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St. Charles, Illinois. MaryEllen Malinowski, an International Award Winning Infrared Photographer, Japanese Garden Designer and Koi Importer recently returned from the Northwest Coast where she visited the San Francisco Tea Garden in California and the Portland Japanese Gardens in Oregon. The Japanese Tea House in San Francisco is the oldest Japanese Garden in the United States and the Portland Japanese Gardens is internationally recognized as the best Japanese Garden outside of Kyoto, Japan. While in Portland, she attended the historic sold out event, “Making History, Eight Japanese Garden Masters Speak” in which the top Japanese Garden Designers in the world reunited for the first time since building the Portland Japanese Garden over a time span of forty years.

Working with light that is beyond our visible spectrum, MaryEllen has worked exclusively with infrared film for seventeen years. Currently she is working on a documentary that captures and reveals the infrared light that exists within Japanese Gardens throughout the world. While on her journeys she is also raising awareness for her non for profit mission, The Koi Whisperer, in which she runs a Koi Rescue and Adoption Service. Working in both areas of infrared photography and documentary filmmaking, “M” as she is known, is making a great contribution to the fields of arts, sciences and humanities in her discoveries.

“I found throughout my years of working with this particular light, that infrared light lives where it is drawn to, where there is an energy, a higher level of vibration. To focus on this particular discovery brings documentation that has never before been recorded in the history of Japanese Gardens. With that same understanding is the connection with the Koi and the communicative energy that is involved with these amazing creatures. It is my honor and a privilege to work within these gardens and reveal the invisible light and energy that lives there.”

MaryEllen, founder of Infrared Light International, Inc. combined her fine art infrared photography with her passion for Japanese design, to create a fine art gallery and design center that embraces Zen Living. The gallery reflects the inspiration and serenity found in her beautiful Japanese Gardens, Koi Ponds and Tea House on the Fox River. Open by appointment.

September, 2008. MaryEllen was selected to appear in the Autumn 2008 issue of Life Images magazine. Dreamscapes: The Magical World of Infrared Photography featured photographers that work with this challenging light. Magazine available in all major retail book stores.

Water Spirit appeared on a 2 page magazine layout! Our thanks to Life Images for selecting this infrared image to grace their magazine pages.

M Career Highlights

2010 - M returned for a second visit to Portland Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon to attend the sold out event "Making History, Eight Japanese Garden Masters Speak", and the recognition dinner with the Portland community. While on her trip, M captured the gardens in infrared light and also evaluated the condition of the Koi that are living in the ponds. M will be working with Portland Japanese Garden Executive Director, Steve Bloom in raising awareness and much needed funds to replace over 40 Koi that died in 2008 during a severe winter storm. THE KOI FUND will help this internationally renown Japanese Gardens to bring authentic Japanese Koi from Japan to Portland.

2010- M visited the Japanese Tea House in San Francisco, California, the oldest Japanese GArden in the United States for her documentary work on infrared light that exists in Japanese Gardens and also for her non for profit mission, The Koi Whisperer.

2010 - M attended the lecture with Japanese Garden Designer Hoichi Kurisu at the Portland Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon and began her documentary work of capturing infrared light within Japanese Gardens.

2010- After working with Aquascape Designs at their headquarters, Aqualand, in St. Charles, Illinois on Saturdays with the Koi, M realized the need to rescue and help Koi that owners could no longer take care of. This is where M rescued her first Koi that needed to be saved and thus she was named the The Koi Whisperer. The Koi Whisperer Rescue and Adoption Service was founded and this mission rescued more than 20 Koi in it's first year, and placed them in adoptive home ponds after weeks of treatment here at the koi sanctuary.

2010 - M begins designing Japanese Garden Designs for clients, after they see her work at the studio/gallery asking her to design. This expands to a full service design studio including importing Japanese Koi for clients.

2009- With her lifelong love and appreciation of the Japanese Arts, M is pursuing her education in the study of Japanese Garden Design and is in a long distance learning program through the United Kingdom.

2007- M imports Koi for clients requesting authentic Japanese Koi imported from Japan.

2005- M begins importing Japanese Koi from Japan.

Invited to exhibit her infrared photography online at the internationally acclaimed Saatchi Gallery in London, England. Work currently on exhibit and new work will be available for viewing there soon.

Fine art photographic prints by MaryEllen Malinowski have sold at the international auction house Sothebys.

In her first published book, The Sacred Light she inspires others with her work with infrared light and her philosophical reflections on the spirituality of the soul. Malinowski's book is carried online at Barnes and Noble.com, but is currently in second printing.

Infrared silver gelatin print "Buddhist Monk Boonshoo" is in the permanent collection at Thai Buddhist Temple, Chicago, Illinois.

Art Kane of The Daily Herald wrote "If the eyes are the windows to the soul, MaryEllen Malinowski's cameras offer a glimpse of heaven."

"Ethereal black and white images float in front of you evoking a sense of spirituality and peace." - Jayna Legg, The Courier News

Catriona Fraser, of Fraser Gallery in Washington, D.C. stated "It's a difficult type of photography- it is very time-consuming, since the film must be handled carefully, but Malinowski is one of few successful infrared artists."

1997, Water Spirit received First Place at the Georgetown International Fine Art Exhibition at the Fraser Gallery in Washington, D.C., competing with seven countries and over 1500 pieces of fine art.

Publications include the 25th Silver Anniversary Edition of Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who Historical Society; recognizing her in 150 countries for her work with infrared photography.

1996 Illinois Women's Works Scholarship recipient which awarded her a Master Study Workshop with photographer Joyce Tenneson at the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport, Maine.

Member of Professional Photographers of America; National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the KODAK Professional Network.

Detailed resume

For Immediate Press Release Information, please contact the gallery at 800.571.2730

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