2024 Artist: Daniela Stewart

As Arts Marathon artists we will send a different example of our creative process and work to everyone who sponsors us, five days per week during April. We invite our friends, family, colleagues and anyone else who cares about art and wants to support Bridge to Rutland’s important work to sponsor us. Together we will help welcome new Americans who, in turn, will add immeasurably to our communities.

Daniela‘s Arts Marathon Goal

Get ready to journey through some of the most stunning landscapes in the US and Canada, I've captured to date through the lens of my camera! From majestic mountains to tranquil seascapes, each photograph tells a unique story of the incredible beauty that surrounds us.

Daniela‘s Background

My connection to Bridge to Rutland came in a round-about way. A couple of years ago I was volunteering at a shelter in Nogales, Mexico when through a series of circumstances I met a family who was getting ready to be traveling to Tucson to "Casa Alitas," a shelter where I have been volunteering regularly. Imagine my surprise when I learned that they were then going to be continuing on to Vermont to be sponsored through Bridge to Rutland! I know how expensive it is for an organization to support asylum seekers and am honored to help Bridge to Rutland reach their goal. Last year I helped an incredibly talented artist, Luis Sotero, to participate in the Arts Marathon and this year I hope my photography will help raise a few extra funds.

From the moment I received a camera when I was about 7 yrs old (growing up in Germany) I was hooked on photography. Hearing the shutter click, capturing a moment, a gorgeous landscape, an artistic expression, something mundane or something extraordinary - I love recording it for my own pleasure and for eternity.

My pivotal moment from casual photographer in automatic mode to seriously obsessed with manual mode and "getting it right" happened a few years ago, as I was standing at Bryce Canyon in Utah. The lighting was perfect, the hoodoos were aglow and I was frustrated by not having the technical knowledge and a better camera to capture what was unfolding in front of me. That was the moment when I decided I needed to do a thorough and deep dive into how to photograph in manual mode. Every time I take out my camera I learn something new. It's been an incredibly rewarding journey.

Art Samples