meet art wall artist: zee longenecker of heyzee

Zee Longenecker understands the timeless and ephemeral, and she's got the perfect eye for collecting these moments in her digital photos. There's something familiar about HeyZee that keeps me coming back. Today Zee will share a bit about the making of her work.

(AW) What's your favorite thing about photography?

(ZL) Photography is magic. I can "stop" time in a fraction of a second and keep that moment for an entire life. It allows me to be creative. I can play with light, colors, textures, patterns. I can capture an expression, a smile or a moment that won't be repeated. I love to see the results when I open files and there is something really nice that makes me smile. It's all about how I see things around me and sometimes how I would like to see them.

(AW) In your bio you mentioned that you won a point-and-shoot camera when you were thirteen--do you ever miss working with film?

(ZL) Sometimes I do, especially black and white film and for the quality of the images, but digital photography makes life easier for me. It would be nice if I had space to build a black and white lab at my house, just for the fun of it.(AW) Do you think that your childhood in Rio de Janeiro has an effect on your work today?

(ZL) I believe so. Brazilian culture is so diverse and rich. I grew up listening to samba, bossa nova, seeing all the colorful events like carnival (mardi gras) and the commemorations of Saint John, Peter and Antony, the entire month of June was too much fun for me. I had a bunch of friends in school and at the street where I lived and had my grandparents always around me. I love colors and a playful style. I guess it is part of my culture.

(AW) What's your creative process like?

(ZL) I don't really have plans. I just have fun. I am a curious person and I observe things around me alot. I like experimenting with my camera. Everything I do is simple, and when shooting indoors I like to use objects that I already have, like tea cups and toys, and I play with them and my camera to create something that I consider delightful for the eyes. I don't have a photo studio and I just take advantage of natural light. I do post-processing quite a bit, and I enjoy experimenting with different colors and texture layers. The results are what I am and what I like.

(AW) Who inspires you to make your work?

(ZL) Nature and my children. The Earth is so inspiring. It has so much to offer. I love springs and summers. I love bright days, warm light and being with my little boys. I am also inspired by objects I find interesting, especially the ones in the craft room!

(AW) And it seems you pay credit to all these things in your photos. Thanks for your time and thoughts, Zee!

Zee's piece, "The Sheep," is in the Nursery on ArtWall. Zee also curates a lovely blog (just brimming with her images and inspirations!) and Flickr photostream. Oh, and show a little support on her fan page too!