Isabel Chicquor

Sadly, it seems that this blog is becoming an obituary column. I've just received news that Isabel Chicquor, an artist represented by Through This Lens, has passed away. Isabel has spent the past several months working against a tenacious malady that finally overtook her body - though not her spirit. Many of you will have known her as a spirited, opinionated and passionate artist and a generous human being and friend. We will all miss her.

No Alternatives:Hand-Crafted Photo Exhibition

Friday, October 21, 2011 artists, collectors, and the usual suspects gathered to see the unveiling of the No Alternatives exhibition at Through This Lens gallery. This is the first exhibition at Through This Lens to be selected by jury - in this case by Sam Wang and Christina Z. Anderson. Both Sam and Christina are noted authorities, and practitioners, in the hand-made photography world. In fact, they both also teach processes and techniques which are often referred to as "Alt" - but exactly why No Alternatives was chosen for the exhibition title is best expressed by Kevin Logghe. Kevin came up with the idea for the show more than a year ago. For more about that please see his web site http://www.fotosavant.com. There were entries artists from around the US and several other countries. The processes include, among others, cyanotype, platinum-palladium, carbon transfer, mordancage and gum bichromate. These processes are often based on antique processes, but some are experimental. All the subject matter is contemporary - which ultimately is the point of this exhibition. Given that many of the prints on display took days to create, and are each one unique, proof in on the walls that craft and hand-work has not been fully replaced by the computer.

Carter and Earley Reveal Secrets

Catharine Carter and Lawrence Earley spoke about their work Sunday afternoon. A revealing session, Ms. Carter noted that her work had become a sort of visual "journaling" to record her feelings and thoughts - and every image had a story behind it. She also mentioned how the misfortune of having her film cameras stolen during a trip had forced her to become more familiar with her digital equipment. While she continues to work in the darkroom, even exploring more hand-crafted processes, the body of work currently on display was printed by her on her Epson printer.

Mr. Earley, Larry to his friends, recounted experiences of interviewing boat owners and fishermen of the North Carolina coast. Much of his work has been shot on 4x5 film, though he sometimes other formats. His silver-gelatin prints are finely crafted and serve his subjects well. It was a pleasure to hear both of these artists reveal their thoughts and motivations behind their work.

Students visit Through This Lens

photograph (c) Through This Lens

Camp students from Durham Arts Council, just two blocks away, visited the gallery on Thursday afternoon. The two exhibitions running concurrently gave the students an opportunity to compare very different styles of photography. Surprisingly, both Lawrence Earley's traditional black and white work, East of Beaufort, and Catharine Carter's dreamy work, fared well with the students. These two exhibitions seem to be well received by all age groups.

Catharine Carter Reception

photo (c) Catharine Carter

Gallery visitors come out to see new work by artist Catharine Carter. Her exhibition, entitled Waking Dreams, will be on display though mid-October of this year.

Beyond (c) 2011 Catharine Carter

This group of photographs bridges that unclear line between photography and other media. All the images originated in Ms. Carter's camera - but you might not realize it at first glance. If you are at all familiar with work from the late 19th century, you might find some echoes here. Children's book illustrations come to mind, but many visitors say that the images could be just a touch disturbing for children. My opinion differs, since they are in many ways reminiscent of classic fairy tales. Come take a look and share your opinions.

John Zager Draws Large Crowd

Friday evening, August 19th, John Zager had planned to speak during the opening reception for his photo exhibition and book kick-off, both entitled: Durham In Changing Light. There were so many visitors that the talk was abandoned. Most of his time was spent autographing his new book and answering visitors' questions. We were all having a little trouble keeping up with the flow of visitors last night. Even though the gallery officially closes at 9PM on 3rd Fridays, some visitors lingered, and late comers squeezed in until nearly ten. Mr. Zager's work offers a new perspective of Durham - but make your own judgement. His work will be on display through September 10th at Through This Lens gallery. His book will be available through the holiday season - and priced at only $18.99 has already proven to be a great gift idea.

Sad News about David Page

David Page, a long-time friend, and supporter of Through This Lens, passed away Saturday, August 13th, after a few months of illness.

David, graduate of RIT, had always been very active in the photography community by lending his support to local exhibitions and groups. He can be credited with bringing such notables as Barbara Morgan and Gordon Parks to speak at Duke University in years past. He had also been heavily involved in the Hugh Mangum Pack House Museum in Durham. Recently, he and Dr. Richard Zakia, along with the help of Vicki Wilson, authored the book Photographic Composition A Visual Guide, published by Focal Press in late 2010. All of those things are important, and memorable. I will remember his friendship above all.

Respectfully,
Roylee Duvall
August 14, 2011