THI LINH PHOTOGRAPHY

THI LINH WERNAU

Hello.  I'm Thi Linh Wernau (my first name is pronounced "T-Linh" or I go by "T" for short).  I'm an artist and photographer living in a beautiful seacoast village in Massachusetts by way of Chicago, New York and Boston.  I was always creative from a young age, but I only recently began to pursue art more fully in my own life.  I am interested in mixing portrait and documentary style photography to tell stories about the human spirit.  My work explores themes which unite "tribes" of people or themes which unite all of us, across our humanity.

I find joy in the art that is the journey of photography.  For this reason, I prefer alternative photography or non-traditional processes in photography.  I find it to be a more magical way to work because it is perfectly imperfect - just like all of us.  I think the joy is a little like a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg.  The process in getting to the surprise end is fun, enjoyable and should be savored. When you get to the end, the result may be exactly what you wanted, or it may surprise you, in a good or bad way. But no matter what the result, there is joy in the journey.

I am currently shooting with film and a plastic "toy" camera.  I am also in the early stages of my journey with wet plate collodion, where I experiment with a large format camera and a brass portrait lens from the 1800s.

I was formerly a little kid who started the early part of her life in a trailer park in the Chicago suburbs, and when I grew up, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to be.  I spent 7 years "playing" a Marine in high school and college ROTC at the University of Notre Dame.  I almost became a U.S. Marine Corps officer until a couple things in my life triggered a change of heart.  I spent two busy seasons as an auditor for the "Big Five" until I realized I needed more creativity in my work.  I switched careers and landed in the fast-paced, cutthroat world of advertising, where we spent many hours, days and nights dreaming and executing strategy, uncovering consumer insights and making some TV commercials.  I used my ad experience to pivot into the world of technology and mobile marketing, and I was able to rise through the ranks to become an executive in an industry largely dominated by men.

In 2012, I made a conscious choice to pursue a love I've had ever since taking my first black-and-white photography class many years ago. I want to be an artist because I have some things to say.  I want to be an artist because I know other people have things to say.  So, I plan to use photography as a vehicle for voice.  I want to create the kind of art that makes people think, weep and dance.  I want to create art that has a purpose.  I want to create art that gives back to others.  I am just getting started on this next path in my life, and I invite you to stay in touch with my journey. Say hello at TWERNAU@GMAIL.COM.