November 2011 - Katherine Rondina & Frank Hamrick

The Spokane Falls Community College Photography Program is hosting a gallery exhibition titled “Lost and found” features hand made artist books by Frank Hamrick and Wet Plate Collodion prints by Katherine Rondina.

The exhibition highlights the “lost” art of handmade bookmaking and 19^th century Wet Plate photography and expands the visual lexicon beyond contemporary digital photography and highlights how new insights into the modern may be “found” in the intrinsic value of craftsmanship and physical artifacts.

September 2011 Erik Sohner

Artist Statement

This series of images is meant to be a visual journey from minimalism to complexity in terms of narrative, set elements and intellectual depth. In my photography I take a very hands on, contemplative and conceptual approach to both composition and lighting. The photographs presented are a selection of digital capture still life images that were mostly created within the last six months of 2010. All of these images are illuminated utilizing a light painting technique.

Within this series of still life photographs I am attempting to explore my vision of the beauty, mystery and elegance that I find within everyday objects. These are mostly banal objects that tend to go largely unnoticed in our day-to-day visual experience. I have always been fascinated by light and how different applications can alter the visual presence of the subject being photographed.

Emphasis was placed on formal elements such as color, value, shape, texture, line and form. The objects and sets are constructed to depict simple scenes in which the object might be found or normally viewed. However, in these images the actual object is somewhat irrelevant; the relevance of the work emerges through my artistic temperament, the way that I see these objects, the way that I light them and bring them to life. My intent is to use both my lighting style and the element of color to connect with the viewer on a visual and emotional level.

In the broader, sense this work is reminiscent to Pictorialism in the fact that I am taking a subject and attempting through lighting to elevate the subject to something more visually powerful than it actually is. Through chiaroscuro and my lighting technique, I am attempting to increase the tonal range of the image beyond the perceived limits of the conventional materials from which they are produced. Thus, the objects themselves are a means to explore this extended luminescent quality and the lighting style itself essentially becomes the subject of the photographs.

I have an insatiable passion for the medium of photography. I draw inspiration from many sources including my deceased Grandfather who was a fine artist, my beautiful family and the people, places and things that surround me. I have always been fascinated by light and have spent a great deal of time studying theory and experimenting with different methods of manipulation and application. While I create many different types of images, I have strong interest in still life. This type of image affords me the time for deliberate contemplation of my subject matter while allowing me to explore the complexity of light and shadow and its relationship to the visual and emotional experience.

-Erik J. Sohner

October 2010: George deSaint-Rat

George deSaint-Rat was born in France, at Chateau-Thierry, 40 miles from Paris. He was brought to America as a 5 year old. His first memory of America was seeing New York City from their ship. He says, “I couldn’t believe it...I was blown away…can you imagine coming from a little town in France and then seeing the lights of New York City at night, from the harbor? It was amazing!”

He has worked primarily as a photojournalist and editorial photographer for local non profit organizations. To gain an understanding of Georges’ photojournalism, one must look back to see the difference between what photojournalists produced ‘back in the day’ and what is produced currently.

Archetypal photojournalism of the day included Tri-X 35mm film, usually ‘pushed’ with processing, shots taken with available light under poor circumstances, and a raw, gritty feel to the end product. It wasn’t done to achieve a ‘look’. Many times it was the only way to get usable images for publication. The tools of today can imitate any ‘look’. What they can’t do is imitate the content. They can’t imitate ‘the decisive moment’, or the reality of ‘being there in the moment’ observing and recording with an artists’ sensibility the events of our time.

As a photojournalist, Georges’ work demonstrates this understanding. He wants to be right in the middle of his subjects, he closes in on them as he becomes engrossed in the process. He uses very wide angle lenses to get close to his subject matter; closer than many people feel comfortable about. After breaking through the invisible shell we each carry around us, he uses this proximity to provide an intimate touch to his photographic vision.

Current photojournalism is different. It has been changed from observational reportage to something resembling event photography.

His work is most influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Andre Kertesz, and documentary photography done from the 1930s through the 1960s.

May 2010: Del Lusk

Del Lusk began his photographic career in the 1960’s, working as a magazine and news photographer. Lusk made the switch to fine art and academics in the early 1970’s, obtaining a position in the Journalism and Photography Department at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. Concurrent with his teaching, he was able to cultivate and promote his personal work, exhibiting regularly in the Northwest. His photographs were awarded numerous accolades and exhibits during this period, adding to his accomplishments as a documentary and news photographer. A hiatus as a stockbroker interrupted Mr. Lusk’s creative pursuits in the 1980’s.

Currently, Del Lusk has once again found his muse via the camera. His most enchanting body of work is devoted to manikins. Reminiscent of Umbo (Otto Umbehr) and Max Yavno, the Manikins in Storage series evokes a time past and hints at the metaphysical, a reflection of human interaction using inanimate stand-ins. Equally lovely is Lusk’s landscape work, which reflects his interest in the history of civilization, photographing sacred spots in Rome, Sicily and Sardinia.

Del Lusk’s prints are 11 x 14 inch Toned Gelatin Silver Prints, priced at $500 and are available through STOOTS Fine Photography.


Artist Bio courtesy of:

January 2010: Christian Arrecis

Setting the Planets Into Motion
2007
10" x 15"

The SFCC Photography Gallery is presenting the work of Chicago Artist Christian Arrecis. Christian received his MFA in 2008 and teaches at Northern Illinois University.

Artist Statement

Phaenomena Naturalis is a series of photographs through which I attempt to navigate and understand the natural world; it is an attempt at understanding some of life's universal and enduring questions. Light and shadow function on a symbolic level—the revelation of truth. Books and their time-worn pages, bits of text and images, and found objects all serve as a vehicl Phaenomena Naturalis is a series of photographs through which I attempt to navigate and understand the natural world; it is an attempt at understanding some of life's universal and enduring questions. Light and shadow function on a symbolic level—the revelation of truth. Books and their time-worn pages, bits of text and images, and found objects all serve as a vehicle to suggest a figurative voyage, that the mysteries of the world can be unlocked and revealed.

I am interested in an exploration of the world through referencing legend, through the intersection between science and magic and where superstition meets history. As such, an intimation of the arcane, the mythological and the mysterious informs these photographs.e to suggest a figurative voyage, that the mysteries of the world can be unlocked and revealed.

I am interested in an exploration of the world through referencing legend, through the intersection between science and magic and where superstition meets history. As such, an intimation of the arcane, the mythological and the mysterious informs these photographs.

To see more of Christian's work online visit: http://christianarrecis.com

November 2009: Jamie Tucker

Jamie Tucker received her MFA in Photography from Indiana State University in 2006 and currently teaches at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa Idaho.

About the Prints:

All prints are Silver Gelatin, hand printed by the photographer on Ilford fiber and resin coated papers. The images were taken with Diana and Holga cameras using Ilford and Arista films in May 2008 and were printed in 2008-09. Most of the images are single exposures but for a few Jamie has made multiple exposures while onlyt advancing the film part way which creates a dreamlike quality.

Artist Statement:

Initially drawn to the beauty and mystery of place, travel is many times a part of my photographic interest. In this series I have combined place with the telling of story through image. Chinglish combines place with portraiture.

The English and de la Paz families welcomed my camera into their lives as they taught English in Xian and Beijing, China.

China is a place full of movement, mystery and tradition.

I am drawn to and love the way plastic toy cameras record life. These images are dreamlike and mysterious. They are felt, rather than viewed. Detailed precision is absent, while fuzzy recollections of pugnant aromas, curious textures and aching emotions are present.

These images are a testament to the reality of these people and places.

March 2009: Melissa Rackham

Melissa Rackham received her MFA from the University of Memphis and recently moved back to Spokane. During her undergrad coursework she studied photography with Shelly Murney at Eastern Washington University. This exhibit is a collage of images from recent portfolios that are woven together around the idea of place.

Melissa will be teaching a non credit photography course at SFCC during the Spring 2009 quarter. This course will focus on alternative process techniques such as cyano and van dyke brown as well as combining digital photography with historic processes.