St. Louis-based writer-photographer CB Adams

Missouri Arts Council Names Writer-Photographer C.B. Adams A Featured Artist

I am blessed (and somewhat burdened) to be a hyphenated artist – a writer-photographer. Even when I was in high school and contemplating my career, I weighed whether to become a writer or a photographer. I chose writing as my career path – a career that began at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and comprised stints as a trade journal editor, feature reporter for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, publications editor at Washington University in St. Louis, creative director for a deluxe international travel company, and my day job today as a senior writer for a technology company – with other steps in between.

As I progressed in the writing world, I also earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. My short stories have found homes in prestigious journals like River Styx, Zoetrope All-Story Extra, and Elder Mountain: A Journal of Ozarks Studies. In 1995, I was awarded the Missouri Arts Council’s highest (now defunct) literary award, the Writers’ Biennial. The Riverfront Times took note of my writing, dubbing me “St. Louis' Most Under-Appreciated Writer” that same year.

I’ve also taught as an adjunct at a variety of writing and photography courses in the St. Louis region, including St. Charles Community College and Laclede Honor’s College at UM-St. Louis, Webster University. I also review local theater, musical theater, opera, dance/ballet and symphonic music for Poplife STL and KDHX radio.

“Glaring No Gazing” is a silver gelatin photograph from my decade-long project, True North, which has been exhibited in shows at St. Louis Artists Guild and Art Saint Louis.

Throughout my adventures in the writing world, I never put down my cameras for very long. But approximately 15 years ago, after a serious health scare, I elevated my work and practice in photography. Since then, amidst the familiar sights of my own backyard, I've crafted a sizeable portion of my body of work that has been exhibited and celebrated across the country. My aim has always been to capture the essence of the universal within the local, to create art that speaks to a broader truth while rooted in the everyday.

I approach photography as a medium to convey stories, using a diverse array of formats (35mm, 120, 4x5 and 8x10 film cameras) to capture moments that invite viewers to delve deeper. From the meticulous detail of large-format bellows cameras to the unfiltered authenticity of cheap plastic ones, each tool provides me with a unique perspective on the world around us.

My work has been featured in more than 35 exhibitions nationwide, displayed in galleries from St. Louis to New York City, Paducah, Salt Lake City and New Orleans, and embraced by a small cadre of collectors. My photographs have been also published in esteemed publications such as Genre Urban Arts (twice), Midwest Review, december, Fatal Flaw, and Tiny Seed Literary Journal. I also write a lifestyle blog called Life On Snob Hill.

Currently, I'm immersed in the development of "True North," a decade-long photographic exploration of North St. Louis, aiming to transform it into a captivating solo show and monograph. Through my work, I strive to invite others to see the world through fresh eyes, to find beauty and meaning in the everyday tapestry of life.

In April of 2024, I was named a Missouri Arts Council Featured Artist. Most days I am content to quietly make a good photograph or produce a well-wrought sentence or two. But sometimes I am discouraged that all my efforts are no more than shouting into the void with no response. Recognition from outside, such as the MAC’s Feature Artist, is both encouraging and a relief. I don’t work for that recognition, but it’s sure nice when it happens.

“Black Matter” is a silver gelatin photograph that was included in 2021’s Missouri Art Now: A Bicentennial Celebration, a statewide traveling art exhibition. I photographed this scene just a few blocks from my home in St. Charles.

I was born in Missouri and have lived here all my life. And even though I don’t believe this state’s government supports the arts enough (hint: it will never be enough), the people of this state indeed do support the arts in all forms. And for that I am grateful and encouraged. I took special delight when my silver gelatin photograph titled “Black Matter” was included in Missouri Art Now: A Bicentennial Celebration, a statewide traveling exhibition visiting: Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Cape Girardeau; The Center for Missouri Studies, Columbia; Spiva Center for the Arts, Joplin; Hannibal Arts Council, Hannibal, MO; and Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph.

One of my favorite songs is Creedence Clearwater Revival’s song “Fortunate Son.” I sing along to the refrain, “…It ain't me, it ain't me / I ain't no fortunate one, no…” The reality is that that song ain’t me because I am a fortunate son, in more ways than one.