What She Does: Laura Burlton is a photographer who does all the standard photographer things like weddings and portraits. She also produces startlingly original photographic art.
Her latest series is called "Dreams in Chalk," a co-production with her daughters and her daughters' friends. Burlton re-enacts fairy-tale settings using sidewalks and chalk drawings as backdrops and canvas. The idea grew out of family fairy-tale readings. Burlton shoots them with a primitive plastic toy camera and real film rather than digital. She's exhibited some of them in Houston, and other pieces hang in a New Orleans Magazine Street gallery.
Why She Likes It: "I like the fact that it is fairly instantaneous. I like to capture personalities and memories. I like that it is available to the masses. I also love sharing my work online and looking at others' work as well. I could spend all day looking at photos! Photography shows us so much about the world and the human condition. I love it as a pure art form and method of expression."
What Inspires Her: "I get my inspiration from my kids, books, fairy tales, movies, other artists and photographers, everything, really. Some photographers that I have really admired have been Keith Carter, Sarah Moon and Lewis Carroll. Recently I have really been digging the work of Kamil Vojner, Luis Gonzalez Palma, Lori Vrba and Kristamas Klousch as well, among many, many others. I have also studied under Amy Blakemore and Will Michels, both amazing local Houston photographers."
If Not This, Then What: Being obviously visually orientated and handy with art, Burlton would pursue painting or illustration if she wasn't a photographer.
If Not Here, Then Where: "Austin, New Orleans or somewhere in Florida close to one of their amazing clear blue water beaches. I would also greatly enjoy Amsterdam and London."
What's Next: Though she has a few more ideas in the works, Burlton plans to continue focusing on "Dreams in Chalk" for quite a while as it speaks deeply to her.
"My daughters (and occasionally friends) find themselves the subject of my fairy-tale world and I make them up to suit my inner vision's needs. One minute we may be interpreting a rather Grimm story, while the next we are trying to see the inner eye of a passing white rabbit. My chalk seems to have visions of its own and a need to help us create our own happily-ever-afters."
More Creatives for 2012 (In order of most recently published; click here for the full page).
David Peck, fashion designer Rebecca Udden, theater director Donae Cangelosi Chramosta, vintage designer handbag dealer Paul Fredric, author John Sparagana, photographer Damon Smith, musician and visual artist Geoff Winningham, photographer Johnathon Michael Espinoza, visual artist Jaemi Blair Loeb, conductor Katya Horner, photographer Johnathan Felton, artist Nicoletta Maranos, cosplayer Carol Simmons, hair stylist Joseph "JoeP" Palmore, actor, poet Greg Carter, director Kenn McLaughlin, theater director Justin Whitney, musician Antone Pham, tattoo artist Susie Silbert, crafts Lauralee Capelo, hair designer Marisol Monasterio, flamenco dancer Carmina Bell, promoter and DJ ReShonda Tate Billingsley, writer Kiki Lucas, choreographer and director J.J. Johnston, theater director Mary Margaret Hansen, artist Richard Tallent, photographer Viswa Subbaraman, opera director Emily Sloan, sculptor and performance artist Sonja Roesch, gallery owner Enrique Carreón-Robledo, conductor Sandy Ewen, musician Camella Clements, puppeteer Wade Wilson, gallery owner Magid Salmi, photographer Carl Williams, playwright