Patterns in the Wild

Press Releae

Welcome to Patterns in the Wild, an exhibition that celebrates the intricate and mesmerizing designs found in the natural world. Here, the beauty of the untamed landscapes, the quiet rhythm of nature, and the complex systems that govern the wild are captured through the lens of contemporary photographers. Each image presents a unique perspective, whether it’s the delicate symmetry of a leaf, the chaotic energy of a storm, or the serene order of a distant mountain range. These works invite us to pause and look closer, to appreciate the often-overlooked patterns that sustain the environment around us.

The photographs you will experience here not only reflect nature's boundless creativity but also challenge us to see beyond the obvious. They remind us that every branch, every stone, every blade of grass carries a story—a visual narrative that is as captivating as it is essential to our understanding of the world. We hope this exhibition sparks a sense of wonder, admiration, and connection to the wild spaces that shape our planet.

Please take your time, engage with the works, and allow yourself to be drawn into the intricate patterns that surround us, both in the wild and within ourselves.

A Note from the Juror:

Thank you for allowing me to engage with such a powerful collection of images. I spent several days reviewing each submission multiple times, and a clear theme emerged in my selections.

My curation was guided by a central principle: a successful image transcends its subject. While each photograph contained a pattern, I was most captivated by those that used composition to masterfully capture and interpret it. I looked for the photographer's artistic intention—their ability to use framing, perspective, and focus to transform a rare or common sight into a singular, significant statement.

Many of the images that stood out implemented a full-frame approach, immersing the viewer in the intricate texture or repeating motif and creating a palpable rhythm and sense of presence. Ultimately, I was drawn to the photographs that celebrated not just the pattern itself, but the intentional arrangement and visual complexity behind it. The chosen images are not just about what patterns were observed, but what the artist did to elevate the subject and evoke a response, while enriching and enlightening us.

Jurying is inevitably a subjective task, and I want to acknowledge that compelling images were omitted with regret. I'm grateful to each of you who entered and shared your visions.

Wendi Schneider

First Place

Second Place

Karen Safer

LaRochelle Patterns

Playa del Rey, CA

I am a photographic artist, poet, native Angelino given camera & crayons at 3, exposed to California motifs, master’s art degree, career in design/architecture, 580+ exhibits, 500+ awards, traveled 233+ territories, born to scholarly-minded parents who encouraged art, education and world travel. I began taking pictures in youth, studied painting and developed black & white photos in college. A student of the universe from Assyria to Vermeer - Atget to Cindy Sherman; I embrace the everything, drink in color but venerate black and white. I am a “romantic soul” with intellectual cravings now living in a Digital World.

Honored with ReFocus, Exposure One, Julia Margaret Cameron, Spider, Botticelli Intern Prize, etc.; featured in Dodho, LENS, Women United, ArtForum, etc.; continue exhibits in Athens, Budapest, Barcelona, Paris, London, Glasgow, Rome, Dubai, Venice, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, etc. from California to NY, member of IAA-USA, LA Art Association, LA Center for Photography, LACMA, etc.

I say a photographer has the whole world big or small to capture.

Roger Archibald

Crop Circles

Quincy, MA

I like to think that my photography is simply an illustration of my life.
In the fifty years or so that I’ve been serious about it, I’ve pretty much always been accompanied by a camera wherever I go, now especially true in the era of mobile phone cameras.
I first became intrigued by the possibility in pictures as an enlisted sailor in the U.S. Navy assigned to an aircraft carrier serving in southeast Asia, then later during shore duty in Vietnam. Photographs seemed the best medium to explain to people back home what I was experiencing overseas, and also a means of creating visual notes that I could refer back to down the road.
Once out of the service, I pursued the same interest back in college on the GI Bill, where I served as photo editor of the student newspaper. Later on, during years of struggling to build freelance success, I worked nights in a photo lab developing and proofing film, while trying to land photo assignments during the day.
Eventually I came to realize that it was the things that I enjoyed most doing that I enjoyed most photographing, at which point I embarked on a bit more adventurous career serving with U.S, Govt. land management agencies as both a park ranger and a wildland firefighter, and then later as a seaman on seagoing sailing vessels.
I’ve tried to reflect that background in the choice of images I’m submitting here.

Mary Hogan

Frosted

Falls Mills, VA

I am a photographer and encaustic artist residing in Southwest Virginia. For almost 50 years, I’ve been capturing the world around me through my lens. While photography has always been a passionate hobby, retirement now allows me to fully dedicate myself to my art. My photographic journey began with black and white film, developing my own prints in the darkroom. I now work exclusively with digital photography and editing tools. To me, photography is all about conveying mood through light and texture.

Hao-Long Hsu

Pure Art On The Wall

Tainan, Taiwan

Lecturer/ Department of Spatial Design/ Kun Shan University/ Taiwan.

I majored in architecture at university, through the inspiration of professors, we have been trying to use the theory of emotion and art architecture to see how architecture can be as dynamic and emotional as art, can inspire people's hearts, touch people’s soul and stimulate imagination. Over the past 30 years, I have traveled to cities around the world to learn about beautiful art and architectural creations through travel. When I see scenes that surprise and move me,

Third Place

Honorable Mention

Director's Choice

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cover photo: Nily Harel

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Photo: Elizabeth Sanjuan