Check Out Naz Edwards’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Naz Edwards

Hi Naz, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story began as a performing artist. I’ve spent most of my life as an actress and singer—
from Broadway to tours, regional theatre, voice animation, and everything in between, and journeying from Philadelphia, to New York, to Toronto, then back to New York, and now here in Ann Arbor

In the past few years, I was trying to figure out a different way to express myself as a creative artist. I’d decided to stop performing, but had kept a full schedule of voice and acting students. So, I decided to cut back on teaching, which gave me time to find what I wanted to put my creative passion into. One day, a spark went off in my head: why not try to design wallpaper but with live flowers? The idea came from a desire I had to be a textile designer when I was younger. I dove in! I did some research, bought flowers and started photographing my creations. It was challenging, I wasn’t using a computer but rather laid my compositions out in front of me on a flat surface. It took hours to get it all where I wanted it to be, then shooting and finding my lighting balance was tricky and pollen was not my friend.

Eventually it worked out, but through this process something shifted. My photos started to have a completely different style. No longer wallpaper designs, they became art. I couldn’t believe what was happening! I shared them with my husband and two very creative friends. Their comments were so positive and supportive that I realized a new-found passion had found me. It took about a year before I put my work out to the public, but once I did, the positive comments fueled my creativity and helped me see what the audience was seeing and feeling through my photography.

I have to say it was pretty wild to jump in and commit to an altogether new journey, but the fulfillment and joy it brings me is amazing. I learn every day and it’s all new and fresh!

I’ve been showing my fine art photography in galleries, cafes, theatres, and rmost recently at the University of Michigan’s Power Center For The Performing Arts. All these venues are treasures, and with each one, I’ve grown and have found a new audience for my art.

My photography will always have a connection to my theatrical journey, and I hope you feel the magic I feel when these moments come to life in my photos.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
For me it’s been a pretty smooth journey. The part that was a bit challenging was just how and where to get my art seen. I reached out to the galleries and cafes: all places that have art hanging. I literally went around areas, stopped into places, and chatted with folks. I feel when people get to talk with an artist in person, there’s a human connection, and they don’t forget you. And of course I love to chat!

Now and then, I feel a bit of self-doubt pop up, but I don’t have time to let it control me. Honestly, when I look at how I’ve spent the “first act” of my life—auditioning, performing, and selling myself, this is, as they say, “buttah.”

I’ve always been a visual person. Everything hits me visually first—through the mind’s eye—and then I express it. Photography couldn’t be a more perfect creative art form for me.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

As a lifelong performing artist, I’ve always viewed the world through the lens of storytelling. My vivid imagination has unfailingly served as a guiding light towards breathing life into characters—infusing them with depth, complexity, and authenticity.

Transitioning into photography, I discovered the same theatricality permeated my work. The abundance of flowers and foliage that I gravitate to have become my muses, speaking to me in ways I never anticipated. From the dramatic lighting to the delicate arrangements, each picture tells a story of its own. Even at the end of their lives, these elegant flowers and plants serve as a poignant reminder of life’s transient nature and exquisite beauty.

My photographs are warm, moody, passionate, and intense—with a hint of humor and whimsy. Much like me! I invite you to immerse yourself in the visual stories that are intricately woven through my mind’s eye and discover the magic within.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
It’s been just a little over a year since I began my journey into fine art photography. At this moment, I’m trying to figure out many things. My steps are no longer baby steps, and I’m seeing where this could take me. For now, balancing the creative part and the business part are a bit of a juggling act.

So let me say that, in another year, I’m hoping to have a better grip on it all. I do, however, feel a more commercial pull for my art. It’s not completely clear as to what that might be, so we’ll see.

Pricing:

• Pricing depends on size and framing .

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nazedwardsphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazedwardsphotography/profilecard/?igsh=MWRyMmlxbHR6eW11NQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/153uQMha1d/?mibextid=wwXIfr