From the moment I bought my first camera—a Kodak Duaflex IV—from my neighbor, who worked the camera counter at the local Sears store, I was hooked on photography. I was only 12, but I immediately began using the medium to express myself, even though my father was not enamored of my efforts. (He thought my photos were weird and cost hard-earned dollars. They were and it did) Still, I persisted.
Today, after a lifetime of creating works for a long and diverse list of clients, I’ve reached a point in my career where I want to share my personal photographs with a broader audience. Apart from Instagram (@johnlivzey), which has been a welcome outlet in recent years, I’ve mostly enjoyed these images on my own. Now I want to show you what I find spectacular, funny, incongruous or strange—something I hope this site will achieve.
At the outset of the design process for livzeyfineart.com, it was suggested that I organize my images into categories, but I decided against that approach. Since many things in this amazing world attract me visually, I prefer to keep the images almost random, as I see them.
So, what you’ll find on this website are photographs that I love, in no particular order, with no classification. One day it may be the infinite beauty of water, the next something abstract that makes you wonder, What on earth…?! (I always enjoy that particular response) And the image may have been made that day or may be something from my extensive library, which spans decades.
So please look up this site often, as I intend to keep rotating the images. And if something really appeals to you, or if perhaps you have a client who would enjoy an image I’ve captured, please call or e-mail, and we’ll talk.
“I have known John Livzey and his work since 1986, when we met in a business context. Since then, I’ve consistently admired his extraordinary eye and his ability to capture the essence of his subjects in utterly unique ways. I’m absolutely thrilled that he’s finally making his photographs available to the general public so more people can enjoy them in their homes and offices. I treasure the two Livzey prints I own, and I believe anyone who acquires his work will feel exactly the same.”
—Sarah Lifton, Writer/Editor
“I have been appreciative of John Livzey’s work for over twenty years now. I first became aware of his work in the commercial space, but soon after was exposed to his personal artistic photography. John is like an abstract painter, except that he sees, captures, and edits what is there rather than create what is not. He has an amazing eye for transforming the mundane into the ethereal and the ordinary to the distinctive. And he seems to be able to do so endlessly. An original talent, to be sure.”
—Bryan Musson, Art Director/AECOM