Last semester, photographer Devon Riley completed her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts program with a double minor in graphic and visual arts. Riley grew up in Chilliwack, B.C., and after graduating high school, she didn’t know what she wanted to study. However, Riley knew that she liked art. She credits UFV for allowing her to pursue various interests like painting, graphic design and video production, ultimately leading her to the world of film photography.
It’s clear that Riley is an artist with many dimensions; she makes collages from vintage magazines that she collects. Some of her collages are pictures of space and people from the sixties. Riley also uses flowers in her photography, which shows the romanticism in her artwork. She explains that it was an art history course, which focused on 18th century romanticism, that inspired her to use this concept in her photography. According to Riley, “it is haunting, but beautiful and sublime.”
Riley found her artistic style in her third year of university, and started experimenting using double exposure. In the Dream Series, Riley takes a black and white photo of UFV photographer Cobi Timmermans in double exposure. In doing so, she creates the illusion that Timmermans is entering different realms in a dream world that is peaceful and nightmarish.
Riley takes her inspiration from artists like Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol, whose strong use of color, screen printing, and film stills have made a strong impression on Riley’s work. In a world that mainly emphasizes the importance of studying science or business, Riley explains that she stays motivated because of the joy that photography brings her and the excitement of leaving interesting results up to chance. As a photographer, she firmly believes that art has a place in society.
“[In] all the major movements throughout history, art reflects back what happened in that time; it is an important tool to use to see how people were thinking at the time.”
Her advice to art lovers is to use their own imagination in their life and look for art everywhere and think in new ways.
“Success looks different for everyone, and as long as you enjoy what you’re doing and get something out of it that is positive, growing, learning, taking in everything, and changing your ways of thinking as you go.”
So, what’s next for this romantic, intergalactic, and sixties-loving photographer? Riley is making another art series and would like to show her work in exhibitions. Finally, she hopes to end her academic journey by completing a master’s in Fine Arts.
Photos courtesy of Devon Riley
