Kristina Trott – Artist Statement
I’ve lived in central Andover most of my life, and carried a camera much of the time since childhood, documenting everything from the ’54 hurricanes to blizzards to the many Shawsheen floods. It was only when I acquired a 35 mm Canon in the 60’s, though, that I could begin to do justice to the local birds, butterflies and wildflowers I’ve always loved and studied. Even better, since my switch to digital, all financial restraints are off, and I can and do shoot everything I find interesting! And I think there’s very little in the natural world that is not. (Most notably fungi, which I belatedly discovered around 5 years ago and have added to my compulsive ID searches, list-making, and photo documentation.)
Andover is not the town I grew up in, most conspicuously the area above the Center where too many newer homeowners have leveled the original residents’ lovingly tended flower gardens/pollinator sanctuaries in favor of chemically treated and commercially (and loudly) maintained turf deserts.(Not to mention one long-time resident’s home that was seized and demolished and their extensive gardens leveled for playing fields). In town butterfly species that used to number close to two dozen are down to 5 or 6, and those not at all numerous. Finding subjects for my lens these days requires ranging farther afield, although my own yard (a very conspicuous outlier) and that of one like-minded neighbor still offer welcome finds.
Fortunately, central Andover still offers much for the nature loving photographer, (mainly thanks to Phillips Academy’s benignly neglected bird sanctuary, and nearby conservation land) so I don’t need to range too far afield. In fact, everything in this exhibit, except the Holt Hill image, was taken within a half-hour walk of my house. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be living where I do.
In addition to my nature photography (which I offer for sale in the form of notecards and matted enlargements), I do a limited number of commissioned horse portraits in graphite, solicited mainly at Springfield Arabian shows in the spring and summer. Horses have been another lifelong passion, although I’ve never owned one; I’ve been drawing them from childhood. I have had pieces accepted twice for exhibit at the American Academy of Equine Art annual shows in Lexington, Kentucky.
