EXHIBIT Closed on January 1st 2017
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Juror: Diane Gabriel

Juror's Choice: Through Goldilocks' Eyes by Louise Parms

In the still life, the extraordinary is found in the ordinary.  -  Jonathon Jones

The still life has a been a main staple of art and art education since not long after our distant ancestors started to draw on rocks and cave walls. It was inevitable then, that still life photography appeared almost synchronously with the invention of photography.  Nineteenth century still life photography, like other art photography of that era, largely imitated classic still life painting; think of bowls of fruit, flower arrangements, and the occasional odd items thrown in, like books, utensils, pens and paper, and even dead birds.

Exhibit Calendar (Subject to Change)
Exhibit Opens:	8 December 16
Artists' Reception:	18 December 16 15:00
Exhibit Closes:	1 January 17
In Stillness Exhibit Catalog now available at PrestoPhoto The Darkroom Gallery Difference

As Jonathon Jones writes in an article titled "Still Life Photography" in The Guardian, the still life was regarded as a humble form by the fine art community, and it was only after 20th century fine art photographers seriously took up the still life that it  gained a more exalted status.  Edward Weston's sublime black and white rendering of a nautilus shell is an perfect example of what can be done with photography and a simple object; Robert Mapplethorpe's lilies are in the same category.  More recently still life photography has embraced a more complex and varied selection of subjects.  The photos of contemporary photographer Wolfgang Tillmans are an example of the inclusion of an eclectic array of objects in a still life image.

For this exhibition, Darkroom Gallery is challenging you to come up with your own creative concept of the still life.  The only rule is that your photos should include inanimate objects arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner, whether by design or by chance.  Lighting, background, and composition can all be manipulated to achieve an image that "speaks" to the viewer. 

Juror's Statement: “In Stillness” can be interpreted many ways. I approached the submissions viscerally, initially choosing those which gave me a feeling of calm, balance and timelessness in their visual presentation. However, I was also, and always, looking at the formal aspects of photography: composition and especially quality of light - what I call a,”well seen” image. While there were many arresting photographs in this large group, those I chose most closely met my criteria. Diane Gabriel

• All selected entries are exhibited in our gallery and included in a full color exhibit catalog;
• Juror's Choice receives a 30x48" vinyl exhibit banner featuring their image, free entry into a future exhibition, a free exhibition catalog;
  
• Honorable Mentions receive free exhibition catalogs and free entry in a future exhibition. 
  
• People's Choice gains free entry into a future exhibit.
• We offer free matting and framing of accepted entries for the duration of each of our exhibition, subject to standard sizes. Photographers set their own prices if they wish to sell their work and retain all rights to their photographs.

Juror: DIane Gabriel Prolific photographer and multimedia artist Diane Gabriel has been producing evocative portraits and still life subjects for the last three decades. Her photographic education has come primarily through her studies at Goddard College and at Maine Media Workshops and has been enhanced by years of practice and experimentation. She has shown her work in a great many exhibitions nationally, and her photos are in the permanent collections of The Fleming Museum and The George Eastman House, as well as many private collections. Her work has been frequently published and she is currently preparing a folio for publication to be titled Some Girls, a collection of her sensitive child portraits. Gabriel has been involved in photographic education through her participation in such programs as Artist in the Schools and the 215 College Gallery. She has lectured on her photo and art work in numerous venues, including Darkroom Gallery and Burlington City Arts. Her creativity, drive, and enthusiasm have been an inspiration to many aspiring photographers.