Abstract Art

Art Trail Preview: Digital Photographers

The open studio weekends of the Greater Ithaca Art Trail are coming up soon:  October 9-10 and 16-17, with hours from 11 to 5.  This week I'm featuring two photographers who utilize digital and other manipulation to achieve their final results.

Jim Spitznagel says:  "I intuitively look for bold, sometimes harsh, often sensual shapes in everyday environs that speak to my sense of expression.  A digital photo is taken of those "found images" then, using a computer and television screen, pixelated beyond recognition.  This process is repeated until the desired image is achieved." 

   DELIVER US FROM THE ELEMENTS, giclee print on canvas by Jim Spitznagel.

Jim's work comes out of his interest in abstract expressionism, music, and Zen meditation.  All his images glow with the evidence of these pursuits.

   HAUNTED TWO, giclee print on canvas by Jim Spitznagel.

Nancy Ridenour takes digital photos and adjusts them to produce abstract montages.  Her subject matter includes flowers and gardens, images from Cornell University, manipulated architecture and sculpture, and images from travels.

   LOTUS MONTAGE, giclee framed print by Nancy Ridenour.

Nancy puts a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm into her work, and continues to explore new directions for her art.

   BRIDGE IN BROOKLYN, giclee print on canvas by Nancy Ridenour.

Art Trail Preview: Photography

For the next few Fridays I will be featuring the Greater Ithaca Art Trail artists in preparation for Open Studio weekends which are coming up October 9-10 and 16-17.  This is an opportunity to visit 50 artists in their studios without making an appointment.  Hours are 11 am to 5 pm each day. 

The photographers in our group range in their productions from the more traditional images to highly manipulated, digital results. Sarah Blodgett and Jon Reis are commercial as well as fine-art photographers:

  Mum, Photograph by Sarah Blodgett

   “Sneakers, Times Square, NYC,” un-retouched archival inkjet print, 13”x19,” by Jon Reis
 

James Burlitch's photographic emphasis is on nature, of which there is an abundance in the Ithaca area.  This one has an almost abstract quality about it:

    “Basswood Reflection,” framed gicleé on canvas, 18”x27,” by James Burlitch

Susan Verberg says she enjoys a more abstract type of photography, but she does not alter her images beyond standard dark-room techniques:

   “Alhambra Complex, Spain,” 2009, chromogenic C-print by Susan Verberg

Dede Hatch says she is inspired by the way that beauty and order can be derived from the ordinary world of chaotic subjects:

   COURTHOUSE DOOR, Pigmented inkjet print, 8" x 11" by Dede Hatch

Stan Bowman says one of his current delights is making photographs of grand landscape scenes.  Here's a perfect example:

   ROCKS CAPE COD by Stan Bowman

As you can see, each of the above photographers has a distinct and personal vision of the world which is reflected in their art.

Next week I'll focus on photographers who utilize digital and other manipulation of images to create their art.

Finding the Abstract in a Photograph

While in California visiting family for a few days, we stopped at the Modern Book Gallery in Palo Alto.  They were having a group show of several of their photographers including Ryan Bush, Fan Ho, Jefferson Hayman and Andrew Sovjani.  Ryan Bush's sparse, meditative black-on white images of electric wires and telephone wires, some with birds atop them, struck me as contemplative abstract patterns. 

Andrew Sovjani's photographs of folded, manipulated paper under various light conditions also present us with abstract patterns, but these have a more solid, architectural effect.  One can feel the weight of them.

All in all, it was a fascinating exhibit.  As an abstract painter, I found myself drawn to the more abstract images in these photographs of  "real" objects.