VoxPhotographs Weblog

I’ve found the fine art photographers I’ve met here in Maine to be a singularly committed group. They have to be. With few outlets for their work in their home state, and even fewer serious collectors of fine art photography here, they have to be fueled by passion. I respect their drive to produce new bodies of work and their willingness to commit dollars to exhibiting it when they know the chance of recouping such an investment is slight.

Railroad Spike©John Roy. All Rights Reserved

On May 12, I met three more such passionate artists. For three years now I’ve traveled down to Boston to review portfolios during the two day New England Portfolio Reviews event organized by the Griffin Museum of Photography and PRC (Photographic Resource Center). Last Saturday, I spent 25 minutes each with John Roy, Phillip Jones, and David Torcoletti. I met with John Roy last year and he wanted to update me. I don’t know how I got on the lists of Phillip and David, but I’m glad I did. I was also pleased to see two of the artists whose work is represented by VoxPhotographs invest in this opportunity - Sharon Arnold and Dave Wade.

When I met with John Roy last year, I saw promise, but no focus. Several images were terrific. But a mature artist needs to be able to realize a vision and see the creation of a body of work through – and I told John that. There’s nothing the matter with shooting a variety of subjects and styles, but… a formal portfolio review should include one or more edited bodies of work. John was clearly eager this year to tell me he had taken my advice seriously, but what he showed me this time around told me that loud and clear without words. He created a series that explored abandoned railways. He had a vision and showed me he could communicate that vision clearly to others, with an exciting and often challenging group of about 15 photographs he had edited down from close to 100. It wasn’t a perfect group, but once I weeded out a couple images that didn’t bring much to the table, I can easily state that an exhibit of the dozen remaining images would be of great satisfaction to anyone viewing it. I loved the portrait of the “Railroad Spike” so much, I asked him to send it on to me to include in my revolving desktop images.

Cranes in Motion©Phillip Jones. All Rights Reserved

These reviews demand I stay focused – completely – as every 30 minutes I enter a totally different world and need to get right inside it. Next up was Phillip Jones. Phillip’s work is realized in large square selenium-toned silver gelatin prints and most of the work he presented to me was from his Shooting in the Dark and Industry series – gutsy and often riveting images. He also brought along a few strays from other series (and one of my favorite photographs viewed in a long time is the one at the end of this posting: “El Toro”. Everyone I’ve shown it to loves it. There is the obvious appeal of the image which doesn’t have to be explained to anyone reading this blog, but in the large print itself, if you spend time with it, you get beyond everything else to the tiny evidence of humanity in the bottom right-hand corner. Ah, these are the images that make it worth getting up in the morning!) But here’s a guy who takes no short cuts and the results are extraordinary works that allow the viewer the best experience – to see something in a new way. One long look through this artist’s website and it’s clear he works hard – very hard – and has honed his craft to a very high level.

Untitled, from the series “Soldiers” ©David Torcoletti. All Rights Reserved

I’m constantly amazed at what slices of life artists home in on and bring to light: David Torcoletti brought me an amazing series to review – a former co-worker had been a radio personality in Vietnam and had received thousands of photographs from her American listeners stationed there during the war. She was evacuated (yes, in the helicopters) and settled in the USA, and the only thing she had time to grab was…a small box of some of these photographs the GI’s had sent her. Hundreds were left behind. When she showed them to David 25 years later, many of the photographs had deteriorated, but she thought he might appreciate them, as a photographer. He did and he immortalized them, just as he found them – distressed, peeling and haunting. It’s an incredible group of images and so moving, there is little to verbalize. They are no longer about individuals, but about the loss and destruction of war and “men living in impossible circumstances”. I tend to spend the first 10 minutes of these reviews silently looking at the work  – it sometimes throws off the photographer who is hepped up to talk about it all. But I need to spend time with it visually and dislike having images explained to me most of the time. But with this series? It hugely impacted my understanding of the photographs to hear the story behind them and I honor it by repeating it to you.

Untitled, from the series “Soldiers” ©David Torcoletti. All Rights Reserved

All three photographers took the time to let me know the short time we spent together had been worth while and nothing makes me happier to learn a photographer moved forward in some way after I talked with them about their work. “…awesome photography review” ” … thanks for your time, insight and sense of humor.  You were helpful, and also good company (my grandmother’s highest compliment).” Your analysis of what’s actually going on within a photo is marvelous. Time will tell, but I believe that you demonstrated tools that will help me discern a competent, interesting image from a resonant work of art.”

Remember what I said about what’s worth getting up in the morning for? To have the opportunity to share, if only briefly, in the light that shines from the works of committed, talented photographers…that’s one of the best reasons I know.

El Toro©Phillip Jones. All Rights Reserved

This entry was posted on May 20, 2012 at 11:21 pm and is filed under OUT THERE - PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT, REVIEWS . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.