Photographer Vicki Close talks to the animals, and they listen!
Hiking up the hill, Gale, a border collie, follows Vicki Close. Stopping near the top, Gale waits patiently for the go ahead. Close softly says, “come by” and Gale takes off, disappearing in the tall grass only to reappear stealthily behind a handful of sheep that gather, none the wiser, at the bottom of the hill. Another cue from Close and Gale leads the sheep towards her master. A slight variation in the tone of a whistle sends the dog left than right, makes her stop and then go again. Finally, the sheep stop within reach of Close and Gale sits proudly at attention; she is doing what she was born to do and she’s doggone good at it.
Close is also good at what she does; almost instinctually she captures what she loves – dogs, the sheep they herd, horses, misty mornings and movement. From behind a camera, Close gets, well, close to her subjects. “You have to know how to be in the right spot,” she says. “I know horses, dogs and sheep. I’m comfortable standing still while the animals run by me.”
Close resides on the land she grew up on just south of Coeur d’Alene where she embraced ranch life as a child. She attended high school in Coeur d’Alene where her only creative endeavors were cutting girlfriends’ hair or applying their makeup. After high school, she became a professional makeup artist. One of her clients was an artist and Close took a painting class from her. “The first piece I did was of a tree and a gazebo,” she recalls. “It was an amazing feeling, almost like I learned a new language. I cried and have been painting ever since.”
Also an award winning photographer, she eventually combined the two, using Photoshop to “paint” on her photos or using her photos as reference to create her paintings. “I hope people don’t spend too much time wondering whether it’s a photograph or a painting,” she says. “It’s more about the feeling.”
Her work is like a language; images in motion that somehow allow a viewer a glimpse of the secret world of her subjects, allowing witness to their real and instinctual lives. The subjects speak, not in words, but subtle nuances; the slight tilt of a head, a proud stance or even the slight hint of a smile. Some are caught in a conversation, deep in thought, or in the midst of a mad dash, heels kicking up dust.
For years, Close has been connected to animals. From team roping to agility, she has come to understand them and it shows in her work. She is passionate about her subjects and has fully integrated her passion into her daily life. Her husband, Norman, owns Handhills Border Collies and together, they raise and train the dogs and travel across the U.S. and Canada, competing in sheep herding trials. “It is amazing to watch a dog use its God-given instinct,” she writes on her website. “From the moment I saw a good dog work I knew I had to be a part of it.” Close brings her art with her to the trials, setting up a booth or bringing just a few pieces. Locally, her work can be seen at the Painter’s Chair Gallery in Coeur d’Alene.
Close often wears a vintage locket around her neck. Inside is a doodle that she created: a smiling dog with human traits. “That’s me,” she admits. Like the subjects she loves, she creates with instinct and a God-given talent.
Softly she says to Gale “that’ll do” which means “come to me” and Gale stands at her master’s side. It is awe-inspiring; we are all God’s creatures and we all have a purpose.
To view Vicki Close’s work, visit www.vickiclose.com
Jennifer LaRue profiles a different local artist in each issue of Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living.
