It’s a feast for the eyes at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery. Artist Haley Polinsky’s food photography is a celebration of the ingredients she uses and a showcase of the farm to table style she believes in.
Originally from Theodore, Polinsky says that food styling and photography came as she wanted to change careers. Working as a chef, she decided to take a course in graphic design.
“I started seeing that you could combine the two, food and art together.”
The photography reflects the way that Polinsky likes to cook, and she says it’s a celebration of quality ingredients. Both her photographs and her meals themselves are built around quality, local ingredients.
“The style of cooking I like to do is very simple, you don’t need to do much as long as you have high quality ingredients.”
Keeping an open mind when considering food is important for Polinsky, and she says that sometimes a shoot will be built around ingredients that she has never cooked before, because she wants to see what it’s like. Other times, she will have a craving for a specific dish and plan a shoot around that.
“Everything has to be delicious that I shoot, because I’m going to eat it after.”
The show itself inspired attendees to be more adventurous in their meals, as many people asked Polinsky about specific ingredients, preparations and recommendations. She says that this is part of her goal, and she wants people to be outgoing when it comes to meals and planning.
“I think people should open their minds and try all sorts of different things. With food there’s such a vast world, so why not try this or that? I try lots of things I don’t like, but you know until try it.”
The farm to table style is one that Polinsky believes in strongly, which comes through in her work, which also focuses on farmers selling ingredients. She says that since she grew up on a small family farm in Theodore, she knows the work that goes into providing quality ingredients.
“It’s important to me that we support farmers, because I’m from a family that are farmers.”
While a food stylist, Polinsky says that she believes not every meal needs to be photographed, but that some should just be enjoyed.
“That’s the beauty of cooking as well, it’s instantly gratifying but it’s instantly gone, as opposed to a painting that lasts a lifetime.”
Feast Your Eyes runs until October 23 at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery. Polinsky can also be found at haleythemaker.com.
