ITEM 17 Donation by Judith Preston Title: Janet's door Media: Gelatin Silver Print Image Size: 5"x7" Framed: 11"x14" Valued: $250 Starting Bid: $100 Artist Bio: Born in Boston and raised in the New England countryside, I spent a great deal of time outdoors at a young age. This was the beginning of my love of nature and appreciation of the natural world. A logophile, I also pursued a Bachelor of Arts in English at a state college in New Hampshire in the 1970s. It was here, working in the Audio-Visual department, making copy slides, that I discovered photography. The work of Minor White and Ansel Adams leapt off the pages of the books I made slides from. The black and white images were exquisite and intrigued and enchanted me. I took a beginning class in photography, and that was it. I began experimenting with black & white infrared film for my landscape photographs to communicate what I feel is the spiritual quality of nature. Continuing with my interest in landscape photography, I used the Holga plastic camera to explore color representations of the natural world. My interest was in how the introduction of a little piece of plastic in between the viewer and the scene can create an altered reality -- a virtual reality -- tied to our memories of the past; dream-like, nostalgic, and wistful. Although appreciative of the grand views of the landscape, I gravitate toward details. My current body of work deals with the textures, rhythms, and patterns found in nature. I received my BFA in English at Keene State College in New Hampshire and my MFA in Photography at Ohio University, Athens. Until my recent retirement, I taught darkroom, digital, and the history of photography at several community colleges in the San Diego area. Judith Preston Website: https://www.thephotographerseyecollective.com/judithpreston Insta: @judithpreston_photography
