Monika Phelps is a painter and photographer currently based in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Across both mediums, her work prominently features dramatic shadows and a limited palette as a tool to celebrate the inherent darkness and intensity within her subjects. In her role as a painter, she is drawn to high contrast portraiture inspired by the illumination effects of Tenebrous technique, most often working in muted monochromatic tones. In Photography, she specializes in capturing the forlorn atmosphere and solitude of liminal spaces, crafting shots that are poignant, emotive, and, at times, eerie.

She has had work featured in galleries and art shows throughout the Tampa Bay area, the Midwest, and Asheville’s River Arts Distract.