“Photography captures a moment of light, but the image reveals moments of the past.”· · ·
At 13 years old I won my first photographic award. It was of a Scottish Highland cow standing in the ruins of a cottage. Some 20 years later I was able to apply that vision. Now I travel as often as I can with my camera. Prior to any trip I learn as much as possible about the past and present of areas that I explore. As many before me, I want to capture a bit of the past mixed with the present. Continually my eyes and camera are drawn to the beautiful marks that we have left behind. My main subject matter centers on architecture and its character. Places that humans have created with their hands carry their spirits. With my camera I search for them.
I have spent the past 7 years learning the craft of hand printing black and white images in the darkroom. Each image is given individual attention to bring out its unique qualities. It gives me so much pleasure to watch the photo reveal itself under the red light.
· · ·Obituary
Susan Lindgren-Nikel of Sacramento, California passed away Sunday, June 28, 2009 at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco after a valiant battle with leukemia. She was 49. She chose love and optimism to the end and left this life peacefully while surrounded by family and friends.
An avid photographer and savvy businesswoman, her talents were many, but Susan's true gifts were connecting with people and celebrating life. Her parting message was live big, love better.
Born Oct. 23, 1959, in Columbus, Ohio, to Patricia Kelley and William August Lindgren Sr., she was the fifth of seven children. The family lived in Long Island, New Jersey, and Maryland, and Susan liked to say she grew up in the "Mid-Atlantic region." She attended Hood College in Maryland, graduating with a BA degree in management in 1983. While working for her father's business she met Rainer Nikel, an electro-mechanical engineer from Bottrop, Germany. The couple married in 1984 and enjoyed 25 abundant years together. They moved to Sacramento in 1986 and in 1989, along with Cynthia J. Kendall, founded Innovative Imaging Inc., a successful business designing and fabricating ophthalmic ultrasound instruments. While the business was starting up, Susan also maintained a fruitful career with W. L. Gore & Associates Medical Division. She left Gore in 1997 after 11 years and began the pursuit of fine art photography.
As a photographer, her artistic eye led her to find the poetic nature of an abandoned factory or solitary chair. She followed her vision ardently, traveling to mosques in Iran, tulip fields in Holland and many vistas in between. She painstakingly produced prints in her darkroom and orchestrated numerous exhibitions of her black and white photographs throughout Northern California. She explored digital imagery, but wrote in a 2008 artist's statement that she missed “the pure serendipity that happens when human touch is involved.” Her later work took on a more experimental quality as she hand-coated fine art paper with historical emulsions such as Vandyke brown and Cyanotype and printed enlarged digital negatives onto the prepared papers. Photograms and hand-tinting were also incorporated into her work, lending it a distinctive and picturesque quality.
Susan served as a member of the Board of Directors at the Viewpoint Photographic Art Center, and later turned her home into a gallery, inviting an ever-growing community of friends and family to display their work and enjoy the camaraderie. She was an avid reader, creative cook and engaging hostess. Susan loved a party and threw many, celebrating Valentine's Day, Halloween, winter solstice or a beautiful summer evening. An extended network of colleagues, friends, family and kindred spirits will sorely miss her sharp mind, quick wit and unabashed manner.
She is survived by husband Rainer Nikel of Sacramento, parents, Patricia and William of Rolla, MO; sister Anne Lindgren of Rolla, who offered loving support while Susan was in the hospital, brother William Lindgren Jr. of Rolla, who was a transplant donor for Susan, sister Laura Donahue of Onley, VA; brother Daniel Lindgren of Kansas City, MO; brother James Cook of Virginia; nieces, Juliene Ford (Andrew) of Sacramento, Sandra Klatt (Christopher) of Niwot, CO, Anne Davis (Jason) of Albuquerque, NM, Margaret Mullen of Fort Lewis, WA; nephews, Robert G. Rugur III of Roseville, Joseph Donahue of Onley, VA; grandnieces, Frances and Rebecca Klatt; grandnephews, Jacob Davis, Canon and Henry Lindgren, Owen and James Mullen; aunt Elisabeth Adams of Sacramento; and many friends. Sister Juliene Neil preceded her in death.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.
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