Isa Leshko's artist statement

Love this photographer's work and artist statement.

Elderly Animals Artist Statement

I am traveling to sanctuaries across the country to photograph animals who are elderly or at the end stage of their lives. I began this series shortly after I had spent a year in New Jersey helping my sister care for our mom who had Alzheimer’s disease. The experience had a profound impact on me and forced me to confront my own mortality.

Many of the animals who were photographed for this project were reared on factory farms before they were placed into sanctuaries. Others were beloved pets who were well cared for since an early age. Some the animals in these images appear to be quite frail; others seem youthful despite their advanced ages.

Defining the age at which an animal is considered elderly is not always clear-cut. Modern factory farm animals have been genetically engineered to mature faster and grow considerably larger than heirloom breeds. For example, chickens are slaughtered when they are around 42 days old so a rescued factory farm chicken is considered geriatric at only a year old even though heritage chickens can live up to 8 years old.

In order to achieve a sense of intimacy in these portraits, I spend several hours with the animals I photograph and I try to visit them multiple times. Depending on the animal, I may spend an hour or so simply lying on the ground next to the creature before I take a single image. This approach helps the animal acclimate to my presence and it allows me to observe the animal without being focused on picture taking.

I am creating these photographs in order to take an unflinching look at aging and mortality. Both my maternal grandmother and my mom died from complications related to dementia. I am scared of developing Alzheimer’s disease and I get nervous whenever I lose my keys or forget a person’s name. Photographing geriatric animals enables me to immerse myself in my fear of growing old. I have come to realize that these images are self-portraits. Or at the very least, they are manifestations of my fears and hopes about what I will be like when I am old.

I also want my images to inspire greater empathy toward animals, particularly farm animals. It is very rare for a farm animal to actually live its full natural lifespan given that most of these animals experience brutality and death early in their lives. By depicting the beauty and dignity of these creatures in their later years, I want people to see farm animals in a new light and to challenge the way these animals are currently treated.

I am still traveling extensively to create new images for this project. I fund the project through sales of my fine art prints. Please contact one of my galleries for additional information on purchasing my work.

Shelter Staff

The Shelter Staff and volunteers at the Mid Rivers Adoption Center continue to amaze me with their compassionate care. They go well above the call of duty. Half the day they're on their hands and knees ministering to the animals-often with the threat of being bitten as they perform  necessary vaccinations and tests on a dog or cat that doesn't understand. The other half they're cleaning, feeding, assisting with surgeries and dealing with the public.
 It's amazing to watch the staff recuperate animals after surgeries,  reviving cats and dogs that have stopped breathing and at the same time they're tenderly holding up another that's heaving. The staff's medical skills are right on par with any top notch human medical/surgical teams I've witnessed over the years as a nurse.
I'm sure like most any other person in our society the staff works for a living out of necessity to pay their bills but their job performance behavior speaks to me of a passion and love for the animals that no amount of money could ever procure.

Working on Bio and presentation and artist statement

Why do animals affect me so profoundly,  I could never tell you where this innate emotion developed from. I just know I love them beyond description. They've given me companionship, listening to me for hours - never giving up a secret, loyalty, confidence, love, so many other things, its hard for me to list.

My body of work  expresses how animals have affected me, how they have touched the lives of others and to some extent how our actions effect their life.

I was born in the City of St Louis in 1955. Don’t remember 

being told I looked  like anybody, just a picture of my Father and Grandmother looking at me adoringly as an infant. 

Can’t remember a time as a child I didn’t fantasize about having a dog or horse. 

Had a cat once, used to lead it around on a leash like a dog. 

Once when I found a kitten it slept with me that night, the next day when I came home from school it was gone. I’m sure my dad had carted it off to nowhere good. Years ago when my mother was pregnant with my brother my dad took their cat to the vet and had it put down for fear it would be bad for the baby. 

Family visits to my grandmothers farm were a grand treat for they had a horse and dogs. Being allowed to ride in the woods for hours by myself was a dream. Then later I’d be romping with all their canines. 

My first job goals as a child were to be a horse trainer and jockey. Later I envisioned myself as a vet, that didn't pan out either but I did end up in the medical field.

Sitting in a high school class one day they asked if anybody liked working with animals. Next thing I knew I was a dog catcher for the city of Berkeley. The job was for the COE program I participated in at school. What an education I received about life. 

 I still remember the first dog I met, he came  to me willingly , sitting not in the truck cages but right beside me in the cab. Felt like I betrayed him with a promise of friendship.  

Had to put a dog down once, we were both in excruitiating pain. 

My first dog came to me when we both were adults. As the rest of my other canine friends have. 

My desire to help my four legged friends only increased as I aged. Once i rescued 10 beagles, 8 puppies and 2 adults. The babies spent time in my bathtub till they were adopted out by a rescue group.

Never did get my childhood dream of a horse but my daughters did. Bought them a beautiful palomino and off to the shows they went. Maybe I became a stage mother, living vigorously through them as they performed. They squashed my words of advice as they rode by me. Said I knew nothing. Maybe they were right, nurses don't get much schooling about horse shows. Best listen to the words of wisdom from the expert, the horse trainer.

 Wanting to give back to all the gentle souls who have touched my life I'd like to talk about the St Charles Pet Adoption Shelter. Please consider bringing an animal in to your life. The Pet Shelter just across the street has dogs, puppies, cats and kittens for adoption for a very reasonable price. This fee includes spaying/neutering, age appropriate vaccines and heart worm testing.
 In a short month the shelter will be overflowing with animals as puppy and kitten season begins. Sadly there won't be enough room for all our friends, some will be meeting their fate long before its their time.
Want make a difference in this life, you can, open your heart and home to one of the four legged creatures just across the ways. I'll say it just one more time ADOPT!!!

How to change eye color in an image with photoshop

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Book

Been trying to work on my book today but can't seem to pull it together. My jump start tatics haven't been working-a nap, eating  candy, bouncing ideas off of a friend, watching the animal planet, googling the animal-human bond and now I'm up to the drinking alcohol phase.
I think I'm stuck and won't be figuring anything out this day. Meeting with Kate on Tues for guidance and ideas.

Busy Days

I've been busy these past few days photographing a variety of subjects-babies, muscles  and food. What's my favorite, always people but that may change. Found the food kinda fun to photograph. Never thought I'd being saying those words. What was the most fun? Getting to eat the healthy food by Fit Flavors after I was done photographing it!