Griffin State of Mind

Griffin State of Mind | Martha Stone

Posted on August 7, 2020

Martha Stone

Martha Stone is our weekends operations manager here at the Griffin Museum. Her multifaceted artistic talents often go unseen when most people see her working her day job. But in our Griffin State of Mind interview we peel back the front desk you often see in front of her and Martha showed us what creativity and thoughtfulness lies behind her hobbies and personal artwork.

Martha’s work is featured in a permanent collection at Delloitte and Touche in Boston and in private collections throughout the United States and Europe.

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and please describe your role at the Griffin.

I worked for Paula Tognarelli in the 1990’s when we were both employed by a commercial printer. After spending the early 2000’s concentrating on my artwork as a painter and a good portion of my time living in Italy, I reconnected with Paula.

At the time I was ready to return to working outside of my studio and she suggested I come to the Griffin Museum as an intern. Little did I know that I would become the Weekend Manager and Director of Visitor Services for over ten years. It has been a wonderful experience to have great colleagues, see an amazing variety of exhibitions, meet photographers and develop friendships with members.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin.

I have seen many high-quality exhibitions at the Griffin, so it is difficult to choose only one. As a painter of landscape, I was very drawn to the “Voice of the Woods” by Koichiro Kurita. The exhibition was derived from a larger project commemorating the 200 year anniversary of the birth of Henry David Thoreau. The photographs were taken at Walden Pond using the method of Henry Fox Talbot, a contemporary of Thoreau. The work is quiet, ethereal and mesmerizing.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

Although I enjoy looking at photography and can be moved and inspired by it, I am unable to make a decent photograph. I take snapshots of scenes and objects as reminders for use in my paintings.

On a recent morning I heard an interview with one of our members, Edward Boches, who curated the website, Pandemic Boston, as a visual documentation of the Covid-19 outbreak. I immediately viewed the website and was struck by the unique perspectives of the six photographers, Edward Boches, Lou Jones, Margaret Lampert, Jeff Larason, Coco McCabe and Juan Murray; each captured palpable images of pandemic life ranging from quiet isolation to heroism.

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

“Michelina’s Letter” edited by Victor Pisano is a collection of the memories of my sculptor friend’s mother, who was born in 1901 and immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1919. She was a self-taught writer, feminist, wife, mother and a designer of fine women’s clothing.

I was impressed by her strength and determination, while amazed at how closely her story parallels some of today’s difficulties traversing the discrimination of immigrants, equal rights for all and the 1918 Spanish Influenza.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

I cannot last too long without visiting the sea as it provides me with an expansive sense of tranquility. Having lived a number of years in the hills of Chianti, Italy, I immediately feel at peace when I return.

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

The absence of touch has been difficult. No hugs!

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

My late husband was an artist and a political activist. I would love to know what he would have to say about the current state of our country and the world. It would be a joy to walk together through a museum and continue the dialogue we shared while looking at art.

Griffin State of Mind | Silke Hase

Posted on July 31, 2020

Photo of Silke during Focus Awards 2017. (photo by Sylvia)

Volunteer, event photographer, and free-spirit Silke Hase works with the Griffin Museum in a multitude of ways all of which challenge us to expand our perspective and understanding of fine art photography. Her work and deep connection with nature helps cultivate a community of wellness and creativity here at the Griffin and we are glad to share some of her thoughts and considerations with you.

We talked with Silke this past week and got an insider view into some of her quarantine living and quarantine dreaming. And you will see her drive towards photography and creating guarantees her ideas, whether a success or failure, always come to pass, and in that freedom to create she finds her Griffin State of Mind.

Describe how you first found the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin community? Describe your connection to the Griffin.

I was taking the Zone System workshop at the New England School of Photography in 2005 when the instructor, Nick Johnson, told the class. “If you don’t know the Griffin Museum of Photography you should check it out”. So I did.

Pusteblume #4 © Silke Hase

Even though I had been interested in photography for many years, and had worked in a darkroom many times, this was the first time that I experienced the world of fine art photography outside of its obvious Ansel Adams corner.

I loved attending the Griffin openings, and tried to see as many shows as possible

One day I noticed a really, really bad official group photo on the Griffin’s FB page of the exhibiting artists taken at an opening reception with a cellphone. I couldn’t resist teasing Paula about it. She explained that Walter, their official event photographer, had health issues. Since I was at most of the openings anyway, I offered to bring my camera next time and take some photos if Walter wasn’t there. I have been covering the Griffin events ever since.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

I find that I have two different kinds of photographs in my life that require completely different mind sets.

One is the everyday personal documentary kind that I use to capture situations and things to share with family and friends in Germany. So, this kind of photography is very important for me to stay connected. I take these kinds of photographs almost every day.

And then there is the arty kind of photography that feels right, is more fulfilling, no matter if I just look at images or create them myself. To create though, I need to get into that special mind set and lose myself in it. Here I can try to see the world from unusual angles. Here I can play with ideas, explore new techniques, try out new things and fail, unleash emotions …

Ziatype © Silke Hase

Cyanotype © Silke Hase

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

Hands down, the Prifti show.

Silke (with Horace & Agnes)

But since Paula already claimed that one, and there were SO MANY incredible shows, I want to point out (1) “Voice of the Woods” by Koichiro Kurita. Koichiro loaded a large format camera and all the equipment that goes with it into a canoe and paddled out in the woods where he captured Calotype negatives of which he made the final albumen or salted paper prints. There is an incredible amount of skill, time and dedication that goes into creating each frame. You cannot rush. You cannot afford mistakes – at least not many.

There was rich poetry in these images and the show as a whole.

And also (2) “Horace and Agnes”, the other end of the spectrum, which was so much fun. It was fun diving into the world of this wonderful ‘odd couple’. Of course it was fun looking at the photos. But it was also fun reading their stories, meeting their friends, and dancing to the accordion music at the opening

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

I am surprised how easy it was for me in the beginning. I work with computers and it really doesn’t matter where I am as long as I have internet access and a phone. My family and many of my friends lives in Germany, so I had been using Skype, WhatsApp and the plain old phone all along for years and was already comfortable with those tools. Cutting away 2+ hours in traffic every day has given me precious time to enjoy my backyard and its inhabitants every day.

That said, after a couple of months, while it is technically still easy to stay connected, not being able to be around people is getting to me. This again is surprising to me, given how I didn’t have any problems in the beginning.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

I love kayaking on the ocean. I love the bobbing on the waves, the light, the air, the critters, the mystery, the salt, …. But for me, ocean kayaking is for day trips on non-thunderstormy summer days.

On a daily basis, my nature getaway is my backyard. I grab a cup of coffee in the morning, my journal and ‘the nut bag’ with three jars filled with different kinds of nuts/seeds. I sit in my comfy Adirondack chair and watch the light as the sun moves thru the trees and hits different parts of the garden: The bird bath (when birds splash in it backlit drops of water fly in all directions), sunlight sparkling in rain drops on the grass, or ice crystals (depending on the season) …this is very Zen.

And then there are all the critters that come for the nuts and seeds. When a squirrel I have known for 4 years sits in the chair next to mine munching on a peanut, or when a bright red cardinal come flying straight at me as I turn around the corner of my house and sit in a tree two feet away, or when a chipmunk holds my fingertips with her muddy little hands while she loads her cheeks with sunflower seeds … that’s a good start to any day.

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

I have been reading the books of Peter Wohlleben “The Hidden life of trees”, “The Inner Life of Animals”, “The Secret Wisdom of Nature”, and the fourth book that has not yet been published in English. He compiles scientific findings and his own observations to inspire people to re-connect with nature.

Portrait of Umedha Swarnapali (Sri Lanka), from the ongoing project “SCENTS OF EVANESCENCE” (2017-current))

As far as visual obsessions are concerned, there is a FB group called “Alternative photographic processes” which is another good way to start the day. Photographs posted here are different from the flood of pictures that is out there drowning you. These are salt prints, cyanotypes, pinhole images from people all over the world. There are some incredible photographers out there that you have never heard of, they are not famous, not accomplished, some are ‘just’ experimenting with unusual processes that you didn’t even know existed.

Here is an example from this page. It is a photograph printed by the sun on the pedal of a Poppy flower. (Photo by Fenia Kotsopoulou – she writes: “UMEDHA” – Petalotype on Papaver Rhoeas. The third successful print directly on the petal of a flower from my garden (and the most successful until now; fortunately, just saved it, at the last moment from a sudden rain). Time exposure: approximately 8 days (unstable British weather).

Griffin State of Mind | Lou Jones

Posted on July 24, 2020

Portrait of Lou Jones

Photographer and long time board member Lou Jones has a bright energy that emulates well from his personal work and more importantly was evident in his responses to our Griffin State of Mind interview.

Recently we asked Jones about how his journey started with the Griffin and we wanted to get to know a bit more about what his latest inspirations are. Here is what we learned.

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role.

tuta bridge by Lou Jones

I think I visited the Griffin Museum once when Arthur Griffin was still alive. I wanted to meet him having seen his byline on so many photographs during my early career. Subsequently I was recruited by the previous executive director to join the board of directors.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

I make my living taking pictures. I have maintained a studio in Boston for many years. A very long-time colleague sent me a photograph of myself taking pictures in the 1980s & it rattled me.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

Pan Africa Project © Lou Jones

I have been traveling to Africa continuously for the last several years & found it draws me back because of its almost infinite variety in things that are completely alien to me & my world here. The continent provides almost continuous new opportunities & completely new narratives that cannot be imagined from our western imaginations. It is a cornucopia.

See Lou Jones’ body of work from Africa on his website www.panAFRICAproject.org.

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

Since the pandemic started I have been working on photographing how people have been dealing with the new paradigm, how it affects their lives positively or negatively, how they have adapted to the new complexities, imaginative ways to continue & what our environment “looks” like with all the restrictions.

Mirror COVID by Lou Jones

Lifeguards COVID by Lou Jones

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

The fact that the whole world can come to a voluntary standstill. I am mystified by what segments can/cannot operate inside the pandemic.

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

James Baldwin

Maybe James Baldwin. He was so ahead of his time in being creative, gay & an African American. He was the darling of the “intelligentia” until he became strident about race relations. His analysis is becoming more & more pertinent & relevant today & he was ignored towards the end of his life.

I would like to talk about being an artist being so ahead of the debate & how do you maintain your resolve under such pressure. I chased him down the street in Paris once but never caught up with him.

Griffin State of Mind | Barbara Hitchcock

Posted on July 19, 2020

Snippet from Glasstire TV Curator Interview for “The Polaroid Project at the Amon Carter Museum of Art”

The alternative process powerhouse herself, Barbara Hitchcock gave us some of her time this past week so we could interview her via email.

She shared her latest insights with us and below are some of the ways she hops into her Griffin State of Mind.

Her strong voice in the art community has been a part of the Griffin journey for many years as she has even curated multiple shows for us.

We have always appreciated her true and authentic appreciation for the history of photography and the integration of all photographic processes to create imaginative masterpieces.

How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role at the Griffin?

In 2006, Blake Fitch, the Executive Director then, and her team, established the Focus Awards and I was one of the awardees. I joined the Board of Directors shortly thereafter and continued on the Board the maximum number of terms and then became a Corporater.

I still serve at the discretion of the Board. Periodically, I have curated exhibitions displayed at the Griffin, among them William Wegman: It’s a Dog’s Life; Barbara Crane: Challenging Vision; Patrick Nagatani: Themes and Variations and most recently, Shadows and Traces: The Photographs of John Reuter.

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin.

The then director of the Griffin Center contacted me, asking me to do an exhibition at the Griffin that illustrated creative art photography, a departure from their usual practice. At that time, the center’s mission concentrated on photo illustration and journalism, highlighting the professional work of Arthur Griffin who established the Center that then evolved into the Griffin Museum.

I believe it was the 1990s. I hung an exhibition titled “New Dimensions in Photography” that featured artists making photographs using antique or alternative processes – cyanotypes on fabric, Polaroid image transfers on watercolor paper, platinum prints and the like.

How do you involve photography in your everyday?

I’ve started to take photographs again, much more than I used to. But I have been lucky as I have continued to curate exhibitions – the most recent titled The Polaroid Project: At the Intersection of Art and Technology currently at the MIT Museum – and I occasionally write about artists and their artwork for catalogs and books.

“From Polaroid To Impossible” By Barbara Hitchcock

Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

West Coast artists Victor Raphael and Terry Braunstein are collaborating on a series of images that deal with climate change. One dramatic, eye-grabbing image of a partia house on fire floats above palm trees into a hellishly scarlet sky scarred by black and red- reflecting clouds. A man, sitting on the edge of the house’s roof, weeps. The image is searing! Unfortunately, we know this image is not a warning, not fantasy. It is already a reality.

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

How difficult physical distancing is. You want to embrace friends and family; people want that basic warmth of physical connection. And some people just don’t seem to know how far 6-feet away really is…or their attention is on other things as they wander into your path.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

I’ve always loved walking in the woods and going to the beach. I grew up in houses with yards, but my brothers and I always used to play in the lots that had underbrush and rocks where garden snakes unsuccessfully hid from us. Walking in wooded parks with the sound and sighting of birds, the smell of plants, trees and fallen pine needles, the occasional deer sighting, the quietude – it is like a loving embrace. And walking barefoot along the ocean with its crash of waves on the beach is similarly magical.

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

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway production Hamilton. The music, the choreography, the history, the emotion, the humanity. I still get goosebumps watching it!

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

Georgia O’Keeffe would be an irresistible choice. Her paintings make me weep; I don’t know why. She was such a talented, strong, independent woman who was married to Alfred Stieglitz, an incredibly strong, monumental, stellar figure in the world of art. How did they negotiate the life they shared together and apart that allowed them both to grow and succeed? That, I assume, would be a fascinating conversation.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

I have too many favorite exhibits to highlight only one. It would be unfair to the ones I don’t mention! In general, I am attracted to work that is experimental in nature, imaginative and pushes the envelope visually and intellectually. What is the artist communicating to the viewer through his/her photograph? Is there a subtle message or is the image straight forward and uncomplicated? Stop. Look. Ponder. What is being revealed?

Griffin State of Mind | Marky Kauffmann

Posted on July 10, 2020

Since her first involvement with the Griffin Museum about twenty years ago, Marky Kauffmann has shown a dedication and love for the art of photography. For instance, her work has shown at the Griffin in numerous Annual Juried Exhibitions as well in a solo show of her work “Landscapes and a Prayer.”

Also, Kauffmann has taught professional workshops and lectures for us in an effort the raise up the next generation of photographers. Over the years, her creative spirit has fluidity blended with our mission to broaden the appreciation and understanding of the impact of photographic art to the world.

As a part of our Griffin State of Mind series we interviewed this creatively contagious personality to better illustrate to you the spirit of the Griffin Museum of Photography.

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role at the Griffin.

In 1996, I had an image in the Griffin Museum’s The Juried Show. That, I believe, was my first association with the museum. But when Paula Tognarelli joined the Griffin team as an intern in the early 2000’s, my interest in the museum grew.

Paula had been my student at the New England School of Photography and when she became executive director in 2006, I was thrilled!

In 2016, after I retired from teaching photography at the secondary school level, Paula asked me to join the museum’s Board of Directors as a Corporator. I have been on the Membership Committee since joining the board. In that capacity, I have used my connections at Boston area high schools and independent schools to create the Griffin Museum Secondary School Photography Teachers’ Alliance.

Every spring the Griffin hosts a luncheon for the Alliance, bringing together public and private school teachers to share ideas and forge bonds. And every winter, we sponsor an exhibit of their students’ work at Regis College’s Carney Gallery. In these ways, I have expanded membership to the museum.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

Photo by Rachel Wisniewski from her series “Memento”

I remain primarily an analog photographer and have a darkroom in my studio in Somerville. If I am not shooting film, I am printing in my darkroom, so making photographs is part of my daily life.

I recently went to see the exhibit, THE FENCE, brought to Winchester thanks to the vision and foresight of Paula Tognarelli. Many of the images on display caught my eye but “12 years old. My house. A family friend” and “13 years old. High school parking lot. My English teacher” by Rachel Wisniewski from her Memento portfolio held particular resonance.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin (see online archive here ).

There have been so many extraordinary exhibits put on by the Griffin that it is difficult to choose just one. But Nancy Grace Horton’s exhibit, Ms. Behavior, at the Griffin’s satellite gallery at Digital Silver Imaging in 2014, is a standout.

When I saw the show, I simply laughed out loud. Horton’s images use wit and satire to skewer prescribed gender roles. As a life-long feminist, Horton’s sly, piercing humor captivated me.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

In 1990, my husband and I bought 86 acres of land on Cape Breton Island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. We built a small cabin there, surrounded by ocean, mountains, and pine forests.

It is the place where I am most at home and most at peace. We have traveled there every summer for thirty years, and since retiring, we have also gone in the fall. But because of the surging cases of COVID-19 in the US, the Canadian border is closed until further notice. I find it utterly heartbreaking that I can’t go there this summer.

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

I recently read the novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong. The visual-ness of Vuong’s writing startled me. You get a glimpse of it just by reading the title of the book! And Sara Bareilles’ songs, especially her version of Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, got me through the spring.

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

I found and find the act of social distancing to be excruciating. Not setting eyes on my son for several months was hell, quite frankly. So, what is “eye opening” metaphorically, is that this could happen! We can be put in the position of not being able to be with the ones we love.

And literally “eye opening?” It was one of the most beautiful springtimes I have ever witnessed in New England. With less to do, there was more to notice. And that’s what photographers do – we notice, as in, make note of, and call attention to, the world.

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

I would like to be in a room with Francesca Woodman, the young photographer who killed herself at the age of 22. When I read about her life and work, I find parallels within my own life that I would love to explore with her. And I would like to tell her that I am inspired by her creativity everyday.

I find parallels within my own life…”

Pivotal to Woodman’s career was her year spent in Rome, Italy, as part of the RISD’s Junior Year Abroad Honors Program. She was nineteen. I, too, spent my nineteenth year studying abroad – in Paris, France.

There, I studied with French photographer Claude LeMont and artist Tony Thompson. For me, the experience was also life altering, cementing my love for photography. I have always found Woodman’s self-portraiture to be extraordinarily inventive. She experimented wildly with clothing, props, and environments. I also try to be inventive with my photography, experimenting with darkroom techniques and chemistry.

In her essay, “On Being an Angel,” Gianni Romano writes that Woodman “utilized the female body to gain self knowledge.” In Fred Turner’s essay, “Body and Soul,” he states that Woodman “left behind images of an extraordinary inner life.” Her use of photography in these ways resonates with me, as I, too, explore themes around the female body and the female experience as a means of gaining self knowledge and an understanding of the life I have lived.

Why did she jump out of that window on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1981? I wish I could ask her. Her premature death and the loss it presents to the art world are incalculable.

See the work of Marky Kauffmann on her website.

Griffin State of Mind | Crista Dix

Posted on July 3, 2020

One of the most jovial personalities we have gotten to know here at the Griffin is Crista Dix. Four months ago, Crista switched up coasts and took a chance on the unpredictable north shore New England weather so she would have the opportunity to grow and develop the Griffin Museum of Photography beside Paula Tognarelli as our Associate Director.

So we asked her a few questions to get to know her most recent fascinations, projects and obsessions, and here is what we found out.

How do you involve photography in your everyday?

Ode to Ansel © Crista Dix

I see photographs everywhere. I trip over my feet a lot. I spend most of my time looking up and out at the world around me. I have a photo project called Buzz Goes, and I carry a Buzz Lightyear wherever I go. He is my alter ego.

Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

We are thrilled to have the Photoville Fence in Winchester right now, and we have a few installations in front of the museum. The work by Tira Khan, Pattern Repeats, has been my moment of Zen as I go in and out of the museum.

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin.

I have known about the Griffin for 13 years. My first interaction was with the powerhouse that is Paula Tognarelli, our Executive Director. We met as peers, (when I had my gallery, wall space) at a portfolio review. One of my represented artists, Aline Smithson, was offered an exhibition at the Griffin, and that began my connection to this amazing institution. I started as the Associate Director in March of this year, having big shoes to fill following in the footsteps of Iaritza Menjivar.

The Conversation, 2018 © Tira Khan

How long have you been part of the Griffin team? Please describe your role at the Griffin

I arrived to one week of a very busy open museum, then the last 4 months I have been working in a very quiet space, looking forward to hearing the hum of an open public museum once again.

It is my job to support our indefatigable leader, Paula, in whatever she needs to get her job done and to make sure the operations of the museum run smoothly.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin.

While I am partial to Aline Smithson’s Mid-Career retrospective, Self & Others, there are many shows I have loved. Zindagi, Bullet Points, Grey Matters, Horace & Agnes….I could go on. And on. And on.

What has been the most eye-opening part of our time of physical distancing?

I have spent my life surrounded by people. Artists, clients, friends, family. I’m actually really private about my life. I love my time to myself, craved it when I didn’t have time to escape and be quiet. Now three months into this new normal, I find I really miss the ability to have daily interactions.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

My favorite escape is to the desert, where I can see endless sky, red rock and feel alive. Monument Valley is part of my soul. When I have red dirt everywhere on me and my belongings, I know I am home. I also love to explore, and Japan and India are always on the top of my list.

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

As someone obsessed by politics, this has been an interesting period of time. There are so many books to read about our fractured political system.

I get my groove on on the way into work. Old school, funk and soul. Chaka Khan, Alicia Keyes, Lauren Hill, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Janet, Aretha, throw in some Janelle Monae, Esperanza Spaulding, Queen B, Bill Withers and Anderson Paak, …and visually, I am obsessed with the view out my apartment window.

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

I would want to talk to my grandmothers. I miss their wisdom. I would dance with Bob Fosse, groove with Prince and share a meal and have a profanity laden conversation with Anthony Bourdain. I’d share a glass of chardonnay with Karen Sinsheimer and talk about what we do next.

Griffin State of Mind | Julie Williams-Krishnan

Posted on June 26, 2020

Yet another Friday has rolled around and we are back at in again in the Griffin State of Mind. We are ready for the dawn of the weekend, but before you settle beside your Friday night campfire with some toasty s’mores, let’s see what our Director of Programs has to say about what puts her in the Griffin State of Mind.

Julie has been with the Griffin for ten years now and currently working as the Director of Programs. Some may say she is the “woman behind the curtain” when it comes to all things classes, programs, and talks hosted by the Griffin.

More recently we got the chance to get to know more about her green thumb and outstanding love for fine art photography.

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

Julie Williams-Krishnan by Elizabeth Dourian

I can think of three people off the top of my head, all artists, and all who carved time out for their practice against the current of everyday life – Julia Margaret Cameron, Virginia Woolf, and Allen Ginsberg.

I know there are many more people I would like to talk with, but these three came into my life as beacons at important developmental moments, so it would be nice to meet with them, learn more from them, and have the chance to thank them each for their legacy and vision.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

One of my favorite shows at The Griffin was False Food by Jerry Takagawa. It was soon after I began my role at the museum, and I was able to meet the artist, hear Paula’s curatorial perspective, and see how photography as fine art was a vehicle for this important environmental message.

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and please describe your role at the Griffin.

I first connected with the Griffin ten years ago, when I moved to the area from London. I was so excited to learn of the Griffin and its focus on fine art photography – it was one of the first phone calls that I made.

I volunteered there that first summer and then I was then part of the community, taking a few classes and attending shows and events for five years. In 2015, Paula approached me to ask if I would like to be the Director of Programs.

I was delighted, and have enjoyed that role very much. As the Director of Programs, I help organize talks, programs, and classes for the museum.

Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

This photograph [Ta-Dah Pour Deux by Gary Nellis] was recently featured in YourDailyPhotograph.com.

This photograph captures a moment of stillness in performance, a spotlighted duo in shadow, high above the world. It feels nostalgic, it captures the imagination, and the composition keeps my eye and my spirit of adventure roving around the image with excitement. It shows comfort in the midst of risk.

…my spirit of adventure roving around the image with excitement “

How do you involve photography in your everyday?

I am always thinking about photography. In addition to my work at the museum, I follow various artists on Instagram, follow blog postings, stay connected to the photography happenings in the Boston region, I am involved in a “salon” group where we discuss our own work, I photograph, and I teach photography.

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

Well, from the museum point of view, social distancing has allowed us to focus on the tools of virtual connection to stay together as community, and it has broadened our reach. We are now able to regularly connect with photographers and friends outside of New England.

So, though we have not been able to meet in person, we have connected in new and exciting ways with people across the US and internationally during this time.

On a personal level, I have wanted to grow a vegetable garden for seven years, and I am now focusing on tomato seedlings, growing beans up poles, and planing those potato spuds that have started sprouting! Can’t wait to harvest these things!!!

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

I love to go to the ocean, or a lake, or a river. Water soothes me, the power of the ocean tides awe me, the river current carries life. I grew up on an island in the middle of a swift and wide river, so water has always been my go to place for calm.

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

I have been journalling a bit – a bit like the gardening – I am enjoying having time to slow down, to think, to plan, to ground myself. My seedlings and the growing plants are my visual obsession at the moment!

Griffin State of Mind | Paula Tognarelli

Posted on June 19, 2020

The Griffin Museum of Photography is launching a new series “Griffin State of Mind.” An interview series giving you a glimpse inside the creative minds of board members, employees, volunteers, and general members discovering inspiration, motivations, and individual passions that make up our global community.

We are starting at home in Winchester with the heart and soul of the Griffin, Paula Tognarelli, the Executive Director and Curator.

Paula is a humble and passionate woman who fuels the fiery heart of the Griffin with determination and ingenuity.

Paula Tognarelli
Executive Director and Curator
Photo by Katie Swanger

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin.

I don’t tell many people about this but my first connection with the Griffin Museum was an application I sent for a position as the Executive Director of the Museum.

I took great efforts to prepare for this application.

Still I was the VP of Manufacturing for a large printing corporation that I worked at for 25 years. I had an art background and ran a 60 million dollar manufacturing company. I managed blue color and white collar employees.

We had a 7% profitability. We cut staff 50% not through layoffs but through cross training, digital processes and attrition.

Together we moved a business from an accident a month to no accidents for 1 year. And I was integral in moving an analog process to a completely digital workflow for the corporation and other printing companies across the United States.

We were one of the first printing companies to install a leaf digital camera and install a photo studio in 1997. So I was pretty disappointed when I received a letter back that said I was not qualified for this position at the Griffin.

Did it stop me? No, obviously.

As a result, I worked out a plan to never have anyone ever say I wasn’t qualified as an arts administrator ever again.

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

I have been surprised that there is so much to do to entertain oneself without turning on the television.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

Photography is a part of my every day. It is in my work life. It’s in my home life. It’s in my down time.

I go to photography exhibits on my days off. I’m surrounded by photography on walls at home and office along with photo books.

And I own lots of them. Even if we do not actively seek out photographs we are constantly being influenced by a photograph in every waking moment.

I recently saw Photographer David James on a Zoom online presentation. As a result I bought Taschen’s book on the film by Nicholas Roeg called David Bowie In The Man Who Fell To Earth in which David James’ photo stills and behind the scenes photographs are featured.

It made me think of Cristina de Middel’s The Afronauts. While not one photograph, it was one source that caused my imagination to go wild with possibilities.

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

Right now I am going back and forth between The Overstory by Richard Powers and A Cloud a Day from the Cloud Appreciation Society

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one-on-one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

I would want to talk to my mother. We both left so much unspoken. She had such a wonderful sense of humor. I would just want to laugh together again.

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

It used to be the woods, but now I am afraid of ticks. Now it is my back yard under my favorite tree.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

All of the exhibitions we have produced are my children and no mother should ever say they have a favorite child. I am very proud of all of our exhibitions. David Prifti: Drawn by Light, however has a very special place in my heart that becomes apparent when you see the installation.

Griffin State of Mind

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and please describe your role at the Griffin.

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

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

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

Describe how you first found the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin community? Describe your connection to the Griffin.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

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

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

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

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role at the Griffin?

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin.

How do you involve photography in your everyday?

Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

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

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and describe your role at the Griffin.

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin (see online archive here ).

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

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

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

How do you involve photography in your everyday?

Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin.

How long have you been part of the Griffin team? Please describe your role at the Griffin

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin.

What has been the most eye-opening part of our time of physical distancing?

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

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

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one on one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin. How long have you been part of the Griffin team and please describe your role at the Griffin.

Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

How do you involve photography in your everyday?

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

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

Describe how you first connected with the Griffin.

What has been the most eye opening part of our time of physical distancing?

How do you involve photography in your everyday? Can you describe one photograph that recently caught your eye?

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

If you could be in a room with anyone to have a one-on-one conversation about anything, who would that person be and what would you talk about?

What is your favorite place to escape to in nature…mountains? beach? woods? and why?

What is one of your favorite exhibitions shown by the Griffin?

Footer