In my element…

Max Heller (b.1991) is an artist, photographer and educator based out of Austin, TX. He received a BFA in photography from the Art Institute of Boston (2015) & a MFA from the University of Illinois (2021). Max has served as adjunct photography instructor at both the University of Illinois and Southeastern Louisiana University. He currently teaches darkroom photography at the Doherty Art Center for the city of Austin parks and recreation department and freelances events, portraits and more.

Heller’s work ranges greatly and includes traditional photographic methods such as digital, polaroid, black and white film, color etc. His work often veers into more interdisciplinary & experimental territory and has incorporated cyanotype, pinhole, camera-less as well as elements of sculpture, collage, drawing & other mixed-media processes. His work is influenced by science fiction, the cold war era, physics, geology, neuroscience, technology, philosophy and many other disciplines.

While he is not doing art or photography, Heller enjoys digging around in creek beds in search of minerals, fossils and artifacts. He is an avid reader of fiction and takes great satisfaction in playing guitar and cooking for the people he loves. Heller lives in North Austin with his beautiful wife, newborn son, jealous cat and little red fish.