The record — what I've made, what I helped build, and who I served alongside. Dates included, for anyone who needs them.
These days the work is writing more often than photographing or filming but the purpose, the catharsis remains. A Harvest is a weekly letter to my son Will, running on Substack since before he was born. The Divine Children / Börn, is my latest photography series shot in Iceland, and a visual companion.
Now — Harvest letters publish weekly · The Divine Children / Börn are on tour, Shade is getting another revisit, and tomorrow brings who knows what inspiration.
Read A Harvest → | See Divine Children → | Shade →
Professional Practice
Rainey Studios — Owner, Phoenix · 1990–present
Commercial and fine art photography and film studio.
The monOrchid — Founder / Executive Director, Roosevelt Row, Phoenix · 1999–2019
Renovation of a 1930s warehouse that pioneered an early version of co-working and creative space including gallery, film/photo studios, incubator, and event rental space — a true third place.
Holgas — Founder / Owner, Roosevelt Row, Phoenix · 1999–2011
Fourteen-unit motel converted to rent-controlled live/work housing for artists, with Holgas Gallery on the ground floor (opened September 2000). Featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Art in America, and Juxtapoz. Became an international artist residency in 2011.
Bokeh Gallery at the monOrchid — Co-founder, Roosevelt Row, Phoenix · 2010–2018
A gallery dedicated to preserving and promoting the art and craft of photography. Phoenix New Times “Best Place to See Photography,” 2010.
Gebo Gardens — Co-owner / restoration, Phoenix · 1998–c. 2004
Eight-unit historic apartment complex at McDowell and 13th Avenue, restored with Dr. Greg Meyer. Arizona Republic, February 1999.
Shade Magazine — Founder / Executive Publisher, Phoenix · 2002–2004
Independent arts magazine on downtown Phoenix. Eighteen issues plus a March 2002 preview. Covers recognized by Print magazine’s Regional Design Annual, 2003.
Selected Exhibitions
The Divine Children / Börn — Solo exhibition, Shepley Bulfinch, Phoenix · 2026
Illumination — Artlink Juried Exhibition, Heard Museum, Phoenix · 2016
Acquired into the permanent collection at Found:RE Hotel.
The Passenger — Solo exhibition, Bokeh Gallery, Phoenix · March 2016
The Portrait — Group invitational exhibition, the DARKROOM Gallery · 2015
Nude at Artel — Installation in collaboration with Grace Gallagher, Clarendon Hotel · 2014
Rotting the Barrel — Group exhibition, Bokeh Gallery, Phoenix · 2013
25 Years Downtown — Group exhibition, monOrchid Gallery, Phoenix · 2013
Profiles — Solo exhibition, Bokeh Gallery, Phoenix · 2011
Chaos Theory — Group invitational exhibition, Legend City, Phoenix · recurring, multiple years
Africa Series — Three-artist exhibition with Karl Kroeppler and Rachel Bess, Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix · 2004
Reviewed in The Arizona Republic, April 2004.
Africa Series — Solo exhibition, Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale · 2003
Desert Landscapes — Group exhibition, Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale · 2001
Solo exhibition — Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale · 2000
First solo exhibition. Reviewed in ARTnews, October 2000.
Selected Experience
I Have a Name — Artist collaborator · Apr 2015–Mar 2016
Large-scale exterior mural, partnered with artist Brian Boner and Jon Linton in Phoenix.
State Farm Insurance Regional Headquarters — Artist · Feb 2014–Winter 2015
Commission to create a video art installation in the lobby of the new facility at Marina Heights in Tempe.
enHance Park — Photographer · Mar 2015
Commission to create large-scale photography of the view from a new residential development.
Arizona Office of Tourism — Photographer · Aug 2013
Ongoing international advertising campaign shot on location in five cities across Arizona.
Renaissance Hotel — Film director · Jan–Jun 2013
Commercial advertising campaign capturing the local essence of the Marriott Hotel brand in downtown Phoenix.
Tuft & Needle — Film director and photographer · Feb 2013
Commercial advertising campaign featuring locally made, nature-conscious handcrafted mattresses.
BisonMade — Art film director · Dec 2012–May 2013
Commercial advertising campaign and art film focused on the handmade-in-Arizona leather goods of a local company.
100 — Artist · Aug 2011–present
Ongoing photo essay of environmental portraiture of Arizona's creative people.
Organizations & Service
Commissioner — Central City Village, City of Phoenix · 2015–2023
ASU Art Museum & Roosevelt Row Feast on the Street — Mini-documentary film director · 2013
Roosevelt Street Streetscape Re-Design — Community stakeholder · 2011–2018
Roosevelt Row Merchants Association — Member · 2010–2018
Evans Churchill Neighborhood Association — Member · 2008–2020
Phoenix College — Instructor, Photography · 2007
ASU Design School — Guest critic, Architecture, Landscape Architecture & Urban Design · 2004
Shade Projects — Board of Directors, Phoenix · 2004–05, 2013–present
Phoenix Arts Commission — Commissioner, appointed by the Mayor of Phoenix · 2002–2003
American Society of Media Photographers — Chapter President, Phoenix · 2002–2004
Roosevelt Business Improvement District — Property-owner signatory · 2016
Phoenix College — Instructor, Photography, Guanajuato, Mexico · Summer 1996
Selected Accolades & Press
The Arizona Republic — “Is First Friday dead — or about to make a major comeback in Phoenix?” · April 2026
Photo District News — Photo Annual, juried inclusion · 2013
“Bird on Fire: Lessons from the World's Least Sustainable City” — Andrew Ross, Oxford University Press · 2011
Phoenix New Times — Best of Phoenix, “Best Place to See Photography: Bokeh Gallery” · 2010
Desert Living Magazine — “Paint the Town” · March 2007
“PHX: 21st Century City” — Edward Booth-Clibborn & Nan Ellin · 2006
The Arizona Republic — Jon Talton's year-end “most engaging leaders” column, named among downtown's most interesting players · December 2005
New York Post — “Rising High,” monOrchid · 2005
Los Angeles Times — “Phoenix: It's not L.A.'s generic equivalent” — monOrchid credited as the originator of First Friday · March 2005
Photo District News — “50 States” issue, Arizona's representative photographer · February 2005
The New York Times — “36 Hours: Phoenix” — Holgas and monOrchid · November 2004
The Arizona Republic — “3 distinct portrayals of passion,” Africa Series review, Herberger Theater Center · April 2004
Phoenix New Times — Best of Phoenix, “Best Place to See and Be Seen on a First Friday: monOrchid” · 2003
Phoenix New Times — The Cool Index · 2003
Print Magazine — Regional Design Annual, two Certificates of Design Excellence for Shade covers; International Business Graphics Competition, Certificate of Design Excellence · 2003
Photo District News — Photo Annual, Corporate/Industrial (AIGA invitation) · May 2003
Photo District News — Judges' Choice Award · 2003
ARTnews — “New Frontiers,” City Focus: Phoenix/Scottsdale · January 2003
Art in America — “The Downtown Phoenix Gallery Scene,” John Villani · December 2002
Juxtapoz — Gallery Spotlight: Holgas Gallery · March/April 2002
Phoenix Advertising Club — Silver ADDY, AIGA Arizona Art Auction invitation; Bronze ADDY, UhOh Clothing campaign · 2002
Arizona Republic — “Renaissance: Downtown area gets arty look,” feature · January 2002
Phoenix Business Journal — “Professionals spot Valley's redevelopment prospects” · April 2001
ARTnews — Review, first solo exhibition, Bentley Gallery, Joshua Rose · October 2000
Communication Arts — Photography Annual, Award of Excellence, Advertising · 1998
Selected Clients
AIGA of Arizona · Andrew Weil · Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders · Arizona Office of Tourism · ASU Art Museum · Bacaro Apartments · Bashas' Grocery Stores · Bentley Gallery · Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona · Casino Del Sol · Circle K · Co+Hoots · Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University · Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel · Harley-Davidson Motor Company · Hospice of the Valley · Hotel Nikko San Francisco · IBM · Java Magazine · John Kerry Presidential Campaign · Make-A-Wish Foundation · Maricopa Community Colleges · Marriott Hotel · McCoy and Simon Architects · Merzproject · Motorola · Off Madison Avenue · Parkinson's awareness campaign (Muhammad Ali and Michael J. Fox) · PetSmart · PF Chang's · Phoenix Symphony · Phoenix Zoo · Samuel Adams · SkyMall · State Farm · Tuft & Needle · United Way · Wachovia