Spectrum Art Gallery, Fresno CA

In the March show, March 3-28, Spectrum Gallery will display the photography of three members: Bobbie Smetherman, Jack Christensen and Bonnie Jensen. This will be the seventh show for Smetherman and Christensen; it will be the fourth show featuring the works of the photographs of all three members.

JACK CHRISTENSEN, “TRAVELOGUE”

Jack Christensen is displaying colored images from his travels in South America, Europe and the United States. Jack reports that, “These images have no particular relationship to one another except that they were taken on pleasure outings. “This fact provides the unifying theme and the show’s title, “Travelogue”.

Christensen is a long-time member of Spectrum Gallery; he has been a serious photographer even longer. His high school photography classes provided him with a life-long avocation. While he is uninterested in digital photography, he remains passionate about using film and his classic film cameras, especially the Leicas.

BOBBIE SMETHERMAN, “FAREWELL TO POLAROID”

Bobbie Smetherman also joined Spectrum Gallery shortly after it was founded. She began taking photography classes and workshops during the early 70’s and became very interested in several forms of alternative photography. She began specializing in Polaroid transfers by the late 1980’s, and ultimately taught its techniques in many workshops and classes.

Polaroid transfers are made by interrupting development by the early separation of the film’s layers and placing the underdeveloped image onto another surface. Smetherman says, “I like several aspects of Polaroid transfers: the identifiable edge and the unpredictable, often happy accidents which may occur during development. In addition, the transfers seem to invite the artist to add or subtract creative elements such as hand coloring.”

In December 2008 Polaroid ceased production of the film that permits such artistic transformation. Therefore Smetherman has been rushing to use her remaining film supply before it expires. This show, entitled, “Farewell to Polaroid” is devoted solely to Polaroid transfer images on watercolor paper and cotton muslin, including two quilts incorporating road trip imagery. She also shows several accordion-fold books featuring Polaroid transfers. Her subject matter includes neon signs, motels, flags, Chinese restaurants, and roadside dinosaurs.

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Art Hop
March 4, 2009
5:00-8:00pm

Artists Reception
March 7, 2009
2:00-5:00pm

BONNIE JENSEN, “FRESNO STATE: AS I SEE IT”

Bonnie Jensen, who lives in Sunnyvale, joined Spectrum Gallery 10 years ago in order to have a place to show her photography. She has owned a camera since she was seven years old. Her father thought that she saw “life through a lens.” Jensen explains, “I think that assessment is still valid.”

Jensen has been a serious photographer for 15 years, with more than five years experience concentrating on digital photography. She uses Photoshop and special plug-in software to create her photographic art. These tools are the equivalent of her brushes and paints.

This show, “Fresno State: As I See It”, originated in the two week Summer Arts digital photography class last summer. During the course students were challenged to see and photograph in new ways. Jensen says, “I began to open my eyes and see the subject matter in new way. As I began to process my images in the computer, this show was born.” She also hopes to make a book including her images, possibly during Summer Arts in 2010.