Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos
Bob Petersen

Bob Petersen’s work, a response to our natural surroundings, borrows from nature’s design, shapes and forms. Each subject inspires the decision to play with the balance of recognition and abstraction. But all his work has a single intention to uncover a dimension, a mood, a spirit, a frame of mind. Digital has taken the place of his origins with film, but he continues to bring his hand into the process. When a particular work has the need, usage of various papers, fabrics, framing and applied finishes are used to enhance the final work.

“Nature has a way of managing countless shapes and forms in a controlled fashion. My approach is a reduction of nature: to forms, moods and energy.”

“I look at my process as photographing ‘organized chaos’. Each piece of work has its own unique challenge, borrowing natures elements and transforming them into a palpable thing, a physical, textural presence to bring more to the piece than just the two-dimensional surface of the photograph. Forms, textures, color and support are inseparable: the paper adds a sense of depth and life to become the image, rather than just a conveyer or carrier for it.”

“I’m trying to uncover a dimension, a mood, a sensation, a state of mind within each work.”