BBEC presents "The Creative Journey” by DeSean Scales

The Berkshire Black Economic Council, 33 Dunham Mall, Suite 101, will feature “The Creative Journey” by DeSean Scales for the August 2 First Fridays Artswalk. There will be a reception with the artist on Friday, August 2, from 5 to 8 pm.

Artist Statement:

"My name is DeSean and I want to take you on my Creative Journey.

I'm a photographer based in Pittsfield, MA. Photography entered my life unexpectedly and my Creative Journey transformed from a casual hobby into a passionate pursuit of constant growth. Growing up in the Berkshires, I was surrounded by landscapes, and that sparked my love for the outdoors and sunsets. Equipped with only a cell phone at the time, I began capturing the world around me. What started as a simple hobby soon became my refuge. Taking photos became my way of finding solace, a quiet escape from the world.

As time passed, my curiosity deepened, and I found myself photographing almost everything. My early photos were far from perfect, and neither is my current work, but that didn’t matter to me. I wasn’t striving to be perfect then, and I’m not striving for perfection now. In photography, as in life, learning is continuous. Each new lesson teaches me about myself and life. Driven by this growing passion, I set out on a self-taught journey into the world of photography. The journey that led to starting a new chapter in my life, one I never thought would lead me to where I am today.

In 2020 I lost my mom suddenly, which was devastating. Growing up with a single mom, losing her felt like losing a part of myself I could never get back. Shortly after, I lost my uncle, both were taken from this earth way too soon. I stopped taking photos and lost my motivation to push forward, I felt lost and confused and questioned everything about life. I found solace in photos before, but now I found myself in a dark place.

I had to make a choice: continue to stay down and give up, or get up, keep going, and keep growing. I chose to use photography as my crutch, leaning on the craft to get me through the hard days as I still do now. Recently God blessed me with a precious baby boy, Ezra, who is now 5 months old, adding another layer of motivation to my journey. He is a constant reminder of the light and joy that can be found in life. They are my driving force, and my craft is the flame in the dark.

My camera has become a tool for me to connect with others, share their stories, and bring moments of happiness into their lives, which has been incredibly rewarding. I aim to capture not just an image, but a connection—a shared moment of joy, reflection, or understanding. Photography is my way of bringing light into the world, one frame at a time."