Boothbay – Maine Photography Show…
Warmth © Sarah Litchfield. All rights reserved.
We had hoped to go to the opening of the Boothbay Region Art Foundation’s annual Maine Photography Show, but got waylaid and had to blow it off. Glad we didn’t make the trip – we heard the small gallery was so packed for the opening that even many of the artists couldn’t get in the door!
Two VoxPhotographs artists – Jim Nickelson and Arla Patch – have work in the show and I dropped by to see the show Friday on my way up the coast. It’s only up until May 8 and the gallery open just Fri -Sun, so if you can get there it needs to be fairly soon.
Untitled (Lower Androscoggin) © Jared DeSimio. All Rights Reserved
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Traditionally, it’s a show for all levels of photographers – a lot of shutterbugs and a few real pros. But I like to see what people of all levels are doing – especially digitally, seeing as the technology changes every minute! This year’s juror was John Paul Caponigro. Past recent jurors have been Elizabeth Greenberg of Maine Media Workshops and Susan Danly, Curator of Graphics, Photography and Contemporary Art at the Portland Museum of Art.
Fading Beauty © Felice Boucher. All Rights Reserved.
The first photograph in the show that made me catch my breath was Felice Boucher’s nude “Fading Beauty”. Not only was it a beautiful image, but it was beautifully presented – something many photographers need to do much better at. Boucher’s presentation indicated her respect for and investment in her own work before asking the rest of us to respect and invest in it – and if you want to be taken seriously as an artist, presenting your work properly is the first step.
As well, “Fading Beauty” is masterfully printed. Digital printing is a skill that needs to be developed and few digital photographers understand this. It’s too easy (and affordable) to purchase a decent printer and push the PRINT button. Sorry, folks. If you want to see superb quality digital printing, spend some time looking at “Fading Beauty” or Jim Nickelson’s ( www.nickelsoneditions.com is Jim’s digital printing business) “The Tarn” and then look at your own prints. If it doesn’t parallel the quality of these two images, do a favor for the fine art photography community and hire a skilled printer. Poor printing simply underscores the public perception that anyone can be a photographer. And certainly anyone can push a PRINT button, so that perception is not far off if your printing skills are not top-notch.
Wrench © Richard Barnett. All Rights Reserved.
Also in the stellar dept. are images by Elise Plakke (“Grey Day”), Jared DeSimio(“Untitled (Lower Androscoggin)”), Sarah Litchfield (“Warmth”) and Richard Barnett (“Wrench”). Gorgeous, original, all there.
Grey Day © Elise Plakke. All Rights Reserved.
I also enjoyed Heath Paley’s image (first place WATER category “Water Over Dam”), Sarah Petril (“Red Hat”), Liza Schlitz (diptych “Eat Beans”), Martha Lentz (“Solitary Tree”) and third place STUDENT award Ruth Gray’s “No Pictures Please”.
Water Over Dam © Heath Paley. All Rights Reserved.
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Solitary Tree © Martha Lentz. All Rights Reserved.
Thanks to the Boothbay Region Art Foundation for making space for this show. I hear their Art in the Park this year (Sept. 4) is going to be photography only. See you there.
The Tarn © Jim Nickelson. All Rights Reserved.
