Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on February 20th, 1977, I quickly began to take interest in art, and have experimented with it in many ways since then.

myself, 2.5 years old

When I was younger, I worked primarily with sketches and colorings. By the time I was ten years old I had an easel and painted, and when I was twelve I entered a small school of art in Mechanicsburg where I used pastels and different pencils for the first time. While in art school I had also experimented with landscape and perspective styles.

Harrisburg, PA, June 2006.

During the next few years I added clay to my routine, and woodcarving as well. By the time I was fifteen I had studied architecture for more than a year, both structural and landscape, and was employed in the landscaping industry.

I am a graduate of Northern High School in Dillsburg, PA, where my interest in Digital Arts began in Graphic Arts class with Sterling Ort. It was here that I first worked with digital photography, scanners, PhotoShop and many of the tools that I still use today.

a surreal self portrait, July 2007

My graduation gift was a brand new Apple Macintosh computer, which I immediately began using extensively to further develop the skills I learned in Graphic Arts. I also learned HTML and developed my first website back in 1995. With HTML knowledge, I was now able to reach a worldwide audience to share my work, while incorporating imagery, photography, and video as well.

 My interest in photography did not begin to fully develop until 2003 when I acquired my first digital camera.  The ability to explore the capabilities of a camera without using a lot of excess film enabled me to refine the eye I was told that I had for photography.

My appreciation for nature and the serenity that can be found with in it was a major influence on my desire to regularly take pictures.  I enjoy being able to capture those moments so I can share them with others.  Those influences continue to drive me further.

myself, high above the San Rafael Swell in Utah, June 2006

Currently, my focus on photography is to demonstrate its use as a form of visual therapy while working to define that concept as well.  I hope to create the kinds of photographs that will enlighten people and brighten their days, displaying them anywhere they can be seen.

Although a lot of my time is spent in recent years with the photography, I've continued to experiment with everything I have learned over the years while always trying to further my education by exploring new areas.

an experiment trying to create a fractal of my eyes

My interest in video work will yield more projects in the future, and my desire to paint will get me back on a canvas again when time allows. Plans for the next year include further development of my web and internet skills as well.

I approach any project with a completely open frame of mind, art is something that I feel from on the inside and the end result of my work should reflect that. I don't follow many rules or traditional methods, and I view everything as a canvas, for I feel everywhere is an opportunity to create art.

I enjoy spending my time outside with nature, grounding myself with mother earth. I enjoy collecting quartz crystals and other healing stones and herbs.

I intend to become more and more self-sufficient over the years, it is my intention to produce all of the fruits, vegetables and herbs I can. I feel that in this day and age of our existence here on Earth that it is extremely vital to our survival that we take a look at just how much we all consume and throw away over the years and make more of an effort to reuse and recycle, as well as give back some of what we take by producing more of our own food.

I really enjoy music, festivals, and other types of gatherings of like minded individuals all who have the same kind of care and appreciation for this life and all we encounter here.

At the High Sierra music festival, Sierra Nevadas, CA, July 2005.

I tend to try and learn today as if I'll live forever, while living the day as if I'll die tomorrow.

My photography has been featured in Harrisburg Magazine, Friends of Midtown, the Articulture exhibit, the Yellow Wall Hall on several occasions, part of JPL productions "Live, work and play in Central PA", at the National Payroll Association Convention as a backdrop for a kiosk, in the Harrisburg newspaper, various other publications, exhibits, and displays in the past two years. I look forward to continued and increased representation of my photography efforts in the coming years as I am committed to being recognized for my work by many.

Much of my other work with digital arts can be found on various websites I've developed and still maintain over the years, such as the Bayou Bandits and WhiteBear Energies. A complete portfolio of my work can be found within this site in my photo, video, image and website galleries.

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thebayoubandits.net | whitebearenergies.net

Thank you all for your continued support and interest.

Stephen Conklin, Jr., August 2006 | ~ p i s c e a n )-( d e l u s i o n s

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