A rtist ’ s C orner
Editors Note: Christine Hauber was an Artist-In-Residence in 2017.
Her exhibit was entitled “Pause. Breath. Feel.”
By: Christine Hauber (www.christinehauber.com)
Photo: Resolute from “Pause. Breath. Feel.” Exhibit
The Mojave National Preserve
has a silent, unspoken beauty,
a simple beauty that requires
a mind at peace to see its true
essence. When I first arrived,
I was frazzled and feared I had
lost my passion for photography.
But, as I paused and breathed
in the clear desert morning, I
began to see my subjects emerge
around me. It was only then that
I could understand what was
before me. It was also then that
I began to reconnect with the
reason I became a photographer
in the first place.
More than twenty-five years ago, I received my first camera and set out to document the beauty
of the natural environment and to find ways to bring awareness to the importance of continued
environmental stewardships of our protected public lands. Somewhere along the way, my chaotic
surroundings interfered, and I found myself losing touch with my creative vision. I often felt as if I
was on the interstate of life, knowing I was missing something important. I found myself frustrated
with my fellow man and not knowing if I was brave enough to veer off into the unknown. I had
stifled my creativity by becoming consumed with trying to produce images for the public, chasing
that elusive carrot and wondering why I was feeling unfulfilled.
As the Mojave National Preserve Artist in Residence in 2017, I found what I needed at just the right
time. In the Mojave National Preserve, I
left my chaotic life behind and took the
time to pause, breathe, look, see, and feel
the desert pulsate around me. The calmness
led to quiet contemplation and opened my
eyes to an amazing and diverse landscape. Its
serenity seeped into my soul and centered
me.
Creating images that represent who I am
as a person was the key to my Artist in
Residence collection. My extended time
at Mojave NP allowed me to achieve the
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THE DESERT LIGHT
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May/Jun 2018
Wild