"I grew up in the vivid light and shadow of the Nevada desert and spent much of my career as an environmental writer.  In 2010, I turned to photography to deal with the emotional changes that occurred when both of my children left home. This exploration led to an interest in and passion for shooting black and white images of the desert landscape, particularly Pyramid Lake. 

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     Years later, I inherited a Native American basket collection from my Basque mother who grew up on a ranch in northern Nevada.  Her baskets contained 'found objects' such as bird feathers and small stones collected from daily walks out into the sagebrush near her home. These objects led me to an interest in color macro photography.

 

     The theme that runs throughout my work is the 'mountain behind the mountain,' which refers to the spiritual component of the physical world that is invisible to the naked eye. 

     

     I try to capture that world both through my lens and my writing."

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      Maria Davis Denzler  Reno, Nevada  Sept. 2022
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