With twenty years of experience photographing the human landscape, Denise Keim is a visual narrator, an educator and now a videographer. Currently, Denise lives in Chicago. Her vision has led her to work in design, corporate, editorial and academic arenas. After working extensively throughout Eastern Europe as a Fulbright Scholar, she has a serious body of work that takes us on a striking visual journey and has us traversing the subtleties of the human condition. 

email dk@denisekeim.com
contact # 773-294-7699

All rights reserved © 2008 Denise Keim

All of the images on this site come from larger bodies of work which are available for purchase as archival processed limited edition fine art prints. Contact dk@denisekeim.com to see additional images and discuss collecting this work.

artist statement

This collection of images is a meditation on the human condition; these witnessed moments give form to my experiences and transcend the circumstances I encounter. I would be inclined to believe that these captured moments were purely serendipitous, if it weren’t for this common countenance of compassion that breathes life into my photographs. These sometimes-brief encounters, often with perfect strangers amidst seemingly adverse conditions, continue to question me, while confirming my instinct to capture them. The innate hope that people unveil for me, or that I glimpse on faces in those interstices of otherwise “ordinary” moments, have become the pulse of my art.

professional experience

2008
Platypus Workshop - digitaljournalist.org
Videographer production bootcamp with
Dirck Halstead and PF Bentley.
New Orleans, Louisiana

2008-2007
Instructor of Photojournalism
Harrington College of Design
Teaching photojournalism with digital and traditional photography.
Chicago, Illinois
FOTOfusion - an international meeting of photography and digital imaging. Del ray Beach, Florida

2006
FOTOfusion
Delray Beach, Florida
FOTOFEST - an international exchange of art and ideas. Houston, Texas

2005
Bucktown Arts Fest, Chicago
PhotoLucida, Portland, Oregon
A Conference of Portfolio Reviews
FOTOfusion, Palm Beach Photo Center, Florida
A Conference of Portfolio Reviews

2004
Instructor of Photography
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Taught traditional and digital photography
Spring Semester

2003
Photojournalist  
Commissioned to photograph a week in the life of Chicago, Illinois for America 24/7

2000-2003
Knowledge Worker
Accelerated Solutions Environment
CapGemini Ernst & Young
Facilitated workshops which utilize patented,  decision-making processes and innovative workspaces to enable organizations to make more efficient and effective business decisions.

1996-1999
Freelance Photographer
New York, New York

1999
Instructor of Photography
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Spring Semester. Taught traditional photography

1994-1995
Fulbright Scholar
Photographed throughout Poland and lectured at The Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow
Krakow, Poland
1993
Intern
Mary Ellen Mark, Photographer  New York, New York

exhibitions

2008
Portland Art Museum New on the Wall
Recent Photography Acquisitions
Portland, Oregon

2007
Blue Sky Gallery 27 photographs with lecture
Portland, Oregon
The Bucktown Arts Fest, Chicago, Illinois

2006
Carbon County Cultural Project
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
The Bucktown Arts Fest, Chicago, Illinois
The John Galt Gallery, Chicago, Illinois

2005
The 4th Street Photo Gallery "The Return of Malcolm X", New York, New York
The Bucktown Arts Fest, Chicago, Illinois

2003
Camp Heartland An Art Auction Benefit for children with AIDS Chicago, Illinois
2001
The Charleston Chicago, Illinois
Here Gallery "smile", New York, New York
The 4th Street Photo Gallery "Universal Bliss"
New York, New York

1998
Avenue A Gallery "The Fourth Show" New York, New York
Saba Gallery "The Catalog for Giving" Photo Auction, New York New York
1997
The 4th Street Photo Gallery "Poland and Vicinity", New York New York
1996
Barnes and Noble "Recent Work in Eastern Europe", Erie Pennsylvania
Erie Art Museum "Personal Visions: Photos from Eastern Europe" Erie, Pennsylvania
1995
Union of Polish Photographers Gallery  "An American Eye" Krakow, Poland
The Renkin Galeria  Krakow, Poland
1994
The 4th Street Photo Gallery "New Work" New York, New York
1993
Zoller Gallery Master of Fine Arts Exhibition, Penn State University Altoona, Pennsylvania
1992
Bayfront NATO Center for the Arts  "Between You and Me" Erie, Pennsylvania
Sheetz Gallery "Between You and Me" Penn State University Altoona, Pennsylvania
1991
Bayfront NATO Center for the Arts "Children know the way" Erie, PA
The Meadville Council on the Arts "Photo Invitational" Meadville, Pennsylvania

publications

2005
Los Angeles Times Magazine
TimeOut Chicago, Chicago, IL
photograph, New York, New York
2004
Illinois 24/7, DK Publishing
Kiplinger's Personal Finance
LeapFrog! The Ribbiting Tale
The Erie Art Museum
Lyric Poetry Review
2003
Kiplinger's Personal Finance
2001
The Chicago Reader
Erie Daily Times
GoFish! The Offishial Tale
The Erie Art Museum
Nieman Reports
1999
Contact Sheet
The Village Voice
1998
American Photo
Contact Sheet
Fotophile
The Village Voice
1997
Kit & Caboodle 3
MS. Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The Village Voice
The Washington Post

education

1993
MFA in Photography Pennsylvania State University
University Park, Pennsylvania
Study Abroad Summer Kosciuszko Foundation
Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
1992
Study Abroad Summer Pennsylvania State University
The House of Culture, Pueblo, Mexico
1986
BA in Photography University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
Friends of Photography Workshop
Marie Cosindas, Jim Goldberg, Yoseph Karsh, Greg Heisler, Carmel, California
1985
Study Abroad Summer University of Dayton, Rome and Florence, Italy