A native of England and an alumna of Maine Media Workshops, Cig Harvey is well established as a fine art photographer thanks in part to her three sold-out monographs, including You an Orchestra You a Bomb (Schilt Publishing, 2017). She is also the winner of the 2018 Prix Virginia, an international award for excellence among professional women photographers.
Harvey recently took another notable career step with the opening of her first solo museum show in the U.S., “Eating Flowers: Sensations of Cig Harvey,” at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art in Ogunquit, Maine. Having opened July 18, the exhibit continues through October 31.
In the meantime, Yankee caught up with Harvey, who lives and works in Rockport, Maine, for a quick Q&A.
Devin and the Fireflies, Rockland, Maine, 2011
Credit: Cig Harvey
Devin and the Fireflies, Rockland, Maine, 2011 Credit: Cig HarveyWhat’s your connection to New England?
I came to Maine in 1999 to study at Maine Media Workshops, and it was an instant love affair with the landscape. In many ways, Maine reminds me of where I grew up in Devon, in the southwest of England. I love cities, but I am not inspired to make work there. I need to be surrounded by nature to think and make. I love the ocean and the lakes of Maine. I walk in the woods every day. Photography makes me appreciate the world more, reminding me that it is beautiful.
How did you get into photography?
I started working in a community darkroom on Saturdays at the age of 13. I fell in love with the alchemy and magic of it all. I am still so in love with this medium. It never fails to surprise me. I make work about the everyday, and the everyday is always changing. There are always new things to see and witness.
What kind of equipment do you use?
Right now I use a gorgeous Fuji medium-format GFX-50R. I am hard on my equipment. I have changed camera systems and brands a number of times over the past 20 years. I think of cameras as an expensive pencil: It is nice to have a good one, but it’s what you have to say that is interesting.
What inspires you?
All of my work is about witnessing and elevating the everyday. I love telling visual stories with my camera. I am fascinated with time; as photographers it’s our currency. We use the shutter in often tiny increments of time (1/500, 1/250) to shine a light on the complicated business of being human.
To learn more about Cig Harvey or to see more of her work, go to cigharvey.com or @cig_harvey.
Maine Dreamscapes | Featured Photographer Cig Harvey
The Screen Door, Warren, Maine, 2013
Credit: Cig Harvey
The Screen Door, Warren, Maine, 2013 Credit: Cig Harvey
Scout in the Blizzard, 2017
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Credit: Cig Harvey
Scout in the Blizzard, 2017 Credit: Cig Harvey
The Pomegranate Seeds, Scout, 2012
Credit: Cig Harvey
The Pomegranate Seeds, Scout, 2012 Credit: Cig Harvey
The Orchard, 2012
Credit: Cig Harvey
The Orchard, 2012 Credit: Cig Harvey
Hannah in the Blizzard, 2017
Credit: Cig Harvey
Hannah in the Blizzard, 2017 Credit: Cig Harvey
Apple Tree in Winter, 2018
Credit: Cig Harvey
Apple Tree in Winter, 2018 Credit: Cig Harvey
The Pale Yellow Cadillac, Sadie, Portland, Maine, 2010
Credit: Cig Harvey
The Pale Yellow Cadillac, Sadie, Portland, Maine, 2010 Credit: Cig Harvey
Emily and the Falcon, Camden, Maine, 2018
Credit: Cig Harvey
Emily and the Falcon, Camden, Maine, 2018 Credit: Cig Harvey
The Cut Apple and Gingham Dress, Self Portrait, Clarks Island, Maine, 2003
Credit: Cig Harvey
The Cut Apple and Gingham Dress, Self-Portrait, Clark Island, Maine, 2003 Credit: Cig Harvey
Emie in the Truck, Rockport, Maine, 2008 Credit: Cig Harvey
The Goldfinch, 2014
Credit: Cig Harvey
The Goldfinch, 2014 Credit: Cig Harvey
Heather Marcus
Heather Marcus is the senior photo editor for Yankee. She works closely with the art director and contributing photographers to tell our stories about people and place in a compelling way. Living and growing up in New England, she continues to be inspired by the communities, the landscape, and the wonderful visual opportunities the region affords.
