Carly Sullens, M. Photog., M. Artist, CPP, ATR

Carly Sullens is a photographic artist whose work explores the space between photography, material experimentation, light, and abstraction. Her materials range from water, ink, flowers, paper, and smoke to found textures and even dryer lint, chosen for how they move, react, and transform as they interact with one another. Sullens works responsively, photographing as the materials shift and change in real time, allowing the image to develop through the act of making.

Carly holds a Master’s degree in Art Therapy and has a background in painting, art history, and psychology, where she explored the connection between creative expression and human experience. This foundation informs her approach to photography as a process-driven practice, one that values attention, listening, making space, and staying with what unfolds.

Across her practice, Sullens is drawn to overlooked materials and fleeting moments, using photography to slow them down and make visible what might otherwise pass unnoticed.

Her work has received regional, national, and international recognition through photographic exhibitions and competitions. Sullens is also an internationally recognized educator and an approved photographic juror, with a teaching practice centered on creative process, visual intention, and the development of a more personal photographic voice. She lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio.