Lyn Swett Miller
Artist Statement:
My work celebrates community and the transformational powers that surround us. Compost is my muse and metaphor and is where I go to make sense of the world. Photography enables me to share the beauty I see in our waste and the possibilities for joy embodied in the apparent mess. What started as a simple celebration of color evolved into a multi-year exploration of our compost heap. Pomegranates, apple peels and egg shells are so much more than mere kitchen scraps. For me, the colors, textures and shapes are simple celebrations of everyday beauty and the power of community.
My Compost Compositions carry a powerful message about the foods we eat and throw away, as well as about what it means to live in a healthy, democratic and diverse society. I think compost is like people and ideas, needing to be turned over once in a while, mixed up and mingled with others. There is power in the transformation of waste – – it gets me every time.
A percentage of proceeds from the sale of my photographs goes to organizations that promote a flourishing planet & society.
Work
Featured Work
Lyn Swett Miller
Apple Pie
$500.00
Lyn Swett Miller
Dryer Lint
$1000.00
Lyn Swett Miller
Grapefruit and Snow
$1000.00
Lyn Swett Miller
Mixed carbon
$2000.00
Lyn Swett Miller
Rhubarb
$1000.00
Lyn Swett Miller
Gorgeaous Garbage
About the Artist:
Swett was born in Brooklyn, New York, but moved to the Westchester suburbs in 1971, when she was five. During the past 50 years, she has lived in Massachusetts, Vermont, Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland. She has lived with her husband and two children in Hanover, NH since 2003.
Swett’s photography is inspired by the relationship between people and the planet. A lifelong activist, Swett has spent the past 15 years trying to figure out what it takes for a suburban family of four to live within the planet’s means. Surrounded by creative people her entire life, Swett has used her camera to document her family and community.
It was not until the election of 2016, however, that she committed to being a full time fine art photographer. Compost was her inspiration and has become her muse and the focus of her work. Swett has traveled to New York City, Hartford, CT, Detroit, MI and throughout the Upper Valley to document compost. In addition, she collects coffee grounds and other waste from Umpleby’s Cafe & Bakery in Hanover, NH.