Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Locke
Hi Melody, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2007, a co-worker encouraged me to take a photography class at the Glassell School of Art, part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. It was then that I started my love affair with film photography and darkroom printing. Within a couple of years, I started using infrared film, and I loved the ethereal feel of the images. The thing about infrared photography is that you must use a tripod. In January 2015, I tore a ligament in my right hand, which required surgery, a cast, and all the fun therapy that goes with it. Not only would it have been challenging to handle the darkroom equipment, but toting the tripod would have also been unadvisable. Serendipitously, just a few months earlier, I was introduced to lumen printing, an alternative form of photography that doesn’t require a camera. I initially didn’t want to sacrifice my time with my infrared photography to experiment with lumen printing, but my circumstances had now presented me with time to try something new. I soon embraced the process, which has become my primary photographic process.
During a meeting of an arts organization in 2019, a guest speaker inspired me to take the leap to open a studio. I opened my studio in The Silos at Sawyer Yards in August 2019. I had an upstairs studio without elevator access, so my foot traffic was a bit limited. Just as things started to pick up, COVID hit, and the buildings in Sawyer Yards were shut off from the public. It was during that time of the mass exodus that I moved to Silver Street Studios, just across the parking lot. I’m very happy there, and it’s been a great place to show my traditional and alternative photographic works.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My struggles were similar to most small businesses that opened six months prior to the COVID shutdown, especially in a business that relies on disposable income. On the plus side, I was fortunate that I was able to move to a great location in a single-story building.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
When I greet visitors in my studio, most are surprised when I tell them that I also create photographs without a camera in addition to the black and white pictures I print by hand. This cameraless process is better known as lumen printing but is sometimes called solar or sun prints. The images are very ethereal and often don’t resemble the subject matter, generally flowers and leaves from trees. The reaction is similar among visitors, with the response being something like, “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this.”
I have been very pleased with my critical success. I’ve been juried into several local and international exhibitions.
What makes you happy?
In addition to my happy home with my husband and cat, I have three happy places–my studio, the Glassell darkroom, and the Houston SPCA. Every Wednesday morning I spend a couple of hours photographing dogs for their website. A companion animal’s intake photo is about as glamorous as a passport photo. I love helping dogs put their best paw forward!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://melodylocke.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodylockeart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelodyLockeArt
- Twitter: https://x.com/melocke
Image Credits
All photos are mine.
