Samae Chlebowski is a photographer, dancer, high school art teacher, mover and shaker, lover of the outdoors and mother based in Ashland, Oregon.

Samae (Horner) Chlebowski grew up in North Hollywood deeply influenced visually by the Southern California dramatic landscapes and the abundance of rich cultural diversity.

Away from the hustle and bustle of LA life, at 17 years of age, her move to boarding school in Sedona, Arizona (Verde Valley School) became the starting point of Samae’s inner understanding for the need and desire to always be creating in some way or another in collaboration with other people. “Being a part of a larger community, living together, learning together and growing up together had such a creative impact on me. Those pivotal years basically changed the way I approach my process of creativity and how I want to present myself in the world.”

Samae graduated from Southern Oregon State College, now SOU earning a degree in Photography. She then decided that teaching was her calling and received her Masters of Art Education from Lewis and Clark College. For the next 10 years Samae dedicated her time and efforts inspiring and teaching darkroom photography, drawing, painting, digital photography, dance and yoga to the amazing students at Renaissance Arts Academy in Portland, Oregon.

More recently, Samae and her family have moved back to Ashland finding life simpler, with easier ways to express themselves and more time to focus on staying positively connected to nature and to their local community.

Connection is a huge part of the way Samae moves through life and when looking through the body of work within these web pages, one will notice that these tender connections with her subjects become the foundation of why her work has depth beyond just an image.

Enjoy. Connect. Create.