yonari claire fotostory is now ari-art
My name is Ari.
A native of the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles, California), I relocated with my husband, Richard, to Corvallis, Oregon, during fall of 2021. He grew up in the Willamette Valley and we are deeply grateful to be here!
My photos capture the essence of you
- in action for causes that matter most
- being and celebrating with your beloveds and pet companions,
- expressing your resilience as you, your family, and community remember and commemorate.
As a photographer, visual storyteller, photojournalist and painter, I creatively and compassionately partner with individuals, families, groups and organizations to document stories of relationship, place, memory and sacred space.
I tend to shoot with my Nikon D5600, my iPhone, or both!
All photos on this website are my own unless noted otherwise.
Visual Storyteller Background
My perspective of the world and through the lens and via brush stroke is deeply informed by the following studies and training:
- Bachelors of Arts in German (UCLA)
- Master of Arts in American Studies and Contemporary German Literature (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin)
- Masters of Social Work (University of Denver)
- Clinical Pastoral Education (PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center, Eugene, Oregon)
My Days as a Visual Storyteller Began in Berlin
That's a photo someone took of me in 1997 outside of Berlin's New Synagogue on Oranienburgerstrasse (which was "new" in 1866), leading an international delegation from the U.S. through historic Jewish Berlin-Mitte. Since my mid-20s, I've cared passionately about the power of story and the choices people make in their day-to-day lives to affect history. A San Fernando Valley / Los Angeles native, I lived and worked in Germany for nearly two decades.
Testimonials