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Artist Profile: Koral Martin

Koral Martin

409 S Main Street
Carthage, MO 64836

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Bio:

Nature has always drawn me, mostly because of its inherent beauty, a beauty I see manifest in both the serenity of its order and the excitement of its chaos. Too, it possesses unending variety, is ever changing, and offers surprises, wonderful surprises, at every look, every step, along every path, and in every corner and crevice. When taking photographs I try to capture this beauty, variety, change, and surprise. Every work of nature, no matter how small, has a story to tell, a story that the casual observer may never see, never grasp. I try to make my photographs tell that story. I may spend hours walking just a short distance down a path, along a stream, or through a woods, examining at length everything from lichen and algae growing on a rotted log to pebbles lining a brook, unique reflections in the water, or saplings edging a stream, looking for the patterns, relationships, and interactions that are all around me, seeking to capture the line, form, light, color, and texture that are forever present in the works of nature. With my photography I try to draw observers in, so they feel they're part of the experience and are aware of and interested in the story. Shooting at unique angles and using macro and infrared photography are some of the ways I bring life and story to my images. On to more professional and technical things. I have a web and graphic design business and I love computers and the technical knowledge associated with them. And I've always had a camera in my hand. In the last ten years, as digital photography capabilities have advanced, I've been able to combine my love of computers and my technical knowledge with my photography. In my photography I utilize Canon's and Olympus' professional line of digital cameras and lenses and Epson's professional printers. I'm experienced in all aspects of digital photography, including digital capture, digital darkroom processing, color management, printing, and presentation of fine-art prints, which I do both for myself and for other area artists. I'm also an experienced web developer and graphic designer and the owner of Koka Art Gallery, where I sell my photographic artwork and the artwork of about thirty other artists. I sell my works, too, at art shows around the country, and I'm involved in the Joplin, Missouri Regional Artists Coalition and a member of the North American Nature Photography Association, The Society for the Arts in Healthcare, The Center for Health Design, Joplin Missouri's Spiva Center for the Arts and Carthage's Art Central. I received the contract for the artwork in the McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital in Carthage, Missouri. I feel strongly that there is healing in the beauty of nature, and I'm glad to be able, through my photography, to share that with all.