Chicago, IL fine artist Colleen Plumb #artistaday

'Daniel's Lions'

* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.

About Colleen

Coleen Plumb received an MFA in photography from Columbia College Chicago in 1999. Earlier, she studied visual communications at Northern Illinois University.

Her Animals are Outside Today series explores animals as resources that we consume and mythologize in equal measures. Despite our relationship with animals as symbols, argues Plumb, most people are shielded from them as living creatures that die and decay.

In the words of Henry Beston in a book much admired by Plumb: ‘They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.’

Her work has been exhibited across the United States.

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Colleen appears in the following Top 10 lists

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'Illinois'

'2011'

10 of 16 reactions displayed

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"The elephant appears to be fake-made out of plastic which goes to further her argument of people being shielded from them as living creatures etc.And while the contrast of colors&lighting are really good,I see a magnificent creature being exploited by circuses,people,etc.and while that makes this photo beautiful to me,it also holds a different meaning 4 me.It evokes sadness-part of it's beauty."

"I really enjoy most of her work but there were a few that came to be a little disappointing, such as the stuffed penguin in the museum. Maybe with a better angle, it could become up to par with the rest of the collection because the rest are very lovely."

"A democratic new Hampshire Repubilican, (once upon a time)."

"Photographic art, not merely a pictorial record of an event. Excellent handling of light in both images. Makes me wonder what is the story behind each one. Magnifique!"

"@Marianne Nelson, @TMS very well said - hats off.RABIN"

"Nice Photo, Well composed. Clouds in left top of picture leading into Elephant (Main subject). Elephant's legs leading down to the trailer and the trailer hitch along with the assist of some kind of a shadow or bush down slopping to the bottom right of the picture leading you out of the picture. Well done.Ray NYIP"

"Just a question. Was this taken with poarized light? It has that depth of color."

"This photographer is an artist; of that, I have no doubt. Her eye for composition, color and following through on a theme is impressively strong. I very much enjoyed the other offerings throughout her own website. The "Grids" project and black and white work offered new perspectives that were very much appreciated, but it is her color work that really jumps into both heart and mind. I had seen her Sleeping Lion print recently featured on the 20x200 Jan Bekman project site -- good, good work."

"i feel like its our using animals as circus pieces or props"

"its a giant elephant that is what it seems to be and it seems to be standing on a trailer"