It's Back! - Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition

Back to Basics
Photography
In an age where digital photography has
become the norm, this exhibit will take
an alternative view and feature Oklahoma
and regional artists preferring light and the
camera over a computer screen and Photoshop.
A variety of photographic techniques
such as Cyanotype, Polaroid Transfer and
Daguerreotype will be on display. Back to
Basics Photography and Eye Spy, a coinciding
exhibition of children’s photography, will
be on display April 28 – May 31, 2005 in
the Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery at City Arts
Center. There will be an opening reception on
Thursday, April 28, 2005 from 5:30 -7:30pm.
The Back to Basics Photography exhibit
has been included in the 2005 gallery
season to showcase the variety of styles
and techniques within the medium of
alternative photography. Don’t let the
name “Back to Basics” deceive you! This
exhibit will offer exceptional work that is
anything but elementary! This celebration
of the basic relationship between artist and
camera has produced work that is innovative
and contemporary. Each artist has explored
alternative processes to develop a body
of work with a fresh and unique appeal.
Some artists such as Jim Meeks’ images
will explore man-made objects in basic
geometric shapes that were found in various
places and that had either been thrown
away or left to rust and decay. “I like the
character these objects take on over time,
the basic shapes, their commonness and the
process of searching for them,” says Meeks.
His works have been featured recently in
the International Photography Hall of Fame
in Oklahoma City and a number of his
images are in public and private collections
throughout the United States and Europe.
Sarah Williams has returned to Oklahoma
City from New York and is now making
her presence in art venues in the Oklahoma
market. Williams’ images are the result of
a unique process that she has developed. In
Topography of the Brain, Williams began with
colored pencil and ink drawings, coated
with cooking spray and baked in the oven,
resulting in an orange cast. She then coated
the drawings with gel medium making them
printable. She has refined the process and
her experience allows her the ability to color
balance her imagery. “I immerse myself in the
creative process beyond traditional techniques.
The alchemy and unexpected surprises that are
possible with processing prints by hand allow
my creativity to flourish beyond the creation of
a negative or a print,” says Williams.
Dallas based artist Kimberly Rodriguez is
the Merchandising Coordinator for Wright
Studios which produces small product
catalogues. Catalogue photography requires
detailed attention to presentation, placement
and lighting. In contrast Rodriguez prefers to
photograph the world without manipulation.
Rodriguez comments, “I want to show how or
where things were before they were lit, shot
and burned to a disc. The minute details that
make up the world around me speak to me.”
Using a Holga camera, she has allowed the
natural occurrences of light leaks and ghosting
previews
to affect her composition. She creates an
interesting visual collage of disoriented subject
matter combined with scenes from daily life.
Back to Basics Photography promises to
be a photographic journey into the
contemporary world of alternative process
photography. Images will be presented in
a wide variety of unique formats including
light boxes, photographic constructions
and installation pieces.
In addition, there will be a coinciding
children’s photography exhibit Eye Spy in
the back of the gallery. Under the guidance
of a professional photographer, children will
be given cameras to photograph the world
as they see it. This exhibit opportunity has
been made possible by Kirkpatrick Bank.
The Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery is located
in City Arts Center at State Fair Park, 3000
General Pershing Blvd., OKC, OK. For more
information or call 951-0000, gallery hours
are Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
and Friday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Jim Meeks
Campbell Center
Back to Basics
Photography at
City Arts
Kimberly Rodriquez
NY Strip
Back to Basics Photography
at City Arts
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