Today I got word that one of my images was selected to be included in a national juried show. The juror is that great light warrior herself, Joyce Tenneson.
I’m quite shocked. She is, hands down, one of my absolute favorite photographers. She has style, creativity, substance, an eye for beauty and a mastery of the technique behind photography. Taking the best light, presenting interesting subjects, and “simply” turning them into works of art that transcend medium-she makes it look easy, even when it’s not.
If you read my sidebar (which nobody ever does, but it’s over there -> for the curious) I say that “once I was in an exhibit with Joyce Tenneson…” I was once before selected to have work included in a national juried show when she was the juror. It was called The Search for Transcendence because it was the exhibition corresponding with her then latest book, Transcendence. I still have that book on my shelf, and it’s still as captivating as it was the day I first opened it.
At the time, I was honored and stunned, because I was such a fan of her work. Now I feel doubly blessed, because, well, I’m 2 for 2 and her work has grown so far so fast.
One thing I absolute love about her as a juror (and, an artist, really) is that she selects what she feels to be absolutely the best work, cohesion be damned. She picks photographers she likes, takes her favorite images from them, and builds a show around “quality” rather than trying to spot the latest trend.
Trends come and go, but somebody with an eye and a mastery for the craft of photography, somebody who’s a true artist, somebody who consistently presents the world with new and valid work while constantly changing and growing, well, that’s somebody worth keeping company with-and that, my friends, that’s why I’m feeling like I’m on top of the world.
Now I absolutely must take one of her workshops.
Until next time…
