My Story

My name is Monti Bloodworth, and I’m a Black-American artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As you explore my work, I want to share a bit about my journey. One shaped by passion, exploration, and experimentation, all in search of seeing the world beyond what our eyes can.

I was born in Alliance, OH, but my family moved to California before I could even walk or talk. I grew up constantly on the move, always outside, drawn to the outdoors. That restless curiosity eventually led me into the military, where I became a Marine. Not long after arriving at my unit (barely five days in), I was handed deployment orders. Suddenly I had to get my life in order before shipping out.

That’s when I bought my first camera. I wanted a way to record the memories I knew were coming, the good and the bad. I had no idea that little decision would ignite the passion that’s been driving me ever since.

In the middle of the desert, cut off from the internet, I learned photography the old-school way. By reading the camera manual, pressing buttons, and experimenting until something worked. Each time a photo clicked, I felt a spark of excitement I’d never experienced before. By the time I returned home, that spark had grown into a fire. I carried my camera on every deployment that followed, chasing that feeling again and again.

When my service came to an end, I faced a crossroads. Re-enlist and stay on the guaranteed path or take the risk and follow this artistic passion that had been growing for years. I chose art. I left the Marines, enrolled at the Academy of Art University, and earned my BFA in Photography. There, I refined my vision, sharpened my technique, and discovered answers to questions I hadn’t even thought to ask.

During and after school, I freelanced in all kinds of photography. Portraits, events, still life, etc. Searching for my voice in the medium. But by 2017, I realized my work felt scattered. I had skill but no clear direction. That question, “what do I want to do with my art?” kept circling my mind until it finally pushed me to create my first personal project, “Memories”.

“Memories” explored the abstract, motion and collage. I twisted and layered spaces into collages, turning moments into something more than documentation…a story, a memory shaped by time and perspective. That project became the foundation for my path into abstract and impressionistic photography.

Today, my work continues that exploration. I experiment with unorthodox techniques and in-camera methods to capture unrepeatable moments. A world the eye can’t always see, but the camera can. Instead of documenting a place, I try to capture its essence, the emotion, the energy, the memory it carries.

This is the journey I’m still on. Creating, experimenting, and exploring what photography can be. I look forward to sharing more of it with you.

~Monti Bloodworth