clothing and shelter; it also provided a foundation for her to fulfill her personal need to take photographs.
Vivian Maier's way of life speaks to what all artists and individuals strive to achieve in one form or another: coming to terms with their personal sense of beauty through pursuit of one’s own purpose.
The profundities and oddities of Vivian Maier's life and work have been a great inspiration for those of us who have come to know her through her photographs. One of the most difficult challenges that an artist faces involves how to accommodate life’s basic needs while finding the time and means for the pursuit of making art. The brilliance of Vivian Maier's problem-solving abilities comes to light through her choice of occupation. Working as a nanny allowed her to solve not only life’s hierarchy of needs: food, clothing and shelter; it also provided a foundation for her to fulfill her personal need to take photographs.
Vivian Maier's way of life speaks to what all artists and individuals strive to achieve in one form or another: coming to terms with their personal sense of beauty through pursuit of one’s own purpose.
Like many great artists, Vivian Maier did just this. However, in her case, she did so without the support of family, friends or fellow artists. Through her own isolated efforts, Vivian Maier found her life's mission in photography, documenting her own sense of beauty (sometimes raw) in the images of people, places and things around her.
She incessantly prowled the city and suburban streets with her camera, day and night, locally and worldwide, in all types of weather (sometimes extreme). It certainly appears that her approach to art-making followed a “one-tenth inspiration, nine-tenths perspiration” recipe. Additionally, it seems appropriate that her choice of residency was Chicago, a city known for its no-nonsense, “big shoulders” work ethic. The melding of her work drive with an environment that rewards hard work helped Vivian Maier become the exceptional photographer that she is now posthumously recognized to be.
Through both her life and her images, Vivian Maier affords us an experience of elevation, a sense of what the human spirit can achieve through art. Her private determination has resulted in an abundant collection of contagiously inspirational photographs. Across gender, race, age, and occupation, she has inspired not only professional and amateur photographers, but painters, sculptors, designers, musicians, writers, and art lovers in general, among many others who have communicated their thoughts to us. Vivian Maier lives on as an inspiration for both present and future generations. As said by a 13-year-old aspiring photographer and admirer of Maier's work, "I feel like I'm standing right along side of her…"
She incessantly prowled the city and suburban streets with her camera, day and night, locally and worldwide, in all types of weather (sometimes extreme). It certainly appears that her approach to art-making followed a “one-tenth inspiration, nine-tenths perspiration” recipe. Additionally, it seems appropriate that her choice of residency was Chicago, a city known for its no-nonsense, “big shoulders” work ethic. The melding of her work drive with an environment that rewards hard work helped Vivian Maier become the exceptional photographer that she is now posthumously recognized to be.
Through both her life and her images, Vivian Maier affords us an experience of elevation, a sense of what the human spirit can achieve through art. Her private determination has resulted in an abundant collection of contagiously inspirational photographs. Across gender, race, age, and occupation, she has inspired not only professional and amateur photographers, but painters, sculptors, designers, musicians, writers, and art lovers in general, among many others who have communicated their thoughts to us. Vivian Maier lives on as an inspiration for both present and future generations. As said by a 13-year-old aspiring photographer and admirer of Maier's work, "I feel like I'm standing right along side of her…"