Viviann Rose is a 61 year old artist living with cystic fibrosis in Utah. Fine art B&W photography enhanced by hand applied color is her medium of choice. Her body of artwork speaks for itself, although Viviann has plenty of life experience and many stories to share. As a fellow artist with CF as well, it was inspiring talking with her, hearing all that she has accomplished so far and viewing her stunning work. Each piece has a story that Viviann is more than overjoyed to share.  Viviann has chosen to donate several prints to the CFLF as a fundraiser. The CFLF will be hosting a silent auction for one month. The link for the auction will be posted as soon as it is live! Please take the time to enjoy all that Viviann has to share! If her work touches you as it did for me, please help us spread the word! Thank you and enjoy the interview ~Vicki

 

What originally got you into photography?

My father turned me on to art and especially photography when I was young. I think I was about 11 years old. He had the manual 2x2 Sawyer hand-held, waist level camera that he taught me how to use. We’d go into the laundry room, darkened at night, and he’d show me how to print proof sheets and pictures. That experience was followed by a Brownie Kodak Instamatic. So, I was hooked at a very young age. I didn’t admit that I was an artist and was leaning towards photography until my 3rd major at university. I went through 2 other majors until I landed in Fine Art with an emphasis on photography. I started painting photo surfaces when I was a Senior at the U of U in SLC  studying advertising and public relations. I carried that marketing knowledge with me into fine arts, intentionally developing my own style in photos and promoting my work. I first became acquainted with hand-colored images from looking through my parents wedding album; all of the pictures were taken in black and white except the picture of them cutting their wedding cake, which was colored by hand. It didn’t occur to me that my mother had done the coloring, but later I remember asking her, “How did they do that?” She told me she had colored it and about the technique. Also, I had signed up while taking Basic Photography where a photographer taught the art form so I had a hands-on experience coloring one of my own photos. Incidentally, I was incredibly shy growing up. While still at the U of U and studying Advertising, it was required that the student take at least one art class to prepare for working with the artists involved in creating artwork for advertising. I was reticent when it came to turning in my assignments because I feared rejection. Lucky for me the instructor gave me breathing room.  It wasn’t until the absolute last deadline that I slipped all the photos into an envelope and slipped it under all the others on the instructor’s desk. Wow, what a surprise it was to get that envelope back with an A+ and a handwritten comment: “You have a great eye and lots of talent!” That turned me around. I found the way to overcome shyness by using my camera as a way to approach people, etc. After that I rarely left home without my camera dangling from my neck. It was a way to really LOOK rather than just see! I was passionate about being a photographer and took a friend’s advice to move to Logan, Utah to study Fine Art photography. I never looked back. Rolleicord; again, a hand-held, waist-level 2 ¼ x 2 ¼ twin lens reflex camera; a manual camera popular in the mid-50’s.  It changed my world!  While studying at USU I met Ruth Bernhard (dear friend of Ansel Adams) who had a display in the museum on campus and who conducted a workshop on the ‘classic nude.’ I had the task of finding a willing model/subject and, thereby, was allowed to attend the workshop plus photograph her and her works while my twin sister interviewed Ruth for a newspaper feature (Vicki had a degree in Journalism). Back to the subject of technique: A woman in Chicago, Lucille Marshall, invented the technique in 1939 before color film existed. Color is applied with q-tips and cotton-balls. I am usually traditional in my application of Marshall photo oils. I use a fiber-base paper, which is archival; it is of museum quality and resistant to the rigors of aging or contamination like plastic RC papers. Once colored, it will withstand direct exposure to sunlight and seldom fades. It takes very bright sunlight to affect the transparent photo color that has been added. The originals are luminescent. They just have a shine to them because the paper that I actually use is surfaced with silver gelatin. The final result is so much more impressive than any color print, often surreal.

How do you choose your subject?

I gravitate to the essence of a thing or a person. I tend to like metaphoric and symbolic subjects that “speak” to a viewer. I attempt to capture the allure, the light, the shape and form of objects and re-convey it to give the viewer an emotional experience similar to mine when I made the image and chose the colors. I have captured a variety of subjects from environmental nudes to deteriorated or burnt buildings, to restored or remains of objects like vintage cars and motorcycles. I lean to the golden hour or last minutes of sunset to capture that glow if possible. I love to illustrate idioms or old sayings and beliefs. My images are my story. If each of them had text, I would be revealing my life as it unfolded. A book in the making, if you will.   

Has CF played a role in your artistic career?

No, not really (until lately) I don’t know if other Cystics are like this, but I came up with coping mechanisms. For example, if I was going to go out with my friends and knew I was going to have take enzymes, I would take them before I would go out. No one would ever see me taking them. When I coughed I would always excuse myself. It’s now to the point where CF has become so restrictive and the medical complications so stressful, I am unable to produce what I once did; i.e., lung capacity too low for the hiking and exploring, getting four treatments in daily to fend off worsening infections, etc. Most people in my hometown do remember my oldest sister who died when 14 from CF, then my twin passed away in 2012 with CF factoring in as a complication. Lately I’ve just stayed at home to avoid public and the throngs of tourists who come here. My immune system was further comprised with only one session of chemo after cancer surgery in 2010. Since then, it seems to be a domino effect with genetic disposition for this, that, and the other! This is not a pretty disease and it has changed my world dramatically since I took a nosedive 5 years ago. I still yearn to do some darkroom printing and paint again. Alas, all we can do is await the miracle cure, you know? CF factored into my decision to become an artist when I was taking a photography course in college. I distinctly remember setting up a ‘still life’ to photograph and made a conscious decision to commit to a career as a fine artist since I was well aware of the shortened lifespan that comes with the disease. Hard to believe I am now 61! I didn’t expect this. Go figure. But what great memories I had and finished artworks as a testament to my passion. And so much joy! This brought me joy. Being an artist hasn’t exactly been practical, but I knew that following my heart would be my greatest fulfillment. I wanted and needed to really feel like I was living and achieving my greatest potential. I was committed spiritually, emotionally and physically to my career and it had been a great pleasure.

What kind of support do you have around you?

My neighbors are great. They call and check on me now and then.  My nurse from the CF clinic calls and checks on me too. I now have this roommate, Michael, who has been very good friends with me for at least 8 years. He’s 71 and the one I turn to if I have an emergency. He watches out for me and is there for my 4 terriers and me. He shows me a huge amount of support in that regard. I don’t have much family nearby, nor are they involved regularly. I had my twin sister, Vicki, who was all I needed. The bond is indescribable and I miss her incredibly. I haven’t been myself since she succumbed to cancer at age 57. We were the twins. She was all I needed. She had married a bad guy and I married a bad guy. She and I divorced our bad guys within a year of each other and I moved in with her. That last year she lived was irreplaceable. 

Now you have us, The CFLF too.

Well, thanks! In therapy today, my therapist helped me set up Facebook, so once I’m up and running, I can connect with everyone and share stories.

Oh good, that’s so important. There are so many Cf’ers out there that are always online because were kind of isolated in a weird way. So it’s really good to be connected in that way.

I’m looking forward to that. That’s great, I need to have commiseration if you know what I mean. As far as I know there’s only 2 Cystics in town and they are in their 20’s and so I don’t know them I’m old enough, they could be my kids or grandkids!
The pharmacist who fills my prescriptions went to elementary, middle and high school with me, so she’s supportive and understanding.  I have a friend, Marcia, who suffers with highly aggressive rheumatoid arthritis.  We relate well medically; she is so well-versed in her condition and is always checking on me.  She is always wanting to feed me so I gain weight.  If only... My family was the first to have a child with the disease and it made an impact on the whole community when Cheryl died at 14 years old. My twin sister and I were born in Moab in 1954 during the uranium boom, that’s when all the mining was taking place and all that radiation going on in this valley. Can’t help but wonder if that type of exposure factored into the CF mutation, among others.  My parents were down-winders from the atomic bomb testing, but this uranium subject is political and a hotbed of taboos with the local population. I once had a larger family: an older sister, Vicki and me and a younger brother by 6 years.  He is a CF carrier, but we are not in touch, he has estranged himself from the family altogether.

It’s strange to have a disease that has such gradual irreversible deterioration. Some people don’t even recognize me because 5 years ago I looked completely different from how I do now. That’s after all the other complications kicked in. They all kicked in, including the less desirable effects of CF, after the cancer diagnosis. Like I said, it seems they just trigger each other. Just recently I was told that my bones are at high risk and that my skeletal structure is that of someone much older than my age. Malabsorption? Radiation?   

What do you pack in your suitcase for a hospital stay?

First of all, lots of underwear. a 2-week minimum stay with 3 IV antibiotics takes their toll!  I take my drug bag with me even though you can’t take your own medications. I never know if they are going to admit me or not, so I take them with me. And I’m never sure if I’ll be discharged in time to make the long drive home to Moab, so best to be prepared! I take my air compressor with my treatment nebulizers with me. I take a box of my art and my phone charger. Of course, I take my laptop and toiletries, comfy pants and slip on sneakers for the treadmill. When my roomie lived in SLC I’d bring along dog food and treats, plus their blankies. They let me have one dog at a time visit for the day, so I have a leash and take my most experienced terrier to stay weekends. She loves the hospital and all the attention she gets! Do they have you and other Cystics work out while in the hospital?

I request a bike in the hospital in NYC but they didn’t have one for me, in Denver they gave me one.

They give me a recumbent for exercise. Those guys are my fans, they bought some of my art. My last stay, I put artwork all over my walls. I was tired of pulling each print from the box with a show & tell, so I decorated the walls of my room with them. I sold $500 worth right off the walls. It made my room feel like an apartment, it was amazing to generate an income from a hospital room, and it was so much fun. I got to tell the stories about every piece that was hanging. I gifted the hospital with one piece, which I hope was framed and hung on the wall of the AIMB so the nurses and doctors could view it! I haven’t been back to the hospital so I don’t know. I also take my other artwork; laminated wild flowers. I gather wild flowers from the desert and laminate them to make a variety of useful objects like bookmarks, coasters, tabletop protection, etc. Or I’ll frame a ‘composition’ as part of my Desert Desserts series.

So you go to the hospital and you make money.

I did! As I left, they said, “Come back soon but don’t come back soon!” If you know what I mean. I love those people.

 

Why did you choose to reach out to CFLF to donate your work to?

I will tell you what I think the difference was between my identical twin and me. It’s that I was athletic and I worked out. It was a norm for me. I remember once trying to get her to work out with me but she just did not do exercise. I know the body functions best when there is regular exercise and I know it helps with higher energy levels, better gastrointestinal function and just all around longevity.  My twin was so mental and never pursued physical fitness, which I think had a lot to do with how quickly she went. She just didn’t have that drive to exercise. She did some hiking, but not regularly and she didn’t have the experience of increased stamina and improved lung function. She was starting to have heart problems. She wasn’t diligent with lung treatment or eating correctly. Not being cognizant of one’s body functions allows debilitating disease and infections take the upper hand, which happened to her. Cancer combined with Cystic Fibrosis and took her down. By the time she was diagnosed (4 months in the hospital), she had a month left.  The origin of her cancer never was determined. I believe spending all the time out in Nature hiking, climbing, swimming and being challenged by big rocks (not just climbing but basking in their heat) is what we are meant to do to live fully and thrive.

What’s one of your favorite spots to visit in Utah?

Arches National Park is my number one place. It was my “backyard” when I was young. It was still dirt road back then, now it’s visited by 4 million people annually and it’s all developed and paved. Once, before all the tourist activity, I actually did a workshop there with a group of amateur photographers from Japan. They flew in from Tokyo. I was hired to instruct a workshop for environmental nudes (we coined the name “Bodyscapes” from that experience); naturally, one of the sites I selected was in Arches. I didn’t think to ask permission. I grew up here and saw no reason to seek permission to take a group of photographers there so I didn’t ask. I had taken them up to this off-the-beaten path side canyon where I knew there was a little arch that the girls could climb up easily. It was all wonderful with a slope of sand below the arch. I had 3 girls positioned when along comes a ranger and sees 3 naked women atop and below the arch with 5 Japanese photographers shooting away.  He said, “May I ask what’s going on here?” and I said, “Well, we’re doing a workshop and it’s an off the main trail, not many people know about it and its’ unmarked.” He said well, ”We’ve never had to deal with this type of situation before but here’s what I’m going to do; I am going to remain at the beginning of the trail site and anyone who wants to come back there, I’ll let them know that there is sensitive photography taking place and they are welcome to join if they want to.” I agreed to this and soon there ended up being many tourists lined up behind me taking pictures. It was great! The year after that, you’re not going to believe this, Playboy magazine wanted to shoot nudes in Arches National Park. I’m thinking they read the little blurb written up in Outside Magazine and titled “Where the Buffo Roam.” Of course, after that, there was a big stir about nudity in national parks and Playboy was turned down! Similar situations have happened at other locations that I’ve known of and done nude photography. It’s after the fact that the government steps in and bans such activity. While I was growing up here in Moab, nudity was commonplace in the desert wild lands. Now everything is designated, labeled, and restricted. Moab has lost its local flavor. 

What would you say one of your greatest artistic accomplishments is?

It would be when I was invited to present at the first Moab Photo Symposium. I was so nervous. It was a basically a retrospective of my work up to that point in time. It was hard to narrow it down to a presentation that I felt I could speak about aloud and there’s no way I can just talk about my work for 45 minutes in front of 500 people. However, once I got on stage and began to tell my stories, oh my word, it felt like 5 minutes had passed and it was done and over. I got a standing ovation! I was like “Wow, this feels good, this feels really good!” Afterwards I showed a variety of coloring techniques to a group from the audience who wanted to learn. As my career progressed I began using other mediums on the B&W surface such as watercolor pencils and wax pencils along with the Marshall photo oils. On some tiny pictures I’ve actually colored with sharpies.

I look back now and realize how vast and varied my artwork is and how many exhibits and shows I’ve been in, not to mention all of the logistics of traveling to do outdoor shows. As my health declines, I am organizing the chaos it was and am about to get a website designed and start a small business selling my creations from home. I am proud of my accomplishments, yet there is always more to do! 

What would your advice be to CF’ers relating to your own journey with it?

Well, do your treatments. Be diligent and disciplined. Do the best you can with what you’ve been gifted with. I think about Cystics who have been doing this for 29 years and that in itself is amazing. Here I am only in my 5th year actually using a percussion vest, doing three different nebs and 4 treatments and I find myself thinking, “oh no, not another treatment, has it been 4 hours!” I can’t believe you guys have held in that long. Treatment is really the only way for your lungs. There are days of depression, frustration, yearning, irritation. Yes, I am beginning to feel worn out and have moments of ‘why try’. Then I get busy doing something, anything, to stay in motion and find some humor in how abysmal it all is. I want to give up more often every time I get sick or have to make that stressful trip to see the CF doctor 4 hours away. But here I am. I know normal and now I know abnormal. Medicine fascinates me now and my purpose is different now. I am blessed with my troop of terriers, cursed with restrictions, but illness has its purpose too. That’s where my attention is:  do what it takes to stay alive.  Be active but pace yourself. There is still so much more to know and right now Cystic Fibrosis is a focus of study, so there is hope.   

It just becomes second nature, its just like breathing, you don’t even think about it.
What kind of music do you listen to?

When I was painting I would play Enya, world music, Loreena McKenna, Bonnie Raitt, KD Lang, Stones, Doors, Beatles, Gypsy Kings, Moody Blues, acoustic music. I was a radio DJ at age 16 so I have a long list of favorites. I love all the old stuff!  For 6 years in my early 40’s I played Taiko drums with a team of women. Talk about use of energy and stamina!  Taiko drumming was a spiritual practice for me at the time. Painting is a spiritual practice and meditative. Weightlifting is meditative and good for the soul. What can I say? 

That must have been good for your lungs!

I was still quite healthy at the time I was playing and performing Taiko. That kept me in shape at many levels.  I remember my first exposure to a Taiko performance and it brought tears to my eyes. That’s when I knew I had to learn that discipline, which was so good for me! I don’t really know any new ones. I’ve heard music my friends play. I was married to a musician for 3 years (the bad guy). I got spoiled listening to live music. Listening to music isn’t something regular in my life. I learned how to fall asleep while I was listening through headphones as a DJ. I would put on one side of Moody Blues and wake up and flip it over and listen to the other side.

Do you have any advice for emerging artists trying to find their voice?

I did what I did the way I did because I didn’t want to go the way of galleries because it’s so limited. I wanted to see the world so I did the outdoor shows. So I handpicked the shows that I see according to where I wanted to visit. That, to me, was a great experience. Being in a booth off of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and having Charlton Heston standing in your booth looking at your work, that’s quite an amazing experience. Or Quinn Martin, a movie producer, buying some for his kids. Being in Sausalito and having Ruth Bernhard come in and sign something for you and say wow this beautiful work. And of course winning awards, in Orlando Disney world, I won judges best. I didn’t make a dime but I sure got some nice ribbons. In Pensacola, they handed me a winner’s check for $500 just for being there with my work. In Pensacola I showed up the morning after I set up my booth, and my booth was missing. So I looked around as these other artists were setting up their own booths around me, kind of ignoring me. I just kind of stood there, dumbfounded. I was the only person from the western states participating in this show on the east coast. Finally one of the artists just started laughing and I said “What’s going on, where’s my booth?” And she pointed up into a tree! They have little tiny tornados out there! So there it was up in the tree! She said, “We thought about taking it down for you but we first wanted to see how you’d react.” What a great experience!

Showing in museums where even your professors weren’t invited to show is pretty mind blowing. For emerging artists, I would say develop your unique style in your chosen medium, then find a patron. I lucked out by getting published.   I searched for a magazine that represented to me what I felt spiritually and I contacted them. They ran a three-page spread of my work and from that, a patron from Apple Computer Labs got in touch with me and showed me support for years. He’s the one that got me invited to exhibit at the Museum of European Art in Clarence, NY. Marketing is imperative. Finding your way in the arts has to be a passion and knowing to follow that little voice; do what makes your heart vibrate and pulse! I would still love to do a CD or album cover but I’m basically out of the game creating something new...it would have to come from my stock of images already finished. I’ve spoken with Moab’s local vineyard owner about doing wine labels using my art. I call this work-in-progress. How great that would be to see my images reproduced on wine bottles! I used to hang my work up in local restaurants just to get it out there and expose my name! I considered everything and it was all fulfilling. I’d like to believe there’s more to come! Listen to what occurs to you and don’t write it off because it hasn’t been done before.  If you can do it, then you can! Then do it.

 

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Eliot Porter, Ruth Bernard, George Tice, Emmett Gowin--these names are synonymous with the best in contemporary American photography. And they share another common thread: each has praised the work of artist/photographer ViviAnn Rose who has hand-painted numerous photographs throughout her career and exhibited in major shows from coast to coast. She is native to Moab, Utah; born there 61 years ago. She can be reached at viviannrose28@gmail.com with questions about her art and her life.