Visions from the Heart: KERRY BALL photographer\artist interview

Summer. Sun. Art.
I'm excited to share with you the talents of a local South Florida photographer\artist. Kerry Ball. Skylines and beaches inspire her work. graffiti and warm Miami nights. Visions from the heart.

Good Winter: what do you love about photography and collage?
kerry ball: i love being able to express myself in so many different and creative ways. i like using my photography to show people the way that i view the world. i like to show people a different way of seeing things, seeing every day objects, buildings, graffiti, and landscapes. what i love about making collages is being able to express my feelings and emotions. using a few bits of scrap paper, photographs and quotes, i am able to express my deepest feelings in a way that i feel people can relate to and understand.

GW: How did you get into making collages?
kb: i used to make digital collages in photoshop and one day i decided to try and recreate what i was doing digitally with actual paper and found objects, etc. and i really enjoyed it. i was instantly hooked and the rest is history.


GW: Tell us where you grew up and what you like about living in Miami?
kb: i grew up in south miami right in between the gables and kendall. i love the culture and diversity of miami. i also love the beach/ocean- the fact that i am no more than 20 minutes away from being able to watch a beautiful sunrise over the ocean any time i want is wonderful.

GW: What are some things that inspire you in and around South Florida?
kb: the city itself. the colors, sights, sounds. i love to get in my car and drive and get lost in the city. i love finding new things to photograph- graffiti, buildings, landscapes, people.

GW: what movie haven't you seen that almost everyone else has?
kb: casablanca! i have a hard time sitting through black and white movies!

GW: What makes you crazy?
kb: the price of polaroid film!

GW: what do you day dream about?
kb: living a relaxing life on a beach in hawaii.


GW: favorite photographers? painters?
kb: cindy sherman has always been a long time favorite photographer. her amazing variety of self portraits is very inspiring. i am also constantly inspired by fellow polaroid photographers (and flickr friends) like whitney johnson, lou o'bedlam, elizabeth soule robert reader, grant hamilton and sean tubridy. as for painters, i love stella im hultberg and audrey kawasaki. i also love the illustrations of danny brito, kris atomic and cassandra warren. i also have a huge appreciation for the work banksy does. i love the way he pushes the envelope.

GW: favorite books?
kb: aside from art & photography books, i love reading travel books. reading about different countries and the things other people have experienced inspires me to travel more.


GW: 4 favorite places in Miami?
kb: 22nd street beach on south beach- my favorite place to watch the sunrise; madroño restaurant- for when i need to satisfy my craving for nicaraguan food; walmart in kendall on 157th avenue- because it's always open and going there is always an adventure; wynwood- because it's the best place to find new, creative and amazing graffiti.

GW: tell us about the first tattoo you ever recieved and the last one up to now?
kb: my first one was a piece of flash that i hastily picked off the wall in the tattoo studio- a crappy cartoon looking sun. i got it the day i turned 18. it has since been covered up (along with my first 3 tattoos) for something bigger and better! the last tattoo i got was a replica of these graffiti hearts that have been popping up all over miami for the past two years. it's become an obsession of mine to find and photograph as many of the hearts as i can and in homage to both my love of graffiti and love of hearts, i got one of them tattooed on me about 2 months ago.


GW: What is currently on your music playlist?
kb: these days i've been listening to kanye west's 808 and heartbreaks almost non stop.

GW: describe winter in florida?
kb: winter in florida is perfect! breezy and in the low 70s or high 60s- you can't ask for better!

GW: most prized possession?
kb: my polaroid SLR 680 camera which sadly i dropped last month and broke. i have a backup but it's not as nice and in good condition as the one i broke. coming in second place would be ALL of my other cameras!

GW: what are some of your past halloween costumes?
kb: one year i was the clyde half of a bonnie & clyde duo costume. my sister was bonnie. i've also been a fairy, a ghost, a witch and smurfette!

GW: 4 things that you collect?
kb: antique/vintage skeleton keys; sea shells; vintage cameras; 5s (5 is my favorite number)

GW: whats your secret?
kb: always listen to your heart!

find links to Kerry's photos, art, and etsy shop at:
http://kerryball.com/