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President: Judy Robson Vice President: Mike Fedler Vice President: Bill Kline Treasurer: Rich Vanek Secretary: Debbi Waring BOARD MEMBERS: Baerbel Baginski, WSL Steve Candella Neroy Carter Arnie Esterer Mary Ellen Higley Ken Johnson Mark Jones Randy Jones Gloria Kaull Kim Laurello Chris McClure Tom Picken Bruce Schlosser Dixie Selip Scot Sinkler Chris Tredent, WSL Tami Turner Linda VanBuren Joseph Varckette Ellen Winer | ||||
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 2928 West 13th St. Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 phone: 440-964-3396 |
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Posted: Thursday, June 30, 2005
"A Personal Unfolding of Brazil" by Jon Gordon Jon Gordon’s work will be on display July 8th - 30th. Join us for an opening reception and meet the artist on July 8th, from 7-8:30 PM. During the summer of 2003, I joined a group college faculty for a tour of Brazil. We visited school children along the Amazon and their families rescued us from a violent thunderstorm. We met with government official in Brasilia and religious leaders in Salvador. The elders of Rio de Janeiro taught us to dance and we were awed by the beauty of Iguassu Falls. Throughout our trip we went from moments of extreme activity and excitement to moments of peace and serenity. The photographs captured the events as they unfolded and I manipulated the images in an effort to expand and fully appreciate my experiences in Brazil. The Brazilian people were open and welcoming. Regardless of what they were doing, they encouraged us to participate. I was able to step into their lives and take photographs. Most of the people showed their personalities by looking directly into the camera. I expanded on this sense of involvement by manipulating most of portraits, especially those of the children and dancers, in order to recreate the feeling of being drawn into their personal space and daily lives. These close activities often increased my level of anxiety. I am a person who likes to maintain a safe distance. I often needed to step back and breathe. I used these opportunities to examine my surroundings and I quickly realized how often I was surrounded by sculpture. In the social centers, faces of stone stared at me. While beautiful, they tended to accentuate the sense of entrapment I had developed. In many ways the faces prevented me from escaping to a comfortable distance. As with the people, I photographed them in such a way as to recreate my growing anxiety. The religious centers tended to be more calming and the sculptures there created a different sensation. The body language and facial expressions provided a sense of safety and comfort. I added a peaceful flow to their gestures in an attempt to accentuate the reassurance they emanated. When we were not in the cities, the force and beauty of nature was overwhelming. Fierce thunderstorms and powerful waterfalls quickly gave way to soothing forests and the gentle flow of rivers. I expanded on the movement of the water but discovered that there are times when manipulation cannot add to the moment captured by the camera. These images should not be interpreted as factual depictions of Brazil or its people. My goal is to share my personal experiences and perceptions. The nature of the photographs, the degree of manipulation and even the green and yellow frames that match the Brazilian national colors allow me to continue my journey. I hope they will allow you to share it with me. Gordon calls his printing technique “digital watercolors.” He prints digital photos with a water based ink and manipulates the images before the ink has time to dry. Don’t miss this wonderful exhibit! --Jon Gordon
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