Artist Biography
Madison Durfee grew up in the small ocean state of Rhode Island. With a background in graphic design, she discovered her passion was photography during a lesson on Photoshop in her high school graphics class. Madison is an accomplished portrait photographer, but she also enjoys photographing other content. Involved in the performing arts, Madison enjoys to sing and act whenever she gets the chance. Madison is an event photographer for the Visual and Performing Arts Center at Endicott College. She also works in the photo studio at Endicott College as the Photo Studio Manager and assists students and faculty with setting up the studio, taking photos, and renting equipment.
She has been recognized for her portrait and editing work in the 2019 SkillsUSA competition. An image from her portrait series titled Configuration placed second in the 2021 Endicott College Student Invitational and was exhibited in the Photographic Resource Center’s 2021 Student Exhibition at Panopticon Gallery. Her photograph titled Deep Sea Blue was exhibited in the 2022 Endicott College Visual and Performing Arts Center Student Exhibition where it won popular choice and was also exhibited at Panopticon Gallery as a part of the Photographic Resource Center’s 2022 Student Exhibition.
When Madison is not photographing, she enjoys spending time with her triplet sisters, other family and friends. She loves music and can always be caught listening to Ed Sheeran or Broadway music. Photography is one of Madison’s greatest passions and she uses it as a way to spread happiness, bring out the confidence in others, and share the world from her point of view. For her, photography is all about having fun, expressing yourself and trying new things. Madison is excited to have more amazing experiences and go on wonderful adventures, documenting them all with her camera.
Instagram:
@madison.noel.photography
Website:
madisonnoelphotography.myportfolio.com
Thesis Abstract
So much of our lives are shared today, but people still aren’t fully aware of what goes on behind the scenes. Life is difficult and scary, and those are the parts that we keep hidden from others. I started writing poems as a way to express my emotions. It had gotten to the point where writing my feelings down in a journal wasn’t enough, so I began to write poems in order to get what I needed to say off my chest. Never did I think I would share them with people, but the more I did, the more it freed me and the poems helped others too. It showed me that I am not alone in my feelings, and neither are you. If you relate, I hope you find some comfort in this work. Know that I have been there too, and so have others. The photographs are another way of personifying the emotions, thoughts, and mood of the poems. It’s a look into the lives of people and what is going on in our heads; what we don’t talk about. All of the images and poems are inspired from real life experiences that I’ve had. My thoughts. My emotions. My questions. My life. As freeing (and terrifying) as it is for me to share these, they continue to help me every day, and I hope they can help others too. Free yourself. Know it’s ok to not be ok. It is normal to feel emotions. Let yourself feel and let yourself heal. Thank you for letting me share this with you.