Lucy Mueller is an Advanced Practice Nurse, an avid gardener and photographer. She holds two Bachelor's degrees from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, and a Master’s degree in geriatric nursing. Her journey as a photographer dates back to the early 90’s with shows at the now defunct BopShop and the Empty Bottle (both music venues in Chicago.).

Her first focus was erotica and the BD/SM community. Influenced by the groundbreaking photographer Cindy Sherman, her early works focused on figurative work and study of identity. Her black and white infrared photography was shown in a solo show, and as part of a performance piece at the Leather Rose Gallery. This work could also be seen  at  CreativeFilth's on-line gallery. During this time she also worked with alternative processes-- such as liquid photo emulsion on glass and china.

Moving away from black and white photography, Lucy through years of experimentation, has created a new dialogue using color photography. After her daughter was born, her work shifted focus—children, dolls, toys and American kitsch and roadside attractions captivated her.

Her work has been featured at the Evanston Art Center and University of Illinois in solo shows. In 2008, Lucy was awarded a CAAP Grant. She has been featured in shows at Beloit College, Rayko Gallery and 33Collective Gallery and in TimeOut magazine. She recently transitioned to digital photography and has won several prizes in regional exhibits and contests. She has evolved in her career as a curator and is active with the “Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival”, a showcase where juried artists are shown in  temporary galleries along Chicago’s Milwaukee Avenue in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.

Lucy's photography has been  featured at  Coalition Gallery, 2010 W. Pierce Street (in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago),during the 2009-2010 season.  (Coalition Gallery is a cooperative gallery of the Chicago Artists' Coalition which features juried artists who represent a diversity of media, subject and working styles.)

It is often said that that a photographer's work changes as his or her camera changes.  Lucy's recent digital work "Psyche" focuses on the mind and it's conscious and unconscious processes.

Artist Statement

Inanimate Lives Portfolio

I try to capture and preserve the character and uniqueness of the American streetscape and environment. Storefronts, roadside attractions and “mom and pop” Americana appeal to me. These settings  provide the backdrop for the ironic, quirky or uncomfortable juxtapositions of everyday objects that I explore with my camera. I have found a kindred spirit in Jem Cohen and his film Lost Book Found, which incorporates the forgotten places of New York streets. I also admire the color photographer William Eggleston, who found beauty and color in everyday objects. I often photograph abandoned or discarded objects and am interested in lonely or (unintentionally) amusing scenes. Dolls, toys and statues, although inanimate, can seem to inhabit their own unique world. I come across my subjects during my daily travels. Capturing these images is a spontaneous process and I do not set up the scenes I record. I often use saturated color, selective focus, and wide-angle lenses to distort space and perspective.

My photographs are color chromogenic (darkroom) and archival digital prints which range from 8x10” to 17x22” in size. Most prints are 16x20” in size.