BIO
Candace Biggerstaff was born in San Fernando Valley of Southern California. Her photography examines and documents intentional communities, nontraditional families, collectives, and circuses.
At 20, Candace joined the Circus Vargas and began a life-long passion of documenting life under the big top. She graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography while working in the Motion Picture industry for 27 years, at studios such as Paramount, Warner Brothers, Disney and CBS Radford.
In the last six years she has made her home in Ashland, Oregon. She is currently a member of BlueSky Galleries in Portland, Los Angeles Center of Photography, a member of Circus Historical Society, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Center for Fine arts Photography and is a Charter member of Women In Photography International.
Candace has been a member of Los Angeles Art Association, a member of The Lucie Foundation, and also resided as an “Artist in Residence,” at Studio Channel Islands Art Center, in Camarillo, California
She has exhibited widely including shows at Photo la, the Los Angeles Art Association, Studio Channel Islands Art Center, and G2 Gallery in Venice, CA. Candace lives and works in Ashland, Oregon.
ARTIST STATMENT
I was raised in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California, as the youngest of five children. When I was five my parents divorced, weekends were spent with my dad, weekdays with my mother and stepfather. I was exposed to contrasting lifestyles depending on whom I was with. By the time I was twelve I lived with my dad full time.
At the age of 12 my dad gave me my first camera. Growing up, I had conflicting ideas about what was a normal childhood. I began photographing others as a way to examine, through my camera for, what a conventional life and family looked like. I became a hidden observer.
When I was nineteen my father passed away and that included any stable family connection. I decided to join Circus Vargas with my soon to be husband, Bill. His father is a Circus Historian and collector, who was already traveling with Circus Vargas. My journey started as a whim, an escape. I traveled with the circus for almost two years.
Many years later, I started shooting circus programs for my father-in-law. At this time I had a family and husband, a career at motion picture studios such as Paramount, MGM, Warner Brothers and CBS. I battled my childhood traumas and emerged much more educated and focused with my camera. I reconnected on my journey with documenting the circus individuals and their families.
CV
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Los Angeles Valley College, Van Nuys, California 1973-1975
Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California 1993-1995 -
John C. Lewis, Fine Art Photographer
Paul Jonason, Architectural Photographer
Carol Henry, Apprentice Study -
2023 Photo Place Gallery, Vermont
Portraits : Self and Others Exhibition
Juror Elizabeth Avedon2023 A Smith Photographic Arts
Fine Art Limited Edition Exhibition Books
Johnson City , Texas
The Story Juror Kevin Smith2022 A Smith Photographic Arts, Johnson City, Texas
Exhibition Catalogue for the “Story “online exhibition from September 2 to October 15,
Kevin Tully was the Juror.
2022 Blue Sky Gallery, 122 NW 8th Ave, Portland Oregon
Connections Show, September,
2022 Los Angeles Center Of Photography
Members, Show Honorable Mention Culver City California
2022 Blue Sky Gallery, 122 NW 8th Ave, Portland Oregon
Pacific Northwest Flat-file Drawers April 2022-April 2023 Jurors Dru Donovon and Efrem Zelony-Mindell
2015 Circus Flora Black /White Art show, The Foundry
St Louis Missouri Juror Melissa Whitman
2014 Los Angeles Art Association, 825 Gallery, Open Show Hollywood, California
2014 Studio Chanel Islands Art Gallery, Camarillo, California
Bits and Pieces, Juror Arlene Mead
2013 PHOTO LA, Curator and featured photographer, Women in Photography International
2013 Los Angeles Art Association, 825 Gallery, Art Auction exhibition Hollywood, California
2013 Unlimited: Studio Chanel Islands Art Gallery, Camarillo, California
Juror Gary Lang
2013 Living in Ventura County, Ventura Government Center, Ventura, California
2012 It’s Magical, Women in Photography International, Honorable Mention, Juror, Jolene Hanson,
G2 Gallery,
2012 Women in Photography International, Annual Competition, Honorable Mention, Juror, Jean Ferro, Honorable Mention, Juror Susan Spiritus Gallery, Newport, Ca
2012 T4C Thank you for Creating- CLPROJECTS Los Angeles Downtown
Brit Week/London Olympics Exhibitor
2012 PHOTO LA, featured Photographer and Curator, Women in Photography International
2011 3rd place, The Dark Side, 1650 Gallery, Echo Park, California Night Shots
Juror 1650
2011 Floral Anthology, Honorable mention, Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo, Ca, Juror, Tony Askew,
2011 Shot Through the Heart: Third Place, Juror, Stephen Schafer, Studio Channel Islands Art Center,
Camarillo, Ca
2011 Show & Tell, Annual Membership Show, Second place, Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo, California
2011 Small Works, Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo, California
Juror, Susan Scott
2011 PHOTO LA, Women in Photography International Exhibitor
2010 Small Works, Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo, California
Juror, Arlene Mead,
2010 Fresh Air, Studio Channel Islands Art Center Gallery, Camarillo, California,
Juror, Tom McMillan,
2010 On Closer Inspection, Juror Claudia Pardo
2003 PHOTO LA Women in Photography International Exhibitor
2001 International Tea Time, Women in Photography International,
Juror Charlotte Cotton/MOCA -
2017 Yale / Beinecke LibraryWomen In Photography International _10 20x24 Silver Gelatin images archived into Yale University, New York
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2022 A Smith Photographic Arts, Johnson City, Texas
Exhibition Catalogue for the “Story “online exhibition from September 2 to October 15,
Kevin Tully was the Juror.
2022 Blue Sky Gallery, 122 NW 8th Ave, Portland Oregon
Pacific Northwest Flat-file Drawers April 2022-April 2023 Juror Dru Donavon,
Efrem Zelony-Mindell
2013 Curator, Women in Photography International PHOTO LA
2012 Curator, Women In Photography International PHOTO LA
2012 Honorable Mention, It’s Magical, Women in Photography International
2012 Honorable Mention, Annual Competition Women in Photography International
2011 Honorable Mentions, Floral Anthology, Studio Channel Islands Art Center,
2011 3rd Place, Shot through the Heart, Studio Channel Islands Art Center,
2011 2nd Place, Show & Tell, Studio Channel Islands Art Center,
2010 Honorable Mention, Small Works, Studio Channel Islands Art Center,
2000 ADDY Award, Ventura County Advertising Federation -
Circus Backyard - Long Term Project
Trailer Parks
Los Angeles Memories
The Cars We Grew up with -
Artist In Residence, Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo
Charter Member of Women in Photography International Member of Los Angeles Art Association, Los Angeles
Member of Lucie Foundation, Los Angeles, Ca
Los Angeles Center of Photography, Los Angeles, Ca
Member of BlueSky Gallery, Portland Oregon
Center For Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins Co.
Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver Co