Artist Statement b. 1964, Syracuse, NYHooey grew up and currently resides in Connecticut but spends as much time aspossible in the mountains, especially during the winter months. A lifelongmultidisciplinary artist, Hooey Wilks now centers her work around photography andmixed media, with a particular focus on her Skier Series. Hooey's work has been exhibited nationally, and her images are part of private national, international and corporate collections including in the US, Canada, Europe, South America and Australia. Her work can be seen in person in several galleries in the US (mostly ski resort towns) or at her studio in New Canaan where she also keeps her collection of over 150 antiques toy skiers when she is not skiing with them. Specific to the Skier Series, over two decades ago, she bought her husband the first two antique toy skiers in what has now become an extensive collection of over 150 antique toy skiers from the dawn of skiing (1930's-40's) that she has used as the basis for the Skier Series. The work is shot at ski resorts, high in the mountains. Her use of framing, perspective and depth of field bring the toys to life while celebrating the beauty of the winter mountains. She is constantly exploring the landscape, examining the environment and the details that mimic what she is feeling on that day on the mountain, but on a smaller scale. She creates movement where none exists in both figurative and non-figurative work. All images are taken on site in the mountains and not photoshopped to appear on location. She is intentionally coy when asked where each image was shot. She hopes the photos conjure in the viewer the broad sense of joy you associate with skiing without tying into a single experience or place.