I am very honored to once again have been juried into
the Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers at
Blue Sky Gallery!
Blue Sky Gallery is a non-profit exhibition space and archive for photography in Portland, Oregon. Blue Sky’s special endeavor continues to be the exhibition of emerging and established artists that exemplify the finest in photographic vision and innovation. As such, Blue Sky has earned the accolade as having “the best record of discovering new photographers of any artists’ space in the country.”
ABOUT THE DRAWERS:
Blue Sky established the Pacific Northwest Photography Viewing Drawers program in 2007 to feature a juried, public archive of original prints by contemporary photographers based in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, and Alaska. The Drawers program has quickly become a favorite aspect of Blue Sky’s ongoing programming, available to approximately 25,000 visitors annually. During regular hours, you are welcome to have a look by simply opening any one of the Drawers.
Jurors Shane Lavalette and Prudence Roberts selected 64 artists from hundreds of submissions.
Debuting on First Thursday, April 2, 2015 and coinciding with Portland Photo Month,
each artist will be represented by 10 original photographic prints in a dedicated archival,
flat file drawer at Blue Sky Gallery through March 2016.
I have the following 10 pieces in the drawers:
Creating camera-less art in a darkroom I revisit the wonder of photography's invention and process. Merging current technologies with deep-rooted photographic practices, I use light emitting devices to brush color into form across light-sensitive paper. A unique approach to the production of photographic art, I do not document an existing image but rather, like a painter, generate an original one. Manipulating color, intensity and direction of light, I literally paint with light. No enlarger, camera or computer is used in the creating of my art making each piece produced a unique work.
In line with my one of a kind artwork I choose nature as an analogous subject. With no two flowers ever being exactly alike I bring to light the intricate textures and details through careful arrangement and layering. I deepen the notion of exceptional nature as a mirror of exceptional human nature; providing a catalyst for the human imagination to engage with questions surrounding the nature of life and death, on the mortal constraints of all people, and the finite boundaries of the human body.
Flowers exhibit a transitory beauty, an ephemeral symbol of mortality that illustrates the passage of time. With buds reaching to the sky, roots plunging deep in the earth, and a stem planted firmly in between, flowers dwell in three worlds and offers a link between heaven, earth and underworld. Flowers take on the appearance of death in the winter, only to sprout anew with the return of spring. In this way, flowers are a powerful symbol of resurrection. Revealing the death-rebirth mystery, flowers serve to illuminate the human life cycle.
I invite viewers to contemplate the fragility of existence and the prospect of the afterlife from multiple points of view; reminding viewers that death is an unavoidable part of life, something to be prepared for at all times. But also reminding viewers of something startling and important: life is meaningful, temporary, and sacred.
If you have questions or comments I would love to hear them.
Much love to you all!