Charles Tatum II
Houston, TX
Artist's Website
Artist's Statement:
Charles Tatum II is the creator of the "Water Bearers" project for Houston\'s biannual photographic exhibition, FotoFest. The project, displayed in 2004, features 26 color images of models holding objects symbolizing the way we interact with water in our daily lives. It was installed at the alternative Third Ward art space Southmore House, and was his first major affiliation with a citywide artistic event.
A native of Chicago, this photographer holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He began his self-taught photographic craft in 1994 by taking pictures of the then-biannual Westheimer Street Festival, a major community outdoor event held in Houston's Montrose area. In 2000, he created a photo essay of the best pictures from his street festival collection, and entitled it "West Fest: Portrait of a Street Festival", which were displayed at two inner-Loop coffee bars in Montrose and The Heights.
He is generally attracted to outdoor festivals such as the previously mentioned Westheimer event, the annual Texas Renaissance Festival, and Austin's Last Splash on Lake Travis. A recurring theme in many of this photographer's images is the bare male midriff (navel and abdomen) as a focal point ? a nod to the sort of imagery common in much of today's fashion and fitness advertising.
Charles is also a talented web and graphic designer (he designed his own photography web site from scratch, and enjoys astrology and game shows as his other major passions. His long-term goals include publishing a collection of his artistic images and contracting as a photographer for commercial ad campaigns in the fields of fashion and fitness.
