Correction Appended
As one of the most accomplished athletes in Dartmouth's history, Cameron Myler '92 is a four-time Olympian, holds seven U.S. National Championship titles and is considered the most successful American woman in luging. Despite her storied career, Myler who once carried the U.S. flag at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994 is now making headlines with her recent interest in art.
Myler is currently displaying her photography collection, "Shutter Speed," in the Cultural Art Gallery at the Art of Olympians Al Oerter Center for Excellence in Fort Myers, Fla. Her work has been featured in the gallery since April 1.
While Myler discovered her luging talents long before setting foot in Hanover she had already competed in the Calgary Olympic Games before matriculating she realized her love of art as a student at Dartmouth.
"I discovered this passion for art which I have developed since I was at Dartmouth, so that is something that I am thankful for," she said.
Although she initially thought she wanted to pursue a pre-med track, Myler said her plans changed after taking organic chemistry, and she decided to major in geography.
Even though she is currently a lawyer, she credits the well-rounded education she received at Dartmouth with preparing her for life after luging.
"I don't know if I'm particularly using my geography degree [as a photographer] per se, but you learn how to study and how to think critically and be analytical," Myler said.
Myler first ventured into Dartmouth's studio art facilities her sophomore year and developed an interest in painting. After graduating cum laude from Dartmouth and retiring from luge competitions in 1998, Myler attended Boston College Law School and received her law degree in 2001.
Myler said she decided to become a lawyer after spending time working alongside them after Dartmouth.
"I was on the Board of Directors for the Olympic Committee [before law school]," she said. "I met a lot of lawyers, it seemed like a pretty good way to combine a career with an interest in sports."
After moving to New York to work at a law firm, Myler had difficulties with setting up a space to paint inside her small apartment, she said. After a trip to Santa Monica, Calif., for an Olympic Committee meeting, Myler said she stumbled upon a more "urban-friendly" vehicle for her art that she could tote in the palm of her hand a camera.
"I grabbed a disposable camera at the hotel and walked on the beach, and the light was amazing and I took all these pictures," Myler said. "The images were my paintings on a different medium."
For the past eight years, Myler has worked in entertainment and media law and does pro-bono work for both the Art of Olympians and the Armory Foundation. Myler said she her law practice focuses on intellectual property litigation.
Myler said she hopes to one day focus more heavily on her photography and calls herself simply a "lawyer by trade."
"I think going to a school like Dartmouth where you can study almost anything, it is great to discover what you love," she said.
Besides being an Olympian and an Ivy League student, Myler also found time to row on the crew team for the Big Green. She was recruited when the women's crew coach spotted her walking across the green and stopped to comment on how strong she looked.
Myler joked that she "quickly discovered [that she] was not much of an aerobic athlete," but valued the experience both because of the sport itself and the friends she made on the team.
While Myler's luge competitors and peers were training, she spent her summers in Hanover studying and working toward her degree at Dartmouth.
Still, she said the time spent away from the ice was well worth it.
"I would not trade that experience for anything," she said. "It was a great fit for me as an athlete, but I wanted to be more than just an athlete."
Myler who was on the U.S. National Luge Team from 1995 to 1998 and competed in various races while at the College found that splitting her time as a student and an international competitor gave her balance despite the fact that she spent most of her time on the road.
"We would travel from October to March with one week home at Christmas," she said. "I liked having a very academic and athletic career at the same time."
After her show at the Art of Olympians museum, some of Myler's photos will be displayed in a gallery in Fort Myers, Fla. Her photos are also displayed on her website, CameronMeyler.org.
The Art of Olympians museum was founded by five-time gold medalist and discus-thrower Al Oerter, who began a career in painting after his retirement. The exhibit previously featured graphic design work by gold-medalist American long-jumper Bob Beamon and photography by three-time gold-medalist Australian swimmer Shane Gould.
