Dana West:  "My work is an exploration into the contemporary fabric of women stained by living.  I draw on personal life experience as both the artist and the subject in much of my work; growing up a “daddy’s girl” in a conservative family, becoming a mother at the age of seventeen, a domestic violence survivor, and the trauma of losing my mother suddenly to a car accident. My personal history mirrors that of other women faced daily with identity, religion, and cultural norms and expectations.

Work such as “Stand Up Straight” represents, in part, my relationship with my mother; her voice, in my head, even today, about how I should dress and act. “Stand up straight. Are you wearing a slip? Those shoes don’t match. Put your shoes on. Pretty is as pretty does.”

For more info about Dana West go to:http://www.danawestphoto.com/

Janet Milhomme: "In a world in which so many young women are denied the right to aspire to self-fulfillment beyond the obligations of home and family, and are even persecuted for their attempts at self-improvement, I find great beauty in the faces of those whose dreams and aspirations are written in their expressions.  In “Digging Deep,” a young actor bares her emotions during a stage rehearsal, and eschews the glamorous images in the head shots demanded by her Hollywood agent."

For more info about Janet Milhomme, go to:

http://www.janetmilhommephoto.com

Andrea Waxler: "Strength, power and fearlessness are the ingredients for taking on a wild mustang. Typically thought of as a job for cowboys, the Mustang Girl, a recent college graduate, has risen to the challenge. Dirt, sweat and practical clothing are the trappings that replace the “normal” face of feminine beauty. There is no make-up or jewelry or hairstyling involved.

This image captures the confidence and intensity of a young woman creating a special bond with a wild animal who is, essentially, her creative art form. Beauty and elegance come from the physical achievement of riding and the connection between horse and rider."

For more info about Andrea Waxler go to:

http://www.waxlerimagery.smugmug.com