James E Weaver

With five awards in my satchel, some online sales (including one here at FAA), and six shows this last year, I am looking forward to this year's line-up of shows.
*** In April 2012 two shows -
*****Skagit Art Association's (SAA) 'Art in a Pickle Barn' show, a sanctioned event of the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival held throughout Skagit County of Washington State; we will be at Azusa's Farm and Gardens near Mount Vernon.
*****Whatcom Art Guild's (WAG) Spring Art Show in the Ferndale (WA) Public Library.
*** In May one show -
*****WAG's Ski to Sea Art by the Lake, Bloedel-Donovan Park, Bellingham WA, 27-30 May; we are now an official part of Bellingham's Ski to Sea Festival during the week before Memorial Day.
*** In September one show -
*****WAG's Fall Show in the Ferndale (WA) Public Library.
***In November one show -
*****WAG's Fall Art by the Lake, Bloedel-Donovan Park, Bellingham WA
*** In December one show -
*****SAA's Holiday Art and Gifts Show, Burlington WA.

*******

Blowout landscapes and sunsets astound me; cloud shapes and fanciful trees intrigue me; and, animals and flowers capture my attention. The challenge for me is to coax the camera and then the edited print to present those images the way I first saw them.

From taking pix with a simple box camera during high school to using a Pentax SLR from graduate school days to thirty years ago when I decided I could no longer afford the film and processing, and then getting married to a woman with an Olympus SLR, I finally got my own Sony CyberShot semi-sophisticated aim-and-shoot that helped me capture a photo that two years ago said, 'Now you know what you need to do when you retire - sell your photos!'

I retired from library work in spring of 2009, my wife and I purchased a Canon Rebel dSLR that summer, we took a couple of classes, went on a cruise where we shot and shot and shot! Then I got even more serious - I started my business.

I recently began my photography business Dwin James Photography - you might say, 'began' to take photography seriously - in February 2010. Business-wise I have my own website (www.dwinjames.com), an online store (dwinjames.etsy.com), won a 3rd place ribbon at the regional fair, and participated in my first show in October. A local store does have a few of my greeting cards.

About two years ago, my wife introduced me to collage painting. Actually, she invited me to take a one-day class with her. I enjoyed it, and expect to add it to my photographic perspective. As I develop more of those pieces I will have them here as well.

A fellow artist suggested I have a 'different' perspective on things; this may be true. In any case, please look over my work, and see if you agree.

Doing outdoor photography seems like doing found art - one uses whatever is present in a way that brings out a truth, gives joy, or does both. I see what I see, form an idea of how to reshape it (in pixels), and then shoot until I come as close to what I envisioned as I can.

Light and shapes are the primary ingredients in my work. Of course, light produces colors as well as illuminates the shapes and textures of what I am seeing. More often than not, I find shapes and textures to be more important than the colors filling them. This perhaps suggests I should be presenting more of my photos in black and white.

The photo's work is never done until someone other than I views it; and then, the work may only be commencing as the viewer looks at the photo again. Perchance the work never completes itself as different persons bring their particular views of life to the scene.

Perhaps you are one to complete the work of my photos. Please, take a look.

Artwork Feed

Events Feed

Blog Feed