MARILYNN “MIMI” MANN

FINE-ARTS PHOTOGRAPHER

 

            Marilynn “Mimi” Mann, a descendant of early-California settlers, was born and reared in Fresno, California, and graduated from the California State University, Fresno, with a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences. Following 28 years as a real estate broker and residential real estate appraiser, she embarked on a second career, as a fine-arts photographer, in 1998. She was a photographic hobbyist for many years before that.

            “I have always enjoyed photography,” says Mann. “Most recently I have been able to devote most of my time to this area. Photography has become a passion. It fulfills my need for a creative outlet.”

            Since her retirement from real estate, Mann has studied photography extensively in classrooms and workshops and directly with photographers of note. But more importantly, she is an active working photographer who is at ease using a 35mm camera, a medium format or the larger 4x5 format.

Mann’s recent photographs reflect the brilliant colors of “The Gates,” a public-art installation by Cristo and Jeanne-Claude, which she shot in February 2005 in New York City. She says, “Although most of my work has been black and white, I felt that I must photograph ‘The Gates’ in color to do them justice. The experience was breath taking.”

For the last few years, Mann has been a student in the photography program at Fresno City College.

She has attended specialized forums conducted by top-name photographers through the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park and West Coast Imaging in Oakhurst and at Asilomar, Pacific Grove. Other workshops in which she participated include “The Expressive Black and White Print” with John Sexton, “Lighting Techniques: Table Top Photography” with Don Cameron and “The Windows of Time: Arches National Park” with Steve Dzerigian.

Mann is a frequent traveler, and her portfolio contains pictures taken in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Africa, the French Polynesian Society Islands (Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea,) Hawaii and Alaska. Within California, she has concentrated on Yosemite and Death Valley. Her subjects range from animals to architecture, landscapes to still-life close-ups.

Mann is a member of the Spectrum Gallery in Fresno. Her work also has been exhibited at the Fresno Art Museum, Fresno City Hall, Ashcraft Gallery in Oakhurst, the Downtown Club in Fresno, the Kings Art Center in Hanford and various businesses. Juried shows include the Quady Winery Reveiller Art Exhibit and the Fresno fair. Her photos appear in the book “Fresno: Heartbeat of the Valley.”

The artist may be contacted at 559-261-1116 or at her e-mail address,  PhotosByM@aol.com

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