5 Questions with Creative Refuge
by Monica Barber
Haylee White is a humanitarian photographer that lives in the Modesto Area, balances her time between local humanitarian causes, crafting jewelry & clothing and makes her way in the area documenting the beautiful people she meets and sharing candid portraits of them on her Facebook and Instagram. If you haven’t connected with her name yet it’s because she photographs under the alias of Creative Refuge. Photography became her refuge during her recovery which she attributes to inspiring her to pursue her creative connection.
As a visual peacemaker Haylee channels her ability to manifest creativity in a positive way that makes the world a better place. Juggling working on behalf of Modesto Peace/Life Center, Stanislaus Soup, Peer Recovery and Advocates for Justice she advocates the plight of local youth and adults to promote their welfare or communities, sometimes in political or racial contexts.
On her social media Creative Refuge, she shares the candid images alongside lifestyle shots of her life and passions in Modesto. We chatted about how she began her photography career, what inspires her and how she captures the personality & warmth of her photographic subjects.
Modesto View: Tell us about yourself.
Creative Refuge: Creative refuge is my space of refuge to create. I love to create what I feel will awaken, question, and inspire the human consciousness. I love shedding light on the truth even when it may be uncomfortable. I love the uncomfortable. I love the beauty of humans whether it be in their success or in their struggle, it all deems beautiful to me and it is all worth capturing. What I cannot put into words, I get to put into photos. Photos are a way for me to project my voice. I hope whatever you see in my art, moves you in some way to create and make a change.
MV: What inspires & drives your photography?
CR: The Truth, the uncomfortable, the beauty, and the struggles of humans inspire my photography. And what drives me is my past. It pushes me because it was so easy to waste it all away using drugs and without that reminder, I would not be able to fulfill my purpose in this universe by living in doing what I love.
MV: Tell us about what it means to you to be working as a photographer.
CR: I get to create. I get to freely show my perspective on what I feel is important.
MV: What keeps you motivated to keep pushing boundaries with your art?
CR: Society.
MV: Who would you like to collaborate with and why?
CR: Angela Davis because she embodies everything I represent. She’s a phenomenal piece of history. And I would just want to be in a room with her as she talks about the prison industrial complex and her life while I’m snapping away in awe.
More from Haylee White & Creative Refuge can be found on at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheCreativeRefuge/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creative.refuge/!
Thanks Haylee White!
