September 17, 2022
‘Up Close And Personal’, the exhibit now open at Capital Arts is meant to reflect extreme macros. Not just a model’s portrait, or their eyes, but their eyelashes. Microscopic. So close the viewer might have to guess what the subject is.
It’s an interesting concept for a photo artist. It doesn’t lend itself well at all to abstraction, or even to abstract realism. Photographic captures themselves must utilize a macro lens, but even that may not be close enough. Still, I gave it a shot.
‘Perfect Fragility’ is straight photography – just a macro of a dandelion puff. I was very pleased with the sharpness of it and any added artistry would not have improved it. ‘Summer Fling’, from earlier this year, was captured specifically with this show in mind. In this case, I did apply, mildly, abstraction techniques to infuse a bit of fantasy to it. ‘After The Storm’ nicely blends subtle texturing with realism.
The exhibit runs through November 5, with a reception 5-7 p.m. Thursday, September 22. Come check it out!
- CH
It’s an interesting concept for a photo artist. It doesn’t lend itself well at all to abstraction, or even to abstract realism. Photographic captures themselves must utilize a macro lens, but even that may not be close enough. Still, I gave it a shot.
‘Perfect Fragility’ is straight photography – just a macro of a dandelion puff. I was very pleased with the sharpness of it and any added artistry would not have improved it. ‘Summer Fling’, from earlier this year, was captured specifically with this show in mind. In this case, I did apply, mildly, abstraction techniques to infuse a bit of fantasy to it. ‘After The Storm’ nicely blends subtle texturing with realism.
The exhibit runs through November 5, with a reception 5-7 p.m. Thursday, September 22. Come check it out!
- CH
September 13, 2022
'Repeat' Exhibit Opens At The Columbia Art League
The new ‘Repeat’ exhibit opening today at the Columbia Art League invites artists to exhibit how repetition shows up in their work, calling it “a fundamental part of visual language used to create movement, stillness, confusion, or to keep order”. I’ve used repetition in photo art for years, primarily in a Warholistic way; repeating an image numerous times on a canvas, changing that image as I go. I’ve done it, mainly, because it’s fun! I’ve a number of works in my portfolio I could have displayed in this exhibit, and I’ve created a slide show at the bottom of this post to display some of those works.
The flip side to that style is that it almost never, ever receives notice. It’s like viewers took at it and think, ‘oh, gee, that’s cute’, then move on. The thought occurred, then, why not exhibit a work in which the subject itself creates the repetition.
‘122 S. Michigan Ave’ depicts the building situated right across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago. Captured a couple years ago from street level and pointing the camera up resulted, of course, in an image that seemed to fall away from view – happens anytime a photographer points the lens up. In order to create a direct-on view, I needed to change the vertical perspective. Also of course, that change, unless perfectly pin-point centered, throws off the horizontal perspective; correcting that again threw off the vertical perspective so that had to be altered again. I went back and forth half a dozen times before I had the scene I wanted and could finally add the texturing and lighting effects I wanted to complete the work.
The works abstract realism, I believe, captures exactly what this ‘Repeat’ exhibit is looking for, and it’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to bring '122 S. Michigan Ave'. to an exhibition. Stop in at the gallery and take a look and treat yourself also to all the great works on display.
- CH
The flip side to that style is that it almost never, ever receives notice. It’s like viewers took at it and think, ‘oh, gee, that’s cute’, then move on. The thought occurred, then, why not exhibit a work in which the subject itself creates the repetition.
‘122 S. Michigan Ave’ depicts the building situated right across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago. Captured a couple years ago from street level and pointing the camera up resulted, of course, in an image that seemed to fall away from view – happens anytime a photographer points the lens up. In order to create a direct-on view, I needed to change the vertical perspective. Also of course, that change, unless perfectly pin-point centered, throws off the horizontal perspective; correcting that again threw off the vertical perspective so that had to be altered again. I went back and forth half a dozen times before I had the scene I wanted and could finally add the texturing and lighting effects I wanted to complete the work.
The works abstract realism, I believe, captures exactly what this ‘Repeat’ exhibit is looking for, and it’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to bring '122 S. Michigan Ave'. to an exhibition. Stop in at the gallery and take a look and treat yourself also to all the great works on display.
- CH