Wandering Elephant Painting

An accomplished executive of advertising and design, Ian Prior began his Art Director career in the South Kensington neighborhood of London in the late eighties before venturing to the United States in 1991. Spending time at three of the top advertising agencies in Chicago, Ian fashioned a multitude of successful campaigns for some of the largest domestic companies and global brands, which helped develop and solidify his love of photography. "As a vocation, advertising offered me the privilege of hiring and working alongside some of the best photographers in the country. It was an incredible time. I learned so much about the technical side of photography, but the most influential part of that period in my life came from working with successful photographers on concepts and how they approached the visual craft. I truly believe a great photograph demands study – there is no passing glance at a powerful image. First and foremost, I consider myself a storyteller. My goal when developing any photograph or more recently paintings, is to hold someone’s attention as long as possible by presenting them with a story that never ends. I want people to be unsure about when to stop looking at the image and move their eyes to something else.