Tag: #alt-country

ALUMINATURE @ Swanson Contemporary

ALUMINATURE is an exhibition that featured recent and current work, using the natural environment as a subject while incorporating aluminum as a substrate. In my art practice, I reference the photographic past in my present explorations with the landscape.  Identity, my connection with the natural environment, nostalgia, and an obsession with symbolism are all present in this exhibition.

 

Bewilderbeast (left) and Back with Butterfly Wings from LUMINIFEROUS.

 

Earliest works from Alt-Country and ATTEMPTING UTOPIA, romanticize the unknown in both near and far away lands through dye sublimation printing onto clear aluminum.  The raw surface comes to life under proper lighting and changes as one moves around it, representing the inevitable while instilling the inability to look away.

 

Eden (left) and New (found) Harmony from ATTEMPTING UTOPIA

 

LUMINIFEROUS: ADVENTURES IN METAL follows from desire to continue working with a reflective surface while maintaining a hands-on approach in processing digital imagery through the use of digital image transfers.  Using extra heavy duty aluminum foil purposefully distressed in a dishwasher, images are transferred onto large custom-made substrates that reference photographic plates used in creating tintypes, another 19th century process of direct positives on thin sheets of metal.

 

DOGWOODS, Digital Image Transfers and Oil Paint on Custom-Made Aluminum Substrate, 35.5” x 36”

 

phyto- + -graphy discards the lens entirely and documents procured plant specimens without a camera when aging aluminum plates with a slow development, solar cooking process. The work references both photograms of botanical specimens used as scientific illustrations and visions from the collective unconscious.

 

Horse Chestnut 1 and 2 from phyto- + -graphy

 

selections from phyto- + -graphy

 

The evidence that people are drawn to shiny things is all around us: from shimmery advertisements in magazines and automobiles ads to glimmering gold iPhones. The use of aluminum purposefully attracts the viewer, inviting their engagement to the phenomena of the natural world, with the hope that appreciation of the work ultimately translates to the appreciation and protection of the natural environment.

 

Voyage (left) and Thru the Leaves come Autumn (right)

 

ALUMINATURE was a featured exhibition in the 2017 Louisville Photo Biennial, a regional festival occurring in over 60 venues throughout Louisville, Lexington and Southern Indiana celebrating artistic excellence in this rich and diverse medium. The Photo Biennial represents a cooperative effort among local museums, galleries, universities and other public venues to give viewers the opportunity to learn about and to appreciate photography.

 

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Alien Nation, CreativeLive & #PhotoWeek2015

Ya know, I gotta say, I LOVE CreativeLive, the online learning platform that broadcasts live classes in photography, film, music, crafts and more!   I learned of them two years ago when I first starting teaching photography to high school students.  CreativeLive has been an invaluable tool for me…not only in my role as a photography instructor, but also as a fine art photographer.

creativelive

I have viewed many live classes and have actually purchased several for watching at my leisure at a later date.  In fact, I designed this website after purchasing Brian Wood’s class, Creating a Responsive Website with WordPress!!

So I couldn’t help but be excited by their #PhotoWeek2015 photo contest, where the winner was awarded an all expenses trip to Seattle to be a member of the guest audience during CreativeLive #PhotoWeek2015!  Gotta admit, most of the time, I do not participate in FaceBook contests because they seem to pretty much be based on popularity…who’s got the discipline to ask their friends, ON A DAILY BASIS, to vote for them??  Not daily, but more times than I felt comfortable, I put it out there…because the prize was just that good…and many of you took the time out to vote for me and I still can’t thank you enough!!

But imagine my excitement when I received an email from CreativeLive’s Lindsey Bluher stating...”We loved your entry in our Photo Week 2015 contest! So much so that we’re planning on including it on our social networks.”

I was more than happy to answer their questions about the image entitled ‘Alien Nation’ which is part of an on going series entitled Alt-Country:

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And while I was not the grand prize winner…CreativeLive promoted my work more times than they needed to…on Twitter, Instagram AND Facebook…which was almost better than actually winning the grand prize itself! The above screen shot is their promotion on my image in Instagram…which generated 1101 likes (and counting since captured!!!) …mostly from individuals who do not know me personally.  I know that in the real world of ‘likes’ and social media, this is not much to brag about…but I still can’t help to look at this as a total victory!!
Check out CreativeLive for yourself and see why it is such an amazing site!!   Join me as I’ve been geeking out all week!
jz