I was born Jody Jockq Butters to John M. Butters and Barbara Sanchez in rural Las Vegas, Nevada November 1973. Amidst the chaos of step-mothers, half-brothers, step-fathers and little sisters I stumbled between families but always as a guest. I was given the gift of a wonderfully understanding Step-Mother Lynn Van Norman. She taught me how to express myself visually and accept myself harmoniously. I knew I was a photographer when I was twelve. I graduated high school in 1992 and left home a week later. I studied photography in Salt Lake and New York but ultimately dropped out. In 1998 I moved to San Francisco from New York City and continued my development spiritually and artistically.
I use photography, I am more interested in forming a composition than I am in capturing a moment. My photography is not a documentation but a creation. Models become properties in still life. In 2007 I began a creative partnership with another photographer I admire, Keith Aguiar, and together we have created bodies of work under the title Prayers for Children. The collaboration has inspired me to do my best work. I am inspired by aesthetics, form as content, and push myself to create beautiful images.
