The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. present April’s First Friday on April 1st, 2016. The Modbo will host a group photography exhibit featuring Tamera Goldsmith, Kristen Rodriguez, Brian Tryon, and James Van Hoy. Meanwhile, in S.P.Q.R., it’s Play Nice: The Conjoined Show, featuring twelve acclaimed Colorado Springs artists paired up, having created pieces in tandem. Artists in this show chose to work together simultaneously, or by passing their pieces from one artist to the next. You’ll see pieces by Brett Andrus and Elizabeth Selby, Phil Lear and Christian Medovich, Claire Swinford and Lupita Carrasco, Davoth and Cymon Padilla, Erin Jones and Jess Preble, and Holly Conlon and Jean Cuchiaro. Both shows are open Fridays through April 29th. The opening reception on April 1st will go from 5:30 pm til midnight and features music by Brian Elyo of mobdividual and Conor Bourgal. The Modbo and S.P.Q.R. are located at 17b and 17c East Bijou, 80903. More information at themodbo.com or by calling 633-4240 or emailing themodbo@gmail.com
Tamera Goldsmith first picked up a 35mm camera in 1985, and has been exploring her fascination with line, form and space ever since, lately making a return to shooting film. Her current work is shot using a Diana camera with a plastic lens. There is a nostalgic “snapshot” quality to the final product, taking the viewer back to the time when Polaroid or Kodak Instamatic cameras were the tools used to document life’s progression. Each roll of 120 film yields twelve photographs. The time frame from taking the photo to holding a finished print in one’s hands can be weeks, so the exercise of creating an image is very deliberate. Tamera challenges herself to make only one photograph of any subject, so each roll of film comes back to her with twelve unique images and nothing repetitive – the opposite of cell phone camera culture.
Kristen Rodriguez is a self taught natural light photographer. Her obsession with photography began at age 13 when she picked up her first Minolta 35mm camera. Learning her craft in the mid 90s, prior to the digital photography age, afforded her the privilege of shooting on film and developing photos in a darkroom. It was the tangibility of film photography that first captured her heart. In recent years, Kristen has experimented with fusing her love of analog photography with digital technology, resulting in her recent Polaroid emulsion transfer work. In a world so obsessed with instant gratification, Rodriguez believes that it is vital to slow down and take the time to create meaningful images. Her work is a synthesis of several different styles, backgrounds and influences. Although her preferences and style evolve year to year, one thing remains constant; her work is an exploration of symmetry… Symmetry in all things, be it nature or human anatomy. Her series “Linger” is a study of the female form in the soft light of morning. Of this series, Kristen states “There is something so beautifully fragile in the quiet moments we spend in bed each morning.” In these photographs, subtle gestures become visible manifestations of a reality hiding just beneath the surface.
Brian W. Tryon is a photographer/artist born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is a self-taught artist and photographer who is influenced by street art such as Keith Haring, Cincinnati artist Gabe Leonard, Diane Arbus, and Ralph Eugene Meatyard. Brian has exhibited at Go-See Art exhibition Venue, The Ivywild School, Kreuser Gallery, and The Cottonwood Center For The Arts. Brian lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and children. Tryon’s photographs are a slideshow of the weird, wonderful and spiritual side not only of Colorado, but wherever his journey takes him. His love for photography and art brought him to this point of his art journey, and he feels he’s just beginning. Black and white photography is his favorite to shoot. Street, portrait and anything he finds interesting are his photography subjects. Brian is also a freelance photographer.
Living in Colorado for 7 years, James Van Hoy has enjoyed the travel, environment and wonderful scenery here and throughout the southwest. Upon his semi-retirement as an electrical and electronic engineer, Jim began to seriously work on his photography by hanging around with other photographers and learning from them. And, taking lots of pictures! From this exhibit, one can see his interest in landscape and macro (close-up) photography. In addition, Jim began to experiment with adding texture layers and using digital filters to his work in order to add another dimension. Jim has won numerous awards in a number of shows here in Colorado, including two Best of Shows along with other place awards. More of his work can be seen on www.purposefulwanderingphotography.com.