Meet Ari Ivers | Owner/Photographer: Mad Woman Studios

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ari Ivers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ari, why did you pursue a creative career?
To be honest, I didn’t. The arts pursued me, frequently captivating my brain and then holding it hostage until I express the creative vision I have. I truly had no choice in the matter. Art has always had a way of knocking on the door to my soul. Though I’m not very skilled in fine arts (despite 4 years of training by my oh-so-patient professors), photography was where I felt seen. Since I can’t connect a USB port directly into my brain, photography allows me a way to get my visions out for the world to see.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been working towards developing Mad Woman Studios since I picked up my first camera, I just didn’t fully realize it. I spent many years bouncing from one niche to another within the photography world, which was excellent training; but none of them fully satisfied the whimsy in my soul. The Covid lockdown in 2020 really started me on a path of self-discovery. By 2022, I knew that Mad Woman was always meant to be my destination, and that it had to be all about the photography that made me and my clients happy, not necessarily “white picket fence” photography. What I want to create is more about reality; and all the abstract, unlogical, chaotic beauty that it brings.

I enjoy dark but warm, moody portraiture. I want to be the most inclusive photographer I can be. It’s always my goal to capture people as they are: their challenges, their wins, and document their life as it is. Mad Woman Studios represents the gentleman who needed help capturing his struggles with mental health. It represents the Trans-Woman who has finally found herself, the pregnant women who never want to forget the magic they’re creating inside, and the incredible families who have so graciously asked me to capture their lives throughout the years. These are stories that I have to grab ahold of, they’re the art in life that is all around us and should be valued as it is.

Finding this place in my chosen career has absolutely been a struggle, but the wins are so worth it. Without the struggles, I wouldn’t have found this path. The term “starving artist” may be true, but the experience of creating is so much more rewarding than any money. That lesson is one that I will always cherish.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As you may be able to tell when you look at my work, I am all about the outdoors. Observing the nature of humanity existing within nature around us is unparalleled. What I love about Georgia is we have the mountains, the ocean, big cities, and even farmlands all within a few hours of each other, and I feel equally drawn to them all. Some of my favorite haunts in the city, though, are in Little 5 Points. Little 5 Pizza for lunch and a beer will never be overrated. You can also find me spending enormous amounts of money at Junkman’s Daughter, Crystal Blue or Kolo, or getting a new tattoo or piercing at Southern Star. Assumably, I’m a big fan of the unique and can’t get enough street performers, so I am all about just sitting on benches and people watching. And of course, I can’t talk about places that raised me without mentioning the Masquerade (the O4W location is part of my heartbeat). Walking the beltline and bar hopping is also a late day favorite. I usually keep it fresh by going to restaurants I haven’t tried before while on route, but always stop by Ladybird. My perfect weekend would be exploring, adventuring, and finding beautiful landscapes or places that connect with the feelings people have inside. That expression is what I spend my life chasing, and I would bring everyone I could on that journey with me.  That being said.. when my best friend visits me, we usually end up either next to a fire with whiskey on our breath, or sprawled out across my kitchen floor at 3am building or creating something for my daughter, or for my business.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are quite a few that deserve recognition for helping to get to where I am today!
– My Mom, Aprille Bromley, for introducing me to the arts and photography at such a young age.
– My oh-so-patient Art Professor, Brett Mullinix, for being part of the family and pushing me harder than anyone to get out of my head.
– Marissa Bromley, my sister-in-law, who is basically my life coach, and is always ready to help when I get crazy ideas or pull me back when I get too close to the edge.

Website: https://www.madwomanstudios.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad.woman.studios/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mad.woman.studios