We had the good fortune of connecting with Sky Bergman and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Sky, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was a finance major as an undergraduate. I took a photography class for fun my last semester, and that was it, I was hooked. I went on to get an MFA in photography and just finished a 30-year career of teaching. I was a Professor of Photography and Video at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, CA. About ten years ago, I started working on my film, Lives Well Lived which celebrates the wit and wisdom of age.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey is a long and windy road. In my last semester as a finance major undergrad, I took a photography class for fun. I fell in love with the magic of the darkroom and quickly realized that I needed to follow my passion. I did graduate with a BS in Finance from the University of South Florida, but then quickly applied to graduate school for photography and earned an MFA from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
I have had a successful photography career. My fine artwork is included in permanent collections at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Seattle Art Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. My commercial work has appeared on book covers for Random House and Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc., and magazine spreads in Smithsonian, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, Reader’s Digest, and Archaeology Odyssey. My love of teaching brought me to Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA where I was the former chair of the Art & Design department (2007 – 2013) and Professor of Photography and Video (1995-2021).
Lives Well Lived, is my directorial debut. The film celebrates the incredible wit and wisdom of adults 75 to 100 years old who are living their lives to the fullest. Encompassing over 3000 years of experience, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. Their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories will make you laugh, perhaps cry, but mostly inspire you.
The film has screened in more than 300 cities, won eight awards, and the theatrical run garnered enthusiastic reviews including a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is currently airing on PBS and is available on Amazon, iTunes, and PBS Passport.
I have two short films about intergenerational connections currently on the film festival circuit and I am working on a feature-length film that is a celebration of love.
https://www.lives-well-lived.com
http://www.skybergmanproductions.com
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
San Luis Obispo, CA is a great city. I think the best place to be is outside hiking and walking around. Take some time to spend on the wonderful beaches, hike up Bishop’s Peak, and don’t miss a visit to the Madonna Inn.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My grandmother Evelyn Ricciuti. She was the inspiration for my film, Lives Well Lived.
Website: www.lives-well-lived.com
Instagram: liveswelllived
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skybergman
Twitter: liveswelllived
Facebook: liveswelllived