The Divine End

Inspired by the dark and mysterious, Tonya appreciates non-mainstream music, art and social life, avoiding the news and TV like the Plague.  Her photography is often done in stages; create or find curious items, work it into a theme, then photograph and edit.  Most people describe her work as “moody” and “dark”, something for conversations over coffee or a snifter of brandy and a loosely lit cigar.  She’s much inspired by the 20’s and 30’s, chunky rhinestone necklaces from Czechoslovakia, vintage horror movies and mythical creatures like Mermaids & Faun.  

The Divine End is about change and prophecy.  It’s about how our lives are connected and where we may end up if we don’t accept the bad with the good and strive for something more celestial.  

–Curated by Cesar Aguilera

Tonya Barnes:

When people ask me what type of photographer I am, I tell them “I photograph what my eyes are drawn to.”  I can find beauty, chaos and message in everything I see.  I’ve never been a person who can easily express herself with words, so I have learned to tell my stories and emotions with paintings, textile sculptures and photographs.   I do not know where each project will end up, I only know when it is finished.

Collections have snowballed, starting out simply with a camera, the need to dig deeper into my thoughts since I am typically lost for words.  My work is how I express my feelings and how I am able to convey messages.  It’s important that my work has meaning, while my goal above all else is that people know my works are connected, that I have a style and strive to make all visual stories mesh.  My everyday photography should still match my dark and moody creative work.

My methods are unorthodox when it comes to photography and am often “called out” on my theory, design and concepts – in the end, Photography is more something I do for myself, how I heal, rather than a typical “day at the office”   My work has been featured in numerous printed magazines, national news stories, worldwide photography competitions and national photography projects such as the FENCE.

Living off the grid on the Big Island of Hawaii for over 12 years has given me a lighthearted outlook on life and the ability to adjust to the bare necessities.  Relocating to Los Angeles as a fashion designer, however, was a big and short lived change which was followed by my current residence in Cape Coral, Florida where I am able to continue my work as a Creative, Family, Portrait and Wedding Photographer.

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All sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges on tickets except for cancelled events that are not rescheduled. SBDAC does not offer refunds on purchased ticket. In rare circumstances when a performance may be cancelled (due to extreme weather, artist absence, or other unavoidable situations) we offer refunds or replacement tickets for another performance.