Born in Shenyang, China, Jessie Qu immigrated to the United States 15 years ago. Her formal training includes a degree from University of Liaoning, China and art training at both Pasadena City College in Los Angeles and Mission College in San Jose.

Although she earned a college degree from the University of Liaoning, China and has formal art training, it is her earlier work as an archeologist while still in China and her travels to 35 states in this country that have most fueled her deep appreciation for photography and natural world.

Her experiences as a cinematographer while running a media production company in the Bay Area, gave her an appreciation for the natural world. She appears very dedicated to the small rather insignificant and mundane views. With her camera they become more than just dramatic. The difference is that her eye and camera point to any significance in nature in an unusual manner. With this intrinsic ability to artfully document the small things we generally do not isolate. At the same time the adjusted composition allows her to alter the variations of a scene with simplicity and austerity of a Chinese painting.

Nature photography is more difficult than one may think. With the use of the new technology of the digital camera a talented photographer can edit the scene as originally observed, By means of Photoshop one can change colors, intensity, balance and composition, often so difficult to capture when on location or even in the darkroom. Jessie, however, uses natural composition and lighting when photographing outdoor scenes such as landscapes and flowers. At times she does use the “digital art” technique to compose some particular scenes as demonstrated in her new catalog.

As Jessie Qu continues to mature, one can see the obvious building blocks she has established. Her growth as a serious photographer can only be admired in the years to come, as she hones into our world of refined beauty that can not be see with our naked eye.

-- Shirley Dubnick, Director