Griffin State of Mind

Stephanie Shih | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on March 7, 2023

Stephanie Shih’s Asian American Still Life looks at the way we imbue preconceived notions of what the object holds, and how we re-envision that object in a new context. Her work is on view as part of My Favorite Things at Lafayette City Center, downtown Boston.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I am a visual still life artist, working in the mediums of photo and motion. I’m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, and currently live and work in Los Angeles, CA.

Tell a little about your exhibition, “Asian American Still Life.”

Asian American Still Life is an on-going series that examines the cultural richness of what’s usually considered the very Eurocentric (and painting-based) art tradition of still life. In the series, I’m pulling from my own cultural background as a Taiwanese-Chinese American as well as collaborating with other creators in the Asian diaspora to make our presences known in this venerated art tradition… and having a bit of subversive fun along the way (hopefully).

What do you find special about still life photography? What led to your decision to use it as a means to explore Asian American identity with this project?

I’ve always been more drawn to food and things and their internal lives than I have been to people! I like to “hear” the stories and histories that objects can tell. And so often in the history of the Eurocentric still life tradition, objects from other cultures get thrown in without context. I felt like it was really time to try to take back some of that narrative space and, in doing so, push the tradition forward.

What is a literary, musical or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I came across ceramicist Fujikasa Satoko’s work recently and am mind-boggled and obsessed. She makes clay come so alive that I’m in disbelief that it’s actually clay. That’s the kind of aliveness I always seek to bring to my still life arrangements!

ABOUT STEPHANIE SHIH

Stephanie Shih is a visual still life artist, known for her painterly use of shadow applied to playful perspectives on food. Shih started making photographs with her dad’s half-frame camera on childhood road trips, but only took up photography seriously later in life while in graduate school. At the time, she moonlighted as a caterer, and translating the experience of food to the visual image has been a driving through line of her work ever since.

As a second generation Taiwanese-Chinese American, Shih explores themes of cultural dynamics—belonging,alienation, appropriation, celebration—through her still life photographs. Shih’s photography has been featured in print outlets including Elle Girl Korea, 7×7, and Gastronomica, and online on Gourmet Live, Saveur, Fine Cooking, and Buzzfeed.

Shih is from the San Francisco Bay Area and currently lives in Los Angeles. When not in the studio or kitchen creating, she is a professor at University of Southern California.

Bonnie Newman | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on February 18, 2023

Bonnie Newman’s “First Light” still hangs at WinCam, so be sure to see it before it leaves in March! To learn more about her process we asked her questions for Griffin State of Mind!

Tell us a little about your background.

Thirteen years ago, I retired from a career in higher education and nonprofit management. I love travel and have always taken snapshots that captured the beauty and special aspects of the places I visited. And I have always found solace and spirituality in nature. Eight years ago, I upgraded my camera, started taking photography courses, and connected with a community of photographers, all of which helped me to strengthen my skills and have fun experimenting with my photography.

Tell a little about your recent exhibition, “First Light,” and how it was conceived.

I have a small cottage with windows on a pond on Cape Cod. Spending time there provided the opportunity to deeply notice my everchanging environment. I was particularly captivated by the morning light on the pond. I started taking photos from my window, my dock, and my kayak. In time, I felt I was simply recording the view, and not capturing the spirit of the area. I discovered the feature on my DSLR camera that allowed me to combine two images in-camera, one over the other, which made it possible to create more imaginative photos. I have since taken hundreds of multiple-exposure images that celebrate the early morning light on the pond.

How has your approach to photography evolved since beginning the project?

My work on this project has pushed me to experiment even more, utilizing intentional camera movement, (ICM) along with multiple exposures, to create “reinvisioned” landscapes, which capture the emotion I feel in the beauty and serenity of nature.

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

I always enjoy the exhibitions–I love seeing the many ways that photographers use the medium of photography to share their vision and what is important to them, and I gravitate to those who use experimental/out of the box techniques, and new ways of seeing nature and landscape.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I’ve had the opportunity to photograph a two-hundred-year-old historic barn that is about to be dismantled and rebuilt. I loved documenting the many discarded, deteriorating items left there for years, and then once the items were cleared out, to notice the elements of the structure of the barn. I particularly like the shapes, textures and shadows, the centuries-old construction techniques, the deteriorating wood, the old birds nests, and even the invasion of ivy through the dusty broken windows.

ABOUT BONNIE NEWMAN

Bonnie Newman is a photographer, outdoor enthusiast and avid traveler. With her camera, she experiences and captures the splendor of nature, compelling moments, and new environments.

Newman finds inspiration in nature, whether an expansive landscape or a detail that catches her eye. She sees abstraction everywhere and is attracted to shapes, transparency, distortion and fragmentation. Her recent landscape work utilizes the techniques of transparency and reflection, double exposure, and intentional camera movement to reveal her singular vision of a scene. The resulting images vacillate between serene and edgy, offering a flight from reality combined with a hint of mystery.

Newman’s photographs have been exhibited in a solo show at the Cary Public Library in Lexington MA. She has also exhibited at the Griffin Museum of Photography and juried in to group exhibitions at the Cambridge Art Association, Arlington Center for the Arts, Plymouth Center for the Arts, and Gallery Twist in Lexington.

She photographs for the Brewster Conservation Trust and the Town of Lexington Conservation Department, and her photos are on display at Brewster (MA) Town Hall, and the Lexington (MA) Visitor’s Center and in private collections.

Newman has taken photography courses with Emily Belz at the Arlington Center for the Arts, Griffin Museum of Photography, and the DeCordova Museum. (2015-2020). She participated in the Atelier 33 at the Griffin, has taken online workshops with Valda Bailey and Doug Chinnery, and workshops on Cape Cod with Steven Koppel and Julia Cumes .

Newman lives in Lexington and Brewster MA.

She can be found at http://bonnienewmanphotography.com/

WinCam is located in Winchester, at 32 Swanton Road, Winchester, MA 01890

Judith Black | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on February 15, 2023

With Family Album coming to a close at the end of February, we wanted to interview Judith Black for Griffin State of Mind.

Tell us a little about your background.
I have always loved making pictures… drawing cartoon characters, painting, taking some photos with my Brownie camera from an early age. Fast forward, in 1979 I started a masters degree program at the Creative Photography Lab at MIT founded by Minor White. I was 34 years old, recently divorced with four small children. Finding role models became an important part of my research. I was looking to see how women who were both photographers and mothers managed to balance nurturing their family and their need to have a career.

Family Group *(Mother’s day)* May 12, 1985

What compelled you to document your family originally?
Realizing I would not be able to spend much time away from work and home, I used the camera to record the physical and emotional changes we have all made over the years. Families are complicated…. something I hope my photos demonstrate. The photographs are a way for me to remember both the pleasures and pains of being part of and raising a family.

How has your approach to photography evolved since beginning the project?
It has been pretty consistent, actually, for the work I choose to exhibit which has always been black and white. At first, I used several kinds of film cameras. I was given the Polaroid Type 55 film, I fell in love with it. It that gave me a 4×5 negative and little print in 60 seconds. Once Polaroid and the Type 55 were gone, it was time to do something a bit different. I found that as digital cameras got better and better, I started to make more use of color. Who knows what I will do with that archive.

Laura and Self *(Before Arthur’s memorial service),* December 30, 1994

Tell a little about your recent exhibition, “Family Album”, and how it was conceived.
Barbara Hitchcock, formerly Director of the Polaroid International Collection, is the curator of the exhibit which pairs my work with Bjorn Sterri’s photographs of his family and his self. Barbara brought a non-chronological order to the photographs, choosing to look for visual ideas that brought small groups of photos together to spark a dialogue. It was wonderful to work with her choices!

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?
I really enjoyed seeing the Lou Jones exhibit a couple of years ago. He is wonderful supporter of photography, a prolific photographer with so many bodies of work and a generous mentor.

ABOUT JUDITH BLACK

Judith Black received her Master of Science in Visual Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981 and was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1986. She taught in the Art Department at Wellesley College for 25 years. Black’s work has been collected and exhibited in museums, from the Museum of Modern Art, New York to museums, institutions and galleries across the globe.

Meg Birnbaum | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on January 27, 2023

Meg Birnbaum’s upcoming education series with Griffin will allow you make your personal story into a universal one. We wanted to delve into the creative and narrative process behind her photographs, and what objectives she hopes to hit in her class.

What aspects of photographic storytelling are most important that often don’t apply with non-narrative photography?

I think that the artists intention is the most important aspect – not just the story but what it is that the artist wants to convey, what kind of emotion does the artist want to share with or elicit from the viewer?

Tell us about your background.

I grew up outside NYC and consider myself fortunate because my parents subscribed to a number of magazines including the amazing LIFE and LOOK. I credit them and the NY Times Sunday Magazine with developing my interest in narrative photography. It was a wonderful time for magazines and I remember racing home from school to be the first to look at them, reluctantly handing them over to my dad when he got home. What I remember is how well the photography went beyond direct photojournalism but also took you inside humanity’s joy and sadness. Many of the images are etched in my memory still. Around the same time my sister was given an enlarger and we set up a darkroom in our attic when I was 11. Many years later I went to art school and worked for many years art directing and designing magazines, including Cook’s Illustrated and Yankee Magazine’s special Summer Travel issues.

Does your narrative photography often reflect your own experiences?

Mostly but not always. Different projects developed in different ways – often one thing leads to another. Taking on a project can be a great way to answer questions you have about someone or something that is outside your day-to-day life. You can encourage your own curiosity which I think is one of the healthiest things you can have. Two of my long-term projects were about one large thing but at the same time the underlying personal interest was to pursue why some people are terribly shy and others seemingly are not.

How do you involve photography into your everyday life?

I am in my head a lot but always looking – at other photographers works, at movies, at people, at art. I love to wander through stores like Michael’s and Joann Fabrics looking for prop inspirations.

What are the objectives of your class?

The class objective is to guide people towards illustrating the story they want to tell, and/or helping people figure out what it is that they want to work on. Myself – and the other students – will point out the strengths, patterns and themes that we see in each other’s work while also discussing what images might be missing and how to find them. After the class is over the Griffin museum will hold a zoom session for students to share the stories that they have worked on.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please join us online for an engaging look at narrative photography. The first class is February 14th, and runs through June 20th, 2023. For more information, look here on our education page for the details.

ABOUT MEG BIRNBAUM

Meg Birnbaum is a fine art photographer, designer and educator. She has had solo exhibitions in Kobe, Japan, the Davis Orton Gallery, NY, Panopticon Gallery, Boston, Corden Potts Gallery, San Francisco, the Griffin Museum of Photography, Lishui China, International Photography Festival, and at the Museum of Art Pompeo Boggio, Buenos Aires during the Biennial Encuentros Abiertos-Festival de la Luz. Her work has been juried into many national and international photography competitions. Birnbaum was an invited exhibitor at Flash Forward Festival 2011 in Boston and was nominated for the 2009 Santa Fe Prize for Photography.

Birnbaum taught illustration at Montserrat College of Art and has been teacher of the Photography Atelier classes at the Griffin Museum of Photography. Her work is held in the permanent collection of the Meditech Corporation, the Museum of Fine Art, Houston, the Lishui Museum of Photography in China and many private collections.

Alice Sachs Zimet | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on August 30, 2022

Collecting 101: Why is Buying a Photograph Harder than Buying a Van Gogh Painting?

We are thrilled to have Art Advisor Alice Zimet be part of our Griffin faculty. This fall she has a class on collecting, from the basics of how, to the engaging question of why, and assisting in the what of bringing home a photograph that can start or feed a collection. Starting in September, this online class, Collecting 101, is perfect for those about to travel to Paris for Paris Photo, staying home to see an auction in New York, or head into a local gallery, wherever you may be.

Tell us a little about your background?

I have two degrees in art history and began my career as a summer intern at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The following year, the Met hired me to run its summer intern program (I was 22 years old!) and I’ve been in the art world ever since. After working in the museum world for a few more years, I was hired – the day I was interviewed – by The Chase Manhattan Bank where I created the first corporate sponsorship program in a commercial bank. As Director, Worldwide Cultural Affairs, I used the arts as a strategic marketing tool across 14 countries and 20 US cities to generate $2 Billion for the bank.
At the same time, with a very small annual bonus, I began to collect photography. Today, I’ve amassed a collection of over 300 photographs. I chair two museum acquisition committees – at the Harvard Art Museums (photography) and at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City – and I’m also on the board of the Magnum Foundation. In addition to teaching for the Griffin Museum, I’m on faculty at the ICP School, Maine Media College + Workshops, LA Center of Photography and Christie’s Education, where I offer workshops on how to collect photography and how photographers can access the market. I’m also an Adjunct Professor at New York University’s Graduate Program, Arts Administration, teaching ‘Corporate Sponsorship and the Arts’.

How did your experiences culminate in a career in the art world?

I’ve never left the art world!! I’m just on career #3. First, I was in the museum world; next, in the corporate philanthropy / corporate sponsorship space; and now as a teacher and advisor tied to fine art photography.

Can you tell us about your business today?

In 1999, I founded a consulting boutique called Arts + Business Partners. I originally specialized in corporate sponsorship given I was a pioneer in the field. I worked with both business sponsors and with nonprofit arts groups, teaching each side how to create strategic partnerships. However, more recently, my business has shifted to focus the fine art photography marketplace, teaching workshops about collecting and advising buyers on acquisitions. My passion for photography won out!

Why do you teach about collecting photography?

About 15 years ago when a photographer suggested that I teach about collecting photography, my immediate response was ‘this is my private world’ and I declined. Then I realized that no one was teaching how to collect photography. Given all the years I’ve collected – making good choices but also making mistakes – I wanted to share my knowledge and experience. My goal has always been to empower students to feel confident, ask the right questions, and to better navigate the complex world of fine art photography.

Tell us about your own photography collection.

I began to collect fine art photography in January 1985 and have amassed a museum-quality collection of over 300 images from 20th Century masters to the present. My first purchase was on a trip with the legendary curator, collector and partner to Robert Mapplethorpe, Sam Wagstaff, who had lent a portion of his collection to a museum on the eastern end of Long Island. I fell in love with one image. But when it came to buying another print of that image, I couldn’t buy just one. I felt the need for a second companion piece. And so, a collection was born. And to this day, I often buy in pairs or in threes.

I started to collect with two initial very personal themes: France and Artist Portraits, mostly in black and white. (My grandfather lived in France and I studied art history). My love of artist portraits morphed into emotional humanistic portraits of people living their lives, often showing deep humanity. These portraits usually address key social issues: identity, racism, loneliness, the challenges of adolescence, family relations, life on the streets of New York, but also the joy of living life to its fullest, whether as a young child or as an adult.

Where does your passion for photography come from?

My photo passion was sparked when I interned at the International Center of Photography in 1975, the year ICP was founded. It took nearly 10 years for me to jump in and buy my first image. Back then, the photo world was still nascent, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed by this relatively small community. In fact, I had to defend my passion as everyone kept telling me ‘photography is not art.’ Boy, do they wish they had listened to me!

What are the key aspects of your new collecting class at the Griffin?

While photography is a multiple, each image is unique. This course teaches students what to consider before making a purchase and helps explain why buying photography can be so complex. Each week, we focus on a different subject — questions to ask before spending a penny, the marketplace and where to shop (for-profit and non-profit platforms) along with how to buy at auction. We also discuss budget considerations, signature indications, negative vs. print date, editions, condition issues as well as collection management. To round out the experience, the final class includes exclusive intimate visits (virtually) with two prominent photography dealers.

What are the learning outcomes that students come away after spending 5 weeks with you?

First, those who initially felt overwhelmed by the photography market will feel more confident and knowledgeable. Second, students will feel empowered before buying a photograph. We teach them how to vet, do research and ask the right questions. Third, photographers will have a better grasp of what collectors might ask when considering a purchase and how this might impact their practice. Whether a collector or photographer, students leave the class with a greater understanding of today’s photography marketplace – from where to shop to today’s trends.

What is the most rewarding part of teaching?

I love to watch students become smart collectors. The most rewarding aspect? It’s to have students circle back after class has ended and ask for help with an acquisition. That is the greatest compliment a teacher could ask for… nearly everyone wants to buy!

If you had to give 3 words to describe yourself, what would they be?

Students like my enthusiasm, passion and energy. I love to connect people and enjoy making introductions to galleries for those who are curious about a particular photographer. But, most of all, I like to have fun.

What makes you unique as a photography educator?

I’ve been collecting photography for nearly 40 years and am a collector, first and foremost. I’ve built a network of deep personal relationships across all aspects of the photography world – from dealers, installers, photographers to auction specialists. That said, I’m neutral. I do not represent any gallery or any photographer. I have a unique insider perspective and am honest, to a fault. I’m overly generous when it comes to providing abundant tips. And while I’ve made a few mistakes over the years, I want to protect my students from making those same mistakes.

What’s your #1 tip about collecting photography?

Buy with your heart then buy with your brain asking all the right questions. And never buy with your ears.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please join us online for an engaging look at the photography market. The first class is September 20, and runs through October 18, 2022. For more information, look here on our education page for the details.

About Alice Sachs Zimet

Alice Sachs Zimet is President, Arts + Business Partners, a consulting boutique specializing in the fine art photography marketplace. As a collector, advisor, and educator, Alice began to collect fine art photography in 1985 and has amassed a museum-quality collection of over 300 images from 20th Century masters to the present. Alice is Chair, Photography Curatorial Committee, Harvard Art Museums; Chair, Acquisitions Committee, International Center of Photography (ICP); and a board member, Magnum Foundation. She is on Faculty at Christie’s Education, the ICP School and Maine Media College + Workshops, where she teaches workshops on how to collect photography and how photographers can better access the marketplace. Zimet pioneered the field of corporate sponsorship as Director, Worldwide Cultural Affairs, The Chase Manhattan Bank (20 years). Here, she used the arts as a strategic marketing tool across 14 countries and 20 US cities to generate $2 Billion in new business for the bank. She is Adjunct Professor, New York University’s Graduate Program, Arts Administration teaching Corporate Sponsorship and the Arts. Alice holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Art History, began her career at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and continues to live, work and collect in New York City.

Gail Samuelson | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on August 22, 2022

It has been a true pleasure to see Gail Samuelson‘s work on the walls of the Atelier Gallery in Winchester this month. Her exhibition, Passing Through has layers of light, color and texture all mixing with the light and beauty of the gallery. Our visitors have been deeply engaged with the work, and its implied meanings. We wanted to know more about Gail and her work. We asked her a few questions about her creative process, her attachment to the museum, and to her beautiful works, and this is what she had to say.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

I first visited the Griffin in 2010 on a field trip while taking the Photography Atelier when it was still being offered through the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. I fell in love with the space, the light, and the quirky setting next to a pond. But what excited me most was the prospect of our class showing work at the museum. It was a huge notch up from the hallways of Lesley! What I didn’t know at the time was how many good friends I’d make and the sense of community I’d find there.

I took the Photography Atelier six times, twice at Lesley University and four times at the Griffin Museum. In the Atelier, I learned how to hone in on a project via assignments about portraits, landscapes, and still lifes until something struck a chord with me.

After the Atelier, I took Emily Belz’s Topics in Photography classes “Sense of Place” and “Light and Color”. In Light and Color, I made images of light passing through my house, some of which would eventually find their way into Passing Through. Both classes had a big influence on me.

Cerulean, Crimson, and Sunglow from the series Light House, © Gail Samuelson, 2021

How do you involve photography in your everyday life? Can you tell us about any images or artists that have caught your attention recently?

Mostly, I photograph the small, often fleeting, moments I notice as I go about my day, so I always have a camera with me. I like to photograph light and shadows in my house with a digital camera and when I’m exploring the landscape, I bring along a film camera (or two) because I like to shoot my landscapes with film. I have favorite spots both in Sherborn and in Orleans that I visit often; I almost always find something new to photograph or a new way to photograph.

For artists, there are so many but to name a few, I love Rinko Kawauchi’s 2010 Aperture book, “Illuminance” and the way she uses light, color, pattern, and how she sequences images. And as I’m writing this feature, I took a break to buy Barbara Bosworth’s “The Sea” from Radius books! I’ve been spending time on the cape this summer and am interested in the way the camera lens captures patterns created by the interaction of light, wind, sand, and water. I have Barbara’s first Radius book “The Meadow” and marvel at her dedication to a particular landscape. I also love all of S. Billie Mandle’s projects and I’m eager to delve into Teju Cole’s “Golden Apple of the Sun”. His kitchen images remind me of another favorite, Jan Groover.

*Driftwood*, from the series *Passing Through* © Gail Samuelson, 2019

Please tell us a little about your series Passing Through, and how it was conceived.

The series began in a rare “Aha” moment when I was studying my prints from two separate projects: one of landscapes where I live in Sherborn and on Cape Cod, and the other was Light House that had its origins in Emily’s Light and Color class. I noticed a kinship between them and started making pairs: of light and color; inside and outside; concrete and abstract.

Each pairing is a visual conversation about the interconnectedness of place, between the shelter and intimacy of being in my home and the quiet landscapes I discover outside my door. The images are from different places, but they form a consonant union. There’s a term in music, “counterpoint”, a relationship between two musical lines which are interdependent in their harmony yet independent in rhythm and melody. I love that and see a visual analogy when pairing my photographs.

Because I use different cameras for each project, my diptychs combine a square shaped landscape that I get from my film cameras, with a rectangular image of light in my house that I capture with my digital camera.

*Winter Water*, from *Passing Through*, © Gail Samuelson, 2019

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

“Leaps of Faith” was either the last or next to last exhibit at the Griffin Museum in March 2020 just before the pandemic forced the museum to close its doors to the public. The exhibit featured the work of Armani Willett, John Horvath, Walter Pickering, and Barbara Diener. It was a marvelous curation and installation, and I am drawn to how beautifully Barbara Diener layers patterns of color and light over her images.

What is your favorite place to escape to?

I live next to Rocky Narrows, a Trustees of Reservations property so when I need to “escape”, I just walk out my back door and explore the woods. It’s a restorative tonic for all the senses. I also love Maine: Rockport and its neighboring towns, home of Maine Media Workshops and a good friend of mine; and Acadia. I enjoy garden spaces, so I’ve made my reservation to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay later this month.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

On July 12^th, we were dazzled by the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope’s ability to register infrared wavelengths combined with its enormous mirror and pixel resolution allowed us to see light from 13.7 billion years ago, just 100 million years after the Big Bang and creation of our universe!

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

David Byrne comes to mind. I’ve always loved the Talking Heads, his 1984 movie “Stop Making Sense”, the rhythmic layering of his songs, and his idiosyncratic movements on stage. My husband and I went to see “American Utopia” in early 2020 when it was in previews at the Emerson Colonial Theater, shortly before it closed due to the pandemic.

We’d talk about how he came up with his style of movement on stage, how he goes about writing a new song, and what he’s working on now.

To see more of Gail Samuelson‘s work visit her website. You can find her on Instagram @gailsamuelsonphoto

Donna Dangott | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on June 24, 2022

It is a great pleasure to showcase the words and talents of Donna Dangott. Her beautiful exhibition, Hidden in Plain View was on the Griffin Gallery’s wall in June of this year. This intricate and layered work, emotionally and visually draws you in, grabs you and holds your attention as you unveil each layer in the work. We wanted to know more about her creative process, the ideas behind this body of work, and her connection to the Griffin. This is what she had to say.

How did you first connect to the Griffin Museum?

I became acquainted with the Griffin Museum in early 2021. I was exploring what galleries and other institutions in New England that might be of interest to me for consuming their offerings, but also, to possibly exhibit my own work at some point. It was around that time I first became acquainted with Paula Tognarelli, the former director of the Griffin Museum. She had seen some of my work on exhibition at Sohn Fine Art Gallery in Lennox, MA and reached out to me. She was interested in that work and offered me some very wise and valuable advice. And she purchased a piece for her private collection too. Our paths eventually, and happily, crossed again and again. I am forever grateful for that connection. The Griffin, and current director, Crista Dix, have also grown to be important in my career and my ability to continue to learn and grow through all that they offer to our creative community. I have been fortunate to have developed several friendships across the miles with other members of this community as well.

How do you involve photography into your everyday life?

I very rarely have a day now that does not involve photography on some level. If I am not actively working on one or more of my own projects, fulfilling an assignment or purchase of work, managing the calendar of exhibition deadlines, and taking care of other business matters on behalf of my studio practice, well then, I am otherwise spending time reading and researching, visiting exhibitions in galleries or museums, either in person or virtually, taking workshops or attending lectures, networking with other artists here in Texas or across the country, and trying to stay in touch with what is going on in photography and the broader world of visual art here and abroad.

Are there any images or artists who have caught your attention lately?

There are too many to list here really. There are so many truly gifted visual artists, and I discover somebody new to me almost every week. I am humbled on a daily basis to be considered part of this community. I have very eccentric tastes in art and photography—ranging from very traditional to very modern or contemporary—and I enjoy all media. At the moment I am very attracted to the work of two artists—Holly Roberts and Daisy Patton– who each combine photography, collage and painting in their works. Their work is very different in their styles and subject matter, but both artist’s works resonate deeply with me. And, I aim to explore more of the mixed-media methods that they utilize and incorporate that into some of my own work. So, I find their work particularly inspiring, but also, they express their chosen narratives so beautifully and eloquently. If you are not already familiar with their work you should visit their websites.

holly roberts wolf — © Holly Roberts **https://hollyrobertsstudio.com/**

Daisy Patton **https://www.daisypatton.com**

Tell a little about your recent exhibition ‘Hidden In Plain View’ and how it was conceived.

This series actually grew out of another series titled ‘In The Garden’ , and really, they overlap to some degree. It began during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down, during which I spent a concentrated period of time reflecting on personal history throughout my life, and contemplating ways that I could incorporate some of it into my visual work in a meaningful way. I was beginning to develop my skills more in photomontage and other ways to blend together various images digitally at that time too. Like many other creative folks I was also just feeling extremely vulnerable to all that was going on in our world—on many fronts. Retreating to my gardens and the natural world has always been nurturing and healing to me. I have found that working out a visual project intellectually, emotionally, and creatively is too. Over several months time I worked further on combining images of human sculptural forms with botanical motifs and developed many strong images that expressed visually how many of us survivors of childhood abuse and trauma perceive ourselves at times or how we learn to cope with our experiences. At times in our lives we literally are hiding in plain view. This series has been so well received and I have been deeply touched by the generous and thoughtful conversations shared with me by others who have seen it. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share this work at The Griffin. The whole series that appeared at recently at The Griffin can be viewed on my website: https://www.ddangott.com/

person staring at you — © Donna Dangott – Envisioning the Garden

person eyes closed — © Donna Dangott – Dreaming of the Garden

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

I actually find most ALL of them engaging and many are indeed very moving. I applaud The Griffin for their commitment to showcasing emerging talent, as well as, those artists who have long established and illustrious careers. The exhibitions are truly rich and quite diverse. There is something to learn from each and every one of them. Living in Texas I am not able to view in person many of the exhibitions there, but I certainly do enjoy them all in a virtual format. And I tune into the artist’s talks as often as I am able. Last Summer I was in Boston for a few days and had the opportunity to view in person a couple of exhibitions that I still think about even now. One was Vaune Trachtman’s ‘Now is Always’ exhibit in the Atelier Gallery. I loved the concept of the series. The images were just magical and her photogravure prints were exquisite. And in the main gallery was the ‘Spirit: Focus on Indigenous Art, Artists and Issues’ exhibition. I found that to be a very powerful exhibition to view in person—as much for the imagery as the subject matter in general. Donna Garcia’s and Meryl McMaster’s images were particularly moving to me.

people on a road — © Vaune Trachtman, “Strand (detail of tryptic)”

woman shaking head — © Donna Garcia, “Muscogee”

What is your favorite place to escape to?

My ‘happy place’ can usually be found outdoors on a hiking trail in some remote place or wandering along a deserted stretch of shoreline. I love to explore new landscapes as much as I enjoy returning to old, favorite territory too. I haven’t had near enough time out ‘on the trails’ these past two years due to deadlines and other demands on time, combined with some travel restrictions for one reason or another. However, I am about to embark on a 12 day journey through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River where I will be rafting and hiking each day. The southwest desert terrain has been like my second home for 40 years. In contrast, I am spending all of September in Scotland where the environment is completely different. I very much am looking forward to that adventure too. I plan to stretch my legs and my spirit, shoot new work, sketch, write and contemplate my projects for the next many months ahead.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I actually have very broad musical tastes. And the same goes for my reading materials. I have lately become smitten with Flamenco music. It is incredibly passionate and expressive. If you aren’t familiar with it, check out Sabicas, Stefan, and Jesse Cook. However, I am usually listening to very contemplative music by Max Richter, Phillip Glass, Olafur Arnalds, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, among many others. At the moment I am reading Down the Great Unknown by Edward Dolnick. It is the story of “John Wesley Powell’s 1869 journey of discovery and tragedy through the Grand Canyon” as he and a handful of other men explore it for the first time. It seemed appropriate to learn more of that history for my approaching journey in the canyon. At age 64 I am still very eager for new adventures. If the spirits are willing I hope that there will be many more ahead yet in my art and the rest of my life too.

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

I would love to have met Georgia O’Keeffe and to spend time with her. I have always admired her fierce independence and commitment to creating not only her own exquisite and sensual art but to living life on her own terms. I would love to just walk through the desert with her and share the marvels of every stone or curve of the terrain, as well as, the expanse of the sky that goes on and on. Nobody else has captured that realm quite like she did in her work. Seeing her work in person is like a spiritual experience for me. The O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe has a wonderful collection of her works and it is well worth a visit.

To see more of Donna Dangott’s body of work, head to her website. Find her on Instagram @ddangott

Olga Merrill | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on June 17, 2022

Olga Merrill’s textured photographic work, Enigma, was on the walls of our Atelier Gallery in June 2022. We wanted to know more about her creative journey and how the work inspired her and in turn inspires us. We asked her a few questions, and this is what she had to say.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

© Andre Kertesz, Distortion, image courtesy MOMA

My first connection with Griffin Museum was in July 2019 at the reception of the Juried Members Show. My husband and I came to congratulate photographers I knew and know now. I became a member after and only one thing I regretted that I did not join earlier. My works have been part of a few exhibitions, I enjoyed a lot of online events as well. My gratitude to the Griffin Museum for everything.

How do you involve photography in your everyday life? Can you tell us about any images or artists that have caught your attention recently?

I was not shooting as intensively last year as I did before. In any case photography and other media are part of my everyday life. I love to make warm tea, set up music and look through wonderful images. I recently got the first edition catalog of Andre Kertesz: The Mirror as Muse. I love studying his Distortion images now.

Please tell us a little about your series Enigma, and how it was conceived.

The concept of this series was born after I became a citizen of the USA. I still have my original citizenship as well. The duality, feeling as I am personally in between two worlds, literally and metaphorically. My “Enigma” is my interpretation of the relationship between our human existence and the Earth.

man looking up — © Olga Merrill, Fortitude

We all witness the endless flux of life. I invite and provoke the viewer to see deeply into what mysteries are hidden in the intimate corners of the soul. I hope that in the end, one finds answers as to what legacies will be left behind.

correia - peeking — © Susan Irene Correia

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?
This year I enjoyed the exhibition ” E. caballus: The Domesticated Horse“, a wonderful group of photographers, fabulous prints and installations. The horse can be a metaphor for your world and life. A steady rhythmic horse provides riders with an opportunity to move up the scale and to accomplish new things. Take inventory of your world. What horse are you riding?

What is your favorite place to escape to?
Escape from what and why? Perhaps some people are trying to escape from themself thinking that they are escaping somewhere. You cannot escape from yourself.

city view from water — © Olga Merrill, Friday Night

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I always love to listen to music by Jean Michel Jarre, especially when I am doing post-processing of my photos. The “Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World” by Haruki Murakami is on my table, I want to read it again.

man looking right — © Olga Merrill, Invisible Thoughts

man with weeds in eye — © Olga Merrill, The Moment

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

If God can be called “anyone” it will be God. The topic of conversation will remain a mystery to the public.

To see more of Olga Merrill‘s work, log onto her website. You can find her on Instagram @merrill.olga

Stephen Albair | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on March 25, 2022

“Silent Scenes” by Stephen Albair is a body of work that tangibly describes Albair’s art-making process, utilizing the traditional tableau technique of staging models that remain motionless for an audience. Using a vintage 35mm camera, Albair uses natural sunlight and found materials to create a suggested dialogue between the objects, exploring themes of love, loss, and longing. Open on March 15th, Albair’s exhibition will run until June 5th at the Griffin. Join us on April 5th for a special evening online artist talk with Stephen in the Griffin Zoom Room about his work and Silent Scenes.

Wanting to find out more about Albair’s art-making process and inspiration behind “Silent Scenes” we asked him a few questions.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

A few years ago my friend Ann Jastrab told me about the Griffin. I met Paula Tognarelli at the Griffin for a portfolio review.

How do you involve photography in your everyday life? Can you tell us about any images or artists that have caught your attention recently?

Claudio Bravo, Mystic Package, 1967 – Courtesy MoMA

Photography and bookmaking are pretty much my life these days. I’ve always been interested in Art History, visiting Galleries, and Museums. I recently saw a show at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco. Two charcoal drawings caught my attention: Enrique Chagoya, 1989 to 1997, and Claudio Bravo, Mystic Package, 1967. The sheer scale of Chagoya’s work, with his intense use of color, inventive sense of movement, is overwhelming. The subject matter challenges notions of power. Claudio Bravo, Mystic Package 1967, looks photographic but is a pastel drawing. I love the idea of a mysterious package for the viewer to contemplate what’s in the package? The sheer skill to make a work of art like that is awe inspiring and requires perfection of technique. It tricks the eye with its realism as it fits tightly into the space of the frame.

Please tell us a little about your series “Silent Scenes” and how it was conceived.

“Silent Scenes” describes my working process. My photographs are based on the traditional tableau technique of staging models that remain motionless for an audience. It has a history dating back to the beginning of photography and is still used as a technique today. The camera simply records the scene. I’m drawn to narrative storytelling as a way of building photographs. In the context of the photos selected for this show the title “Silent Scenes” really describes my Images

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

Installation – Silent Scenes @ the Griffin

It’s very difficult to pick a single show because there are so many that I have enjoyed. Recently, “Mantel & Home Views” comes to mind.

What is your favorite place to escape to?

I’ve become a homebody the last few years but certainly Thailand and Japan were my favorites. When I come home to Massachusetts and New Hampshire to visit my family I head to the small town of Atkinson, NH where I was raised with my twin sister, Jeanne. There is a one-room school there that we attended in first grade. The town wants to tear down this important historical building. I’m part of a group trying to save and preserve the site, raise awareness of its history, and generate funds to restore it to its original condition. There are reasons to believe that the the back of the property is a forgotten Slave Cemetery.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

I’m in the process of publishing a book which has taken two years to complete. Writing and learning how to write has become an obsession. I’m a slow reader with dyslexia but read a little each night. I just finished, “The Wayfinders—Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World”, by Wade Davis. I enjoy studying ancient cultures.

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

I’ve been teaching full and part-time college courses for over 35 years. I’d like to have a conversation with President Biden and First Lady, Jill Biden. The conversation would involve how the US could provide greater support for art programs, artists and photographers, exhibitions and museum support, while increasing the funding for art programs at the elementary and secondary level.

You’ve stated that Life’s ambiguities—love, loss, and longing—are subjects for your artworks. Can you tell us more about that and why you’ve focused on these themes?

I believe that life’s journey can be reduced to Luck and Love, and being at the right place at the right time. Life’s ambiguities refer to our ups and downs in the natural order of life’s events; the realities that we face day to day. Longing for something better, grieving for loss, are human traits that bind us together while pushing us to consider new possibilities and opportunities.

What does photography mean to you and why is it your chosen medium?

My first real success was printing Gum Bichromates in 1973-74. I learned through a hit and miss process that utilized a lot of serendipity. I am not a technical photographer. I used the same camera and a single lens for 42 years, shooting multiple shots in natural light, until Digital became more practical and less costly. The camera is just a recording device that became the best way for me to express a personal narrative.

What inspired you to take up photography (and when was this)?

After college, I began my career both as a Metalsmith and a self-taught photographer. Soon I was exhibiting in both mediums simultaneously. I never formally studied photography and gave up metalworking in 1989. My experience with the camera began as a way to record my metalwork. But the more I looked through the lens the more I viewed a world within a world. I was always obsessed with searching for found objects in antique shops that intrigued me and recording my finds.

Are you working on any other projects at the moment? If so, could you talk about them?

*Full Circle* 2021 Archival Pigment Print (Collage)

Yes. I started reassessing my work at the beginning of the pandemic and wanted to get involved with something that would keep me inside, besides writing. By archiving my work I discovered images that I had long forgotten. This led me to begin a new series of collages using xeroxes reproductions from parts and pieces from my older photographs. It became a way of revisiting familiar themes in an entirely new way.

How do you approach naming your exhibitions?

I worked with Paula Tognarelli. She is incredible for the quick take and coming up with ideas. I labored over producing a long list of possible titles that started with words that fit the images and my process of photographing. Paula worked in a similar direction but tightened up her list until nothing seemed better than “Silent Scenes.”

How do you know when a work is “finished”?

I’m a perfectionist. Basic design is the bedrock of each image. My work is finished when I can no longer improve on the design by shifting a single part. It’s very close to making a gold ring. The gold surface is worked and polished until there are no imperfections. The finished ring should glow and grab your attention by reflecting its inner light.

To learn more about Stephen Albair, visit his website. To find him on Social Media/Instagram – @stephen_albair

Susan Irene Correia | Griffin State of Mind

Posted on January 14, 2022

In today’s Griffin State of Mind, we are thrilled to share our conversation with Susan Irene Correia—equine photographer whose work is devoted to capturing the spirit of the horse in her photography. As part of our E.caballus exhibition, Correia’s works include Power – Dance with Beauty, Play with Abandon, and Be Loved. To learn what gets her in the Griffin State of Mind, we asked her a few questions.

Tell us how you first connected to the Griffin Museum.

It’s a fairy godmother story. At the end of a long day of reviewing portfolios for the Seacoast Camera Club, with one more to go and a long drive home Griffin Museum Executive Director and Curator Paula Tognarelli walked into the library room and reviewed my work. It ended up with an invitation to exhibit at the Griffin. I am so grateful to Paula for this introduction into the Griffin family.

How do you involve photography in your everyday life? Can you tell us about any images or artists that have caught your attention recently?

I try to spend some time reviewing other types of work and be inspired by their journeys and successes. I was fascinated this year by the intense creativity of Kathleen Clemons and was able to organize a local workshop for a small group of photography friends. It was a pleasure to just absorb the joy of working up-close with flowers and learning how to use certain specialty lens. It gave me greater respect for looking for the beauty in the details that I can also apply to with horses. And not to worry about horses stepping on my many times broken toes!

Please tell us a little about your series Power, and how it was conceived.

A horse is an animal of flight – integrated into their brain to survive and to do so they must be intelligent and fit. Under saddle if they are respected and asked to work as a partner they comply to accept the direction of the human hand and beautifully work as one. But the spirit of the horse always yearns for the freedom of the body to move and play. That is what inspired me with the theme of Power broken up into the three areas. But most important to me is to have the viewer give thought to our fast moving society which is reflected in the last piece of the series titled “Three Brands Too Many”. I want the viewer to enjoy seeing their power but also reflect on their fragility. Including my present dressage horse, all of the horses that I have owned were in troubled situations prior to my intervention so I connected deeply with this horse I photographed.

Has there been a Griffin Museum exhibition that has particularly engaged or moved you?

I really love the Griffin Member Artist exhibits because its a whirlwind of incredible creativity and thought. Its so inspirational. I am obsessed with “Flight” by Anne Piessens because it represents so clearly to me the dreams I had as a child.

girl with wing — © Anne Piessens, Flight

My [other] choice would be “Among the Aspen Trees” by Mary Aiu. It inspires me because not only does it capture the spirit of this horse but utilizes so many other sensory elements and techniques.

What is your favorite place to escape to?

That’s an easy one. Alone with my horse, to groom him, to feel the wind in my face riding him. No other thoughts can get into my mind at that time. The nicker, the nuzzling, his dependency of knowing where I am for his security – healing for me that can not be described.

What is a book, song or visual obsession you have at the moment?

Tina Turner “Simply the Best” Timeless creation and there is even a horse in it!

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a conversation, who would it be and what would you talk about?

My mom who caught covid two weeks before her first vaccination was scheduled and passed many months later from post covid complications. To be sure she heard me tell her how much she was loved by all. Please get fully vaccinated and encourage others.

Griffin State of Mind

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