Today we’d like to introduce you to Tori Gagne.
Hi Tori, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I received a Kodak camera as a Christmas gift in 5th grade. I remember also loving art class and using the darkroom in middle school. My brother built a darkroom in our basement when I was 12. I loved watching prints develop; the photography classes in high school were something I enjoyed. I never did anything with my photography until later in life. I had started a small garden design and maintenance business with a high school friend when I was 18, intending to be just a summer job: it became a career until I had 3 children in my early thirties. I stayed home to raise them while getting highly involved in helping manage their alternative school through various volunteer positions and development work. I believe this background informed my eye for design, composition, and business. I returned to school and finished a BFA focusing on fine art photography. While finishing my degree, I went to a workshop on a whim at a wild horse sanctuary and was swept away by the beauty, wildness, and amazing story of the American mustang. ( I have always loved horses and animals and have a beloved 26-year-old rescued racehorse) I continue to photograph wild horses in the wild, at sanctuaries, and also spend time photographing domestic horses and creating images of the natural world. I have spent the last 12 years diligently focusing on my art.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are always struggles along the way. In the beginning, narrowing down your niche and style and finding your audience are important. Being an artist can be lonely, but I try to find a balance between making art and putting myself out in the world. Marketing and self-promotion are my biggest struggles as I do not enjoy that part of the art world as much. I enjoy speaking with people about my art when I get the opportunity, as it is more personal than social media and other marketing avenues. As an artist, you have to wear many hats. It is important to do the work and be persistent and positive.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I spend most of my time photographing wild horses in the United States herd management areas, mainly in our western states. The herds are protected by The 1971 Wild and Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act but are being decimated by our government in brutal helicopter roundups. They are taken off the range in favor of cattle and sheep who have cheap grazing rights on our public lands. They are then separated from their families and held in long-term holding or end up in slaughter auctions. I use the beauty of my art to advocate for a better solution to this inhumane practice. Plus, there is something very special and spiritual about standing in the high desert in complete silence, experiencing the vast US public lands, the land of our iconic wild horses. I love studying wild horse behavior as they live in families and have an interesting familial and social structure when living in the wild. This is what I am most known for and proud of. I am persistent in pursuing this passion that has gripped my work since I first saw a wild horse. I have an adventurous can-do spirit that pushes me daily to create my art.
Can you talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy?
We are being in nature and spending time with family and friends. Nature soothes our souls and makes us return to our digitally dominated lives with new perspectives and inspiration. Spending time with loved ones is also important and usually filled with laughter, and what can be happier than a good laugh?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.torigagnephotography.com
- Instagram: @torigagnephoto
