TREES OF LIFE AND

Come+ See
SlowExposures
September 20 - 29  2013
FIN FUR FEATHER FOLIAGE
Whiskey Bonding Barn

Molena Georgia

MCNAIR EVANS  -  FUR TREE & BOXWOOD

DALE NILES  -  ABUNDANCE

ELIOT DUDIK -  HANGING TREE ON JACKASS ROAD

Curating is a discipline,it  can be a ridged academic exercise in stress. I have had those moments but for me curating is organic and fluid, a way to discover new things share ideas and speak with the language of photographic images, what they reveal. I want the viewer to be seduced and understand the story I am sharing. Fin Fur Feather & Foliage is a new exhibition I am installing in The Historic Whiskey Bonding Barn in Molena GA on September 19 as part of Slowexposures and ACP .

The premise was a looking back with child like innocence at the Southern natural world.I think most southern children feel a birth right to be surround by green and living things. As I started to think about my experiences the garden of eden or the peaceable kingdom glow began to recede,leaving a place of shadows darkness weird mutations of life that seem to be on the edge of vision whispers of omens and otherness,another green world

There are 50 images in the exhibition it started with cute furry things but as the process went on I found myself favoring three photographs of trees which for me are a symbol of life lived these trees represent variations of the southern ideal of family tradition and bounty.Trees stand as  the watchers of the world rooted into place while observing  our follies giving never questioning,

These tree photographs are the key to this exhibitions and will appear on the next few postings

John A Bennette

SEATTLE ONCE AGAIN : still hoping to stay there longer the next time

It was such a pleasant stay. There of few places outside of New York City that I would consider staying in for more than a couple of weeks maybe months at most.Seattle is one of them based on the Photographic Center NW. I felt such a strong sense of community and a strong inform dedication to photography.While the Musing exhibition is up (until September 15) There are other exhibits being show including one of local high school students

As some may know I can be a handful easily stressed and totally needy because I can not drive .The personnel at the center worked very hard to make this a smooth transition for me .They were also able to reduce the thousands of words with the multiple asides to understand what I was saying.

The speaking engagements went well and the portfolio reviews were a surprise. I met a humble artist who I want to nudge out of the nest, a young artist that needed a better understanding of how to translate emotion using the nude.A lot of good work, this is what you would expect in a review,what I did not expect was to review one of  the 500 entrants that did not make it into the Musing Exhibition. Very interesting moment because the portfolio presented to me had at least two images that would have been in the the final choices.What I am getting at here is how subjective juried shows can be and the fact that artists should not take the rejections to hard of course there are exceptions to this.

This is leading up to showing a few more images from the exhibition and to say thank you to staff at Photographic Center NW thank you to all the artists who participated it was an honor to see your images. The Center and I could not have created this wonderful exhibition without you. Also I would like to thank the sponsors and prize donators Blurb Inc. , Glazer's Camera, and Panda Lab. Please visit Photographic Center NW for more information and a complete view of the images that are a part of MUSINGS : 18th Annual Juried Competition.

Cass Walker, Help

Anna Ream, Parker with Davis Duck

Bill Finger, Ground Control

Charlotte Niel, Family

Jarvi Kononen, Chromatic Aberration

RESTLESS IN SEATTLE : fact fiction & fantasy

Doreen Kilfeather ,Absorbed 

Erik Hagen,  Abbot Kinney

Philip Basaric, Maze

Angela Prosper, Tear Stained Eyes 

Alison Turner Untitled

He's back with a few words of admirations for anyone who can devote the time to blogging consistently. I admire you.

I now have something I wish to talk about, part praise, part bitching part advise. This year as many know from my Facebook page I was asked to juror the Photographic Center NW 18th Annual Jury Exhibition entitled Musings. 500 artists submitting over 2500 images.It took more than a day to make a decision about the 75 images the became the exhibition.

I am happy with the  submissions and the final installation which illustrated the range of talent, techniques and ideas that contemporary photography makes available to a modern audience.
Artists who used enhanced IPhotos to swirling images made in photoshop or the alternative processes to the tried and true silver gelatin print made with time tested darkroom skills and others  .This is photography today.

Were there disappointments, sure. All images receive a bit of glamour when viewed on a hi-def  monitor some correction is expected when one have the actual print in hand and before eye.A bit of advise is needed here, thought of presentation  is important.I felt a few  photographs were printed too large maybe the artist was following trends but it weaken their photograph,sometimes small is best, pushing beyond 16 X 20 must be carefully thought about.There was an image so enlarge a hot spot
was in the foreground that the artist seem to ignored, I struggle deciding to put that image in because it was strangely powerful but at near 30 x 40 to me the power was lost. One needs to look into the image not be shut out by scale and confrontation

If you have a chance and are in the area please visit the Photographic Center of the NW, lovely images
positive space and community where photography is respected.It will get you to Musing or at least thinking about it

James Delano : BLACK TSUNAMI : Generosity of Spirit

BLACK TSUNAMI
JAMES WHITLOW DELANO

Cherry blossoms have open on a tree that seems to rise right out of the rubble.  Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. copyright James Whitlow Delano

As some of you may know I am not always dark  hearted and brittle,over the years I have worked on a number of charity events with the help of many photographers who have one thing in common " a generosity of spirit" I have often wondered about this out pouring of giving and the closest I have come to understanding it ,is that idea of photography preserving our humanness. One of the charities I lend my support to is Friends Without a Border,which was found by Kenro Izu.In the last 4 years an artist has donated a portfolio of prints created especially for FWAB . James Whitlow Delano was our 2012 portfolio contributor.This is a small way for me to thank him by sharing his Kickstater project with you.

BLACK TSUNAMI :

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined such a natural and man-made disaster hitting my adopted home of Japan.  By the time we arrived in the tsunami zone, there was snow falling and mud everywhere.   People shuffled almost as in a dream through twisted and tormented debris that suggested the forces at play.  By the time we reached the first evacuation center, taking off our shoes, soaked with frigid sea water, and entered a cold, dark gymnasium, chill had penetrated to the bone, but as much as we felt the cold, the young and old were hit far, far worse.  Survivors huddled around kerosene heaters.  After 20 years in Japan, I looked out at people who could have been my neighbors, friends or even members of my own family.  Never had a disaster been more raw, more real, more personal.

We seek your support to make a permanent record of this event, which changed Japan forever. 

A little help from lots of people can go a long way."Generosity of spirit ",I know it is a cliche ,but it is one I believe in.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2066133663/black-tsunami-japan-2011

www.jameswhitlowdelano.com
http://www.fotoevidence.com/

Go + See
KEITH SMITH
April 18 - June 1 2013
Bruce Silverstein Gallery
535 West 24th Street
New York, New York

Untitled, c. 1973
Photograph with stitching and pencil drawing mounted to paper

In a Split Second, 1966    
Print emulsion with drawing mounted to paper

  Aatis Lillstrom, 1965    Gelatin silver print, printed c. 1965

1971 for Book 22, c. 1971 
Photo-collage with hand-stitching

After Thought of Book 3, Frontrunner of a page in Book 11, 1968    
Gelatin silver print

Aatis Lillstrom, 1965    
Gelatin silver print, printed c. 1965

About a year ago the Bruce Silverstein Gallery had a surprising and elegant exhibition of handcrafted books by the artist/photographer Keith Smith. A year later the gallery has installed a new exhibit of Mr Smith's photos and photo based creations, which are like his books a delight.

This is a large exhibition which gives the viewer an inside into the creative process. We gets a chance to see the artist return to ideas, themes and motifs that drives his art over time. There is innocence, mystery, magic, humor and well as mastery of craft.

I was thinking about other artists when walking away from this exhibit last evening and the name that came to my mind first was Joseph Cornell an artist that created an intense personal world that still intrigue. One day I would love to see these two artists together
in dialogue exhibition.

Go and see this show in fact make a couple of visits each visit will be rewarding.

All images are copyrighted and used with permission of the artist and Bruce Silverstein Gallery

Bruce Silverstein
535 West 24th Street
brucesilverstein.com/artist/294/keith

212-627-3930

Raymond Adams AMERICA : WITNESSED

Go + See

Raymond Adams
AMERICA : WITNESSED
photographs by Raymond Adams
essay by Duane Michals

Patriot
New York, New York 12 September 2001 

One never knows what to expect from day to day, so today when I received a call from Ray Adams I was surprised that he found me talkative and revealing. Part of the conversation had to do with the idea of uncertainty. Part of the conversation was about his book America : Witnessed and the unending quest to identify and understand what American is. At one point it seemed so fixed. I feel it will always be more fluid now. That there will be more young people taking there cameras on a trip to answer that question on the great American road trip, It is part of our being to hit the road to see. Looking at a pdf of America :Witnessed, I found myself not wanting to reduce the 47 images down to 5 or 8 .

Is American the cities, the land or its' many people or is it just an illusive dream that inspires ? As I grow older I feel it may be just an illusive dream,that is why I chose this image Patriot ,you may read into this image whatever you want.

America : Witnessed also represents another aspect of the American idea it will be published with the help of many people through Kickstarter ,maybe you would like to participate too .I am adding a link at the end of this post, but before I do here are some of Ray's thoughts about this project

" What is the American Dream? Is it a big house, and a fast car? Is it a right to free speech? Or is it my right to defend myself? Am I constitutionally guaranteed access to a cheap gallon of gasoline? Or am I guaranteed clean drinking water?

These photographs are an effort at tying an anchor to my own notions of these ideas, as they are continually being dragged by the current of time. From what I can tell, I don’t think anything can definitively define the American Dream, and I believe that’s the reason it continues to breathe."

This is what I’ve seen. 

Raymond Adams 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1049083645/america-witnessed

www.raymondadams.net

If you are near Asheville North Carolina : Go + See Gerald Slota: Story, at the Castell Photography Gallery

Go+See

Gerald Slota : Story
A Retrospective Exhibition
April 12 - June 28 2013
Castell Photography Gallery
2C Wilson Alley
Asheville,North Carolina

FOUND Family With Still Life

TRUE Screaming Boy

TRUE Untitled Scout Leader

Home Sweet Home

FABLE : Hansel & Gretel.

When I first started to collect,to be honest I preferred formal images with a little
added little that distracted over the years I would like to feel I have grown.One of the artists who has expand my vision with his visceral photographs was Gerald Slota

Story represents a selection of photographs, most of them unique, from five different bodies of Slota’s work beginning in 1998. Gerald Slota, whose entire artistic oeuvre has focused on imagined secret histories and subliminal narratives, often begins work on a new photograph with a sketch in one of his many journals. Much of Slota's work, often torn and marked, is eerily nostalgic-- quirky strange narratives, seemingly referencing other people's dreams, nightmares, and memories. This exhibition explores both Slota's process and his artistic projects. Featured is a selection of photographs, many of them unique, from 5 different bodies of work as well as a selection of Slota's journals.

There will be a reception and book signing at Castell Photography Gallery on Friday April 12 starting at 06:00. his book, Story, was listed as one of The New York Times Magazine’s top photo books of 2012.

All images courtesy of Castell Photography and Gerald Slota

www.castellphotographygallery.com 
828-255-1188