Federico Erra

federico erra

I wrote recently that I joined JPG Magazine online and quickly found some amazing photographers. Federico Erra found me first. But I was hooked deeper. Not only does his work consistently out do the ones before it, he is constantly creating a world within his own to present to the viewer. I wanted to share with you his beauty, as a photographer. I wanted to exemplify his vision, but had a tough time selecting which image best represented his works. I didn't want to show him or the woman he photographs frequently because of their stunning beauty can deter from his talent. But he has such a delicate and mysterious way of bring out the intrigue of this muse, that you will have to go to his link to see their ever playful roles run wild. Instead, however I selected one of his self portratis a bit reminscient of Jack Pedota, and his 80's work, along with another to represent his story telling type tales. Both are stunning but you really have to see for yourself what this young ambitious man is doing.

I'll be watching his work for years to come with great love and affection. He could bring a new element to the fashion industry's high fashion photography, given time.

JENNIFER BELL


JENNIFER BELL


I first fell in love with Jennifer Bell's work through a home magazine where she and her sister were featured living next door to each other in a very cool urban building in Vancouver BC. She was so young then, maybe a good 10-15 years ago.

Her work reminds me what you would get crossing the biazarre night life view of Toulouse Lautrec and the sensuality of Singer Sargent. I've never been able to afford her work which is represented by SHOAL CREEK GALLERY in Austin, TX, but it's always nice to peruse their site for her latest works.

LARA SWIMMER



A professional and commerical architectural photographer in the Pacific Northwest region, LARA SWIMMER, has to be one of my favorite in the area. This world educated and travelled image maker has an impressive list of clients and experience, that seem apparent in her substantial body of work. The examples I have here are more fine art, but nonetheless show her capability to capture the crispness and visual geometric impact deemed essential to competing in architectural based photography. These are two images made during her commission to document the renovation of the Kingston station in Seattle. Check out her site for more impressive works.

JPG Magazine is a fun little magazine and now an online extension for those who love to take pictures. They claim to be about making images, and the love of looking. It doesn't take much to get sucked into an hour of perusing the various people, themes and such. As in the case with internet surfing, you can easily ride along from one photographer to another. Most seem to be amatuers who simply love taking images, but in many cases, their capabilities could lead them into a profession should they ever intend. This image, called Clouds by Rita Iszlai, is a spectacular example of such beauty the young web contributors make on JPG.

KEVIN O'DWYER
PRATT Fine Arts Center www.pratt.org

I came across Kevin's work in a catalog for Pratt's class schedule. With an impressive body of work, attention to detail, and tapping into the soul of his materials, I'd say Dwyer's work is awfully well done!

MICHAEL WOLF

I LOVE Michael Wolf's Architecture of Density, a series of oversized color images of dense, DENSE urban existence in China. It really captures that we as humans are such infintestimal, messy critters amassing in ant-like communities. (And we thought we were so special) Amazing online, and stunning in person. Several galleries represent this unique universal citizen, who was born in German, raised in the US, schooled in the US and Europe and recently living in China for 10 years. His site is real treat to check out, and don't miss his biography, a visual treat from the usual boring type up of the artists life milestones. If there is ever a photographer you could accuse of having a camera as an additional appendage, for this man shoots everything it seems, it would be Michael Wolf.

SUSAN MADSEN

I was perusing the PACINI LUBEL Gallery, currently my lastet fancy for gazing online at beautiful things, and Susan Madsen's work is one them. Her voluptious figures float in a visual study of skin in water and out, of form in play with like forms. It's a delicate series of gentle tones from the human palette, yet there is something undeniably solid and mysterious. The facial expressions that are visible are not necessarily serene and angelic but honest of any person. My personal interpretation conjures the idea that this is the visual representation of the human soul tumbling through life. I look forward to the day I can see the works in person, at a mid size, in oil, I'm sure these works are a visual delight in person.

CHRISTOPHER MIR


Chris Mir is at it again with a load of new paintings for his upcoming show called Dreams, Memories, Reflections at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Connecticut through January 6th, 2008.

When I first met Chris, about 10 years ago his work was post-holocauststic, loose and mysterious. He tapped into a direction that allowed him to venture into his own collaboration of nature's gentle beauty with flowers, butterflies and birds in contrast to the nightmarish unpredictablility of mankind. His recents works show a re-visitation of his darker, looser side. Using oils this time his large scale pieces are gripping and glowing.

DEMI RAVEN

Demi is the husband and collaborator in the show at PACINI LUBEL Gallery in Seattle, where I attended my first ART WALK in the Emerald City. While Rebecca's work is similar in the study of the time and presence of her subjects, Demi's work is over sized and upclose. Demi's large canvas carries us into a that opportunity to look at the details of his subjects up close without being rude. How likely are we to step in to a person's space to check out the dirt under their finger nails or the creased wrinkles around their eyes.

Demi Raven writes "over time, I have marveled at the uniqueness of presence that each person I met carries - not only in the physical appearance but also in mannerisms, gestures etc. Even more so, there is something inextricably linked to individuals that is not merely outwardly poised. Call it personality if you will, but I feel it may have an even greater spiritual depth. I find it not only in those I love, but in the great majority of people I have met over time."