Catherine Hopkins Photography, About the Artist

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"I am most at home in wilderness.  I find my greatest solace and inspiration when surrounded by the wonders of nature." 

General Background

I find my greatest solace and inspiration when I am surrounded by the wonders of nature. Though raised in the urban Washington D.C. area, I was enthralled by the natural world from my earliest years. Soon I ventured away from urban areas to spend as much time as possible in nature and wilderness. I earned a Biology BS in 1997 and began working in environmental protection. I traded big city life for the very rural Missouri Ozarks where I spent 7 years living immersed in the natural world. Renovating and living very simply in an abandoned cabin in an idyllic spot in a 500 acre oak-hickory forest and incorporating organic gardening were wonderful medicine for my out-of-sorts soul. I am now living in a lovely home with my beloved life partner in the mountains of western North Carolina where I continue stay connected to the natural world that sustains my spirit. Photography helps me connect with the wonders of nature both in the moment of experience, and again later for remembering and then sharing with others.

My Photographic Journey

I began in earnest in 2002 after receiving the gift of a Nikon CoolPix990 digital camera from my Mom, focusing on nature and wilderness. I discovered great joy and inspiration that results when preserving images of what moves me visually -- usually the beauty of nature -- and also sharing this with others through the medium of photography. In 2003 I started showing my images publicly, beginning at the Harlin Missouri in West Plains, Missouri and at the Missouri State Fair, earning awards at both places. In 2004 I was juried as an artist member into the Missouri Artisans Association known as The Best of Missouri Hands. I created this website during the days of dial-up modems and have yet to update the images with larger versions. Since then my emphasis has been on making new photographs, and I have fallen many years behind on processing them and on adding them to this website. One of these days I hope to catch up!

The Photographs

I focus on subjects including: nature's diverse ecosystems and landscapes; nature's shapes, patterns and textures; plants, animals, and fungi; rock and ice formations; water features and reflections; and how different types and levels of light can seem to so alter both scene and subject. I seek to convey how a scene or subject impacts my spirit as well as my senses. I have been moved and honored that some of my images have been requested for hospice patients and for others who may crave the solace and inspiration of nature. At times my photos have been available for sale as note cards and prints. Some of my more recent photos not yet on this site have been featured in the Appalachian Mountain Photo Competition in Boone, NC. If a particular image speaks to you though feel free to email me at CathsNaturePhotos at yahoo dot com.