"I'm Mari. I'm a visual artist and teacher based in New York. I got my training in photography from the Royal College of Art, London (with distinction), Columbia University, New York and the International Center of Photography, New York. I studied photography with a master teacher in New York which changed my life, and I welcomed the experience of being behind the camera as an active observer. When I'm out with my camera it feels like an interior world opens up and things have a way of slowing down. I love the quietude of it all. Everything is magnified by the parameters of the frame; you get to observe details that would otherwise pass you by, it's an engagement with looking. Photography is not exactly real life, it's something else which has its own magic to it.

It is this passion and love of photography that I bring to my teaching. I teach photography at Pratt Institute, New York. I have five years tutoring experience with students of all ages and levels of expertise, and it has been a pleasure to see the growth that my classes have facilitated in their work. Some students have gone on to study photography at top art schools, others have enjoyed learning about photography and honing their skills for personal pleasure. I like to think of the classroom as a working laboratory, departing from result-oriented goals in favor of process-oriented way of learning. I'm excited by what can happen in this sort of environment. My goal as a teacher is to help students develop a sense of agency in their practice and allow room for surprises. I approach my teaching with dedication and care for each individual student's journey and strive for my classes to be a deeply rich and rewarding experience for all." less...