Nick Shepard

Nick Shepard makes photographs that depict common objects, spaces, and subjects as he explores subtly varied ideas of commerce, value, and aesthetics. In his long-term project De bekende wereld (The Known World), he uses visual beauty, light effects, and naturalism informed by his deep knowledge of the Dutch masters to reexamine contemporary life in America. Nick has recently delved further into the complex relationship between digital manipulation and traditional mark making by creating images that reveal digital and physical interventions even as they continue to feature depict everyday objects. In these at-times-humorous images, he explores more openly the seamlessness of digital manipulation today, and the increasing difficulty in reading the ‘truth’ of any given image.

Nick grew up in New York City, and, after graduating with a degree in Studio Art and Art History from Carleton College in 2007, he earned his MFA in 2011 from the School of Visual Art. His work was featured in the 2016 Oregon Biennial Salon and in Photography Now 2015 at the Center for Photography at Woodstock. Nick is an Assistant Professor in Photography at Sacramento State University and a member of Axis Gallery.

Image credit: Audrey Daniel, A Ray Studio